Key events
USA 0-0 DR, top 2nd
Anthony looks at a borderline strike on the low end of the zone – that’s Luis’ third K of the night.
Turang is upl, swings and hits a hard ground ball to second – Marte has it and fires to second base for one out, and Perdomo fires to Guerrero Jr at first base for the second out! It’s a 4-6-3 inning ending double play!
Severino is through two innings unscathed.
USA 0-0 DR, top 2nd
Will Smith starts off for the Americans with the Dodger catcher looking to improve on his 2-6 WBC. He’s behind 1-2 to Severino before turning around an inside pitch and dumping it into right field. Excellent hitting right there by Smith, and now he’s on first as Boston’s super-prospect Roman Anthony steps in.
USA 0-0 DR, bottom 1st
Soto lines a ground ball towards the hole at second – Turang dives to his left, full extension and has it! He pops up and makes the throw to get Soto! Stellar grab by the Brewers second baseman! Side retired!
USA 0-0 DR, bottom 1st
Another pop up, this time to second base Brice Turang is under it and puts Marte away. Another easy at-bat for Skenes. This should be a bit tougher – Juan Soto is at the plate.
USA 0-0 DR, top 1st
So here’s the young Paul Skenes, who at some point will make $7.9 gazillion dollars should he stay healthy. And we hope he does because the hurler is just magic to watch.
Three pitches and one out – Tatis Jr pops harmlessly to left field. Here’s Ketel Marte stepping in.
USA 0-0 DR, top 1st
Henderson swings and hits a ground ball to second – it’s easy for Marte and the Diamondback fires to first for the third out of the inning.
The USA threaten but strand two runners.
Here come the DR!
USA 0-0 DR, top 1st
Judge swings and connects – a line drive over towards third base and over the head of Perdomo. That’s a two-out base hit.
And here’s more trouble – a sweeper that really swept, hitting Kyle Schwarber.
And suddenly, just like that, it’s two on with two out, and Gunnar Henderson, who is 7-9 against Severino is at the plate with a real opportunity.
How will it end?
USA 0-0 DR, top 1st
Once again Severino is ahead in the count before Judge lets a low offering go.
Then he barely stays alive on a foul tip.
Let’s do it again – the pitch? Low and away.
The count is full. How will it end?
USA 0-0 DR, top 1st
Severino’s sinker is hitting 99 MPH and now his cutter is whipped past the swinging bat of Bryce Harper. Bang! Two up, two down, two strikeouts.
And look, here comes the Judge.
Vamos!
We’re off! Bobby Witt Jr stands in against Luis Severino!. He falls behind in the count 1-2 before chasing a slider – strike three! One down, and now it’s Bryce Harper whop strolls to the plate.
Juan Marichal
He’s 88 and one of the best pitcher’s in baseball history is still bringing it. Will he be back dancing tonight?
Lineups
We don’t know which Navy Seal was chosen to fire up the Americans before their crucial match-up vs the Dominicans, but we do know their lineup.
United States of America
1. Witt Jr, SS
2. Harper, 1B
3. Judge, RF
4. Schwarber, DH
5. Henderson, 3B
6. Smith, C
7. Anthony, LF
8. Turang, 2B
9. Crow-Armstrong, CF
Dominican Republic
They flip their bats high, and they score, a lot – 41 runs in four games. But they haven’t faced anyone like Skenes. Can they keep the line moving against the Bucs ace?
1. Tatis Jr, RF
2. Marte, 2B
3. Soto, LF
4. Guerrero, 1B
5. Machado, 3B
6. Caminero, DH
7. Rodriguez, CF
8. Wells, C
9. Perdomo, SS
Email!
Peter Brown says:
“I’m hate watching this purely in the slim hope that the USA mess up – then I’ll watch all the amusing hand wringing that will ensue on YouTube.
But I fear a blockade or invasion of if the conjoined twin of Haiti prevails !!”
I think you better erase that Peter!
Mojo
US starting pitcher Paul Skenes was just speaking on FOX TV in the US and he mentioned servicemen and the military and fighting and winning. I have no idea what representing your country in a baseball game has to do with the military, but it seems to be a thing in the US dugout. Personally, I don’t need to hear about all that before a baseball game, but maybe that’s just me.
It’s a bit lighter on the DR side. They have incredible belief and a roster full of love for their culture, bat flips and fun. In a competition full of color and vibes, no team has been more enjoyable to watch, with a plethora of passionate players up and down their dugout. Their enthusiasm for what they do is contagious and so I wonder how any neutral can possibly root against them. No team is a better overall advertisement for the sport, and if you don’t believe me, just watch.
ICYMI
Baseball in Italian, one of the many reasons to love the WBC. Are the Azzurri heading to the WBC finals? They face Venezuela tomorrow night in Miami on the other side of the bracket.
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The Rules
We’re at the semifinals and that means these starters can pitch big boy innings, up to 95 pitches. Now, if Mark DeRosa sticks with Skenes that long I’ll eat my hat and give you my kids, but as we know with DeRosa, anything is possible. There’s no mercy rule in the semis, because these folks have paid a lot of cash to sit in these seats, and no matter what happens, they’re getting their nine innings of baseball. We have the pitch clock, two manager challenges per team, and god forbid we go to extra innings, yes, the ghost runner rule with a runner starting the frame on second base will apply. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen, right?
Hola!
Welcome to our coverage of the World Baseball Classic! It’s heavyweight night in Miami with a semi-final match-up between the US and the Dominican Republic. It’s the game we all wanted to see from our first view of the bracket, with two of the most stacked baseball lineups you could put together from the global talent pool.
It’s also become something of a de-facto WBC final, with Japan shocked by Venezuela and Cinderella Italy continuing it’s run with a defeat of Puerto Rico in Saturdays quarter-finals. Yes, Italy beat the US once, but they would be big underdogs in the final, as would Venezuela, regardless of which team wins tonight.
There’s not much between these super-powered bats, but the mound is where the rubber meets the road. On the hill tonight for the Americans, a hurler who needs no introduction – Paul Skenes – who at age 23 already has a Cy Young award and two sub 2.00 earned run averages under his gold and black Bucco’s belt. Against Mexico in his only WBC appearance: four innings, seven strikeouts, one hit over 60 pitches. He is formidable and almost untouchable, regardless of who holds the stick, and Dominican players are 3-27 against him in MLB play.
For the Dominicans, it’s Luis Severino, who is a solid, serviceable but inconsistent pitcher who can be had. When he’s going well Severino is more than capable of going deep into games. He also has big game experience, throwing in 13 playoff contests. When he’s not on, well, it can get ugly, and against a relentless lineup that hasn’t really hit its stride, manager Albert Pujols will have his hook ready.
In the bullpen, the Yanks also have a weapon in closer Mason Miller, who has struck out eight in three hitless innings. The Dominicans don’t have anything approaching that caliber of reliever. No wonder, Team USA are favored to reach the final in their bid for a second WBC title.
Opening pitch is coming up at 8PM EST, 12 GMT, so now is the time to get your fat-free Greek yogurt with blueberries, oats and a little whipped cream ready. Meanwhile, why not email me your thoughts and feelings and get your name in the paper – your mom will love that!
More to come – stick with us!
David will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Japan’s tournament came to a sudden end:
Wilyer Abreu watched the ball leave the park and tossed his bat high in the air. His Venezuela teammates streamed out of the dugout in celebration. The comeback was on, and the win over the reigning World Baseball Classic champion Japan was within reach.
Japan, their 11-game WBC winning streak on the line, held a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning of Saturday’s thrilling quarter-final matchup in Miami when Abreu put his team ahead with the biggest swing of the game: a three-run shot off Hiromi Itoh that sent the loanDepot Park crowd into a passionate roar and helped clinch Venezuela’s 8-5 win and first WBC semi-final appearance in 17 years.
You can read the full report below:
