The United States began its defense of the 2017 World Baseball Classic championship on Saturday night, and got off to a good start in Group C play with a 6-2 win over Great Britain in the second of two WBC games at Chase Field.
Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies hit a three-run home run to right-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the US a 5–1 lead, and Team USA had at least one baserunner in every inning, with only two on a single. players on the Major League Baseball roster against an opponent.
US starting pitcher Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals allowed one run on five hits in four innings, striking out four. Great Britain took a 1–0 lead in the top of the first inning on Trace Thompson’s solo home run, but could not hold the lead.
The US bullpen allowed one run on three hits over five innings, including one inning by Jason Adam of Tampa Bay, three innings by Kyle Freeland of the Colorado Rockies and a scoreless ninth by David Bedner of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
More than 68,000 fans attended the two WBC games in Phoenix combined, with an announced crowd of 39,650 at the Saturday night game.
“Talking to Wayno (Wainwright) when he came out of the game, he’s like ‘man, it’s a playoff atmosphere right here,’ and that’s what I try to tell him for guys who’ve never been in it,” US manager Mark DeRosa said. “It goes by very quickly. The atmosphere is great.”
arenado loves AZ
For years, Nolan Arenado accompanied the Colorado Rockies to spring training in Scottsdale. One of the top third basemen in the game for years and now a St. Louis Cardinal, Arenado compiled a .288 batting average at Chase Field with 77 hits in 69 games in Phoenix.
On Saturday night, Arenado had a single and double with a two-run pair for the US. He also improved on his low World Baseball Classic numbers, as he entered Saturday with a -161 batting average in eight WBC games.
Arenado said, “I really believe in this tournament, I really believe that it prepares you for the first day, the opening day is not so hyped.” “Because you’re here playing against all these teams. But I really like it. Like I said, I think if I can give any advice to young players, you have to play in it.”
No boo, ‘mousse’
United States outfielder Mookie Betts drew applause from many fans at Chase Field when the announcement was made, an audible “moo” instead of a “boo” coming from the crowd.
Although the Los Angeles Dodgers are a rival of the Arizona Diamondbacks, it appears that the fans either ignored it or had a good amount of Dodgers fans in the seats. Betts, catcher Will Smith and third base coach Dino Abel heard the cheers when he was introduced before the game.
pre d-back check in
Paul Goldschmidt made another return to Chase Field since moving to the St. Louis Cardinals, and the All-Star first baseman played his old walkup music in his first at-bat. Goldschmidt’s joy knew no bounds as he reached base four times and scored three runs.
“I call it one of the best baseball experiences of my life, which I had in ’17,” Goldschmidt said, referring to his 2017 WBC experience. “And how positive it was, how much fun I had, that’s why I’m only half way joking that I begged to be on this team. I mean, I would have done anything. I had so much fun.” Came.’
Thompson, another former Diamondback, is one of the most recognizable names on an otherwise minor-league or non-MLB roster. Thompson, now with the Dodgers, homered in his first at-bat of the game and doubled in his second. He spent 2020 and 2021 in the Diamondbacks system at Triple-A Reno.
well dressed fans
Some fans used the game to dress up in costume, and some of the coolest included people dressed as Revolutionary War-era patriots, Uncle Sam, or human American flags.
A Great Britain fan dressed in a lion costume sat in a front row seat behind home, his face painted with the England flag.
While Great Britain fans were completely booed when it was shown on the Chase Field video board, the person who got the loudest cheer of the night was US hitting coach Ken Griffey Jr., who starred for the Seattle Mariners in the 1990s. did.
Tea party
Great Britain’s D’Shaun Knowles of the Bahamas tripled in the top of the seventh inning, slid head first and celebrated by pretending to raise a cup of tea to his mouth with his pinky extended.
After Thompson went home, teammates decked him out in a cape and placed a crown on his head.
Great Britain manager Drew Spencer said, “I don’t think anybody was expecting that game to be that close, apart from us, you know, there were 30 men in that dugout, they knew we were going to battle.” Have been.” “And we did.”
This article originally appeared on The Arizona Republic: Power hitter Kyle Schwarber, US team. Too much for Great Britain in WBC win