{"id":4331,"date":"2017-03-16T01:18:50","date_gmt":"2017-03-16T05:18:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/?p=4331"},"modified":"2017-03-16T15:04:05","modified_gmt":"2017-03-16T19:04:05","slug":"team-usa-powers-past-team-venezula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2017\/03\/16\/team-usa-powers-past-team-venezula\/","title":{"rendered":"Team USA Powers Past Team Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"

Team USA entered their first game in the second round of the 2017 World Baseball Classic with what appeared to be a very difficult match-up in front of them. Venezuela had an All-Star level line-up, featuring Jose Altuve<\/a><\/strong>, Victor Martinez<\/a><\/strong>, Miguel Cabrera<\/a><\/strong> and Carlos Gonzalez<\/a><\/strong> with Seattle Mariners ace, Felix Hernandez<\/a><\/strong>, starting.\u00a0 Team USA would be sending Drew Smyly<\/a><\/strong> to the mound, who had finished 2016 with a 7-12 record and a 4.88 ERA with the Tampa Bay Rays.<\/p>\n

Team USA Powers Past Team Venezuela<\/h2>\n

Venezuela scored first in the third inning, when Smyly gave up a single to Gonzales, then allowed Robinson Chirinos<\/a><\/strong> to reach on a throwing error. <\/span>Ender Inciarte<\/a><\/strong> then brought Gonzales home with a sacrifice fly, giving Venezuela a 1-0 lead.
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After Venezuela scored, Smyly was absolutely lights out, retiring eight in a row and recording six consecutive strikeouts.\u00a0 Smyly ended up getting a no decision, but would collect eight strikeouts while only allowing three hits.<\/p>\n

In the seventh inning, Rougned Odor<\/a><\/strong> brought Venezuela’s lead to two, when he hit a solo home run off of David Robertson<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 Team USA would quickly answer back, scoring in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jonathan Lucroy<\/a><\/strong> drove in Eric Hosmer<\/a><\/strong>, cutting Venezuela’s lead in half. Adam Jones<\/a><\/strong> tied things up in the eighth inning when he hit a solo home run off of Hector Rondon<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 Rondon would go on to have a disastrous inning, giving up a single to Christian Yelich,<\/a><\/strong> and two-run shot to Eric Hosmer<\/a><\/strong> that would give Team USA a 4-2 lead.<\/p>\n

Luke Gregerson<\/a><\/strong> pitched the ninth inning for Team USA, earning the save, and helping the Americans move into first place in Pool F.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n