Venezuela, which has a team of American Professional Baseball (MLB) stars, is about to advance to the quarterfinals at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
The United States, a super-luxurious member of the MLB, whose annual salary alone is approaching hundreds of billions of won, lost face to Mexico by an 11-5 score.
Venezuela defeated Puerto Rico 9 to 6 in the second leg of the first round of the WBC Group D final held at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida, on the 13th (Korean time).
Venezuela, which beat the Dominican Republic 5-1 the day before, took first place in the group with two consecutive wins.
Venezuela is likely to reach the quarterfinals with two games left against relatively weak teams such as Nicaragua and Israel.
In another Group D first round match earlier, Israel recorded their first win, defeating Nicaragua 3-1.
Nicaragua, which came up through the preliminary round, suffered two consecutive defeats.
The USA lost 11-5 after being tied to the mound by Mexico in the second game of the first round of Group C at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
The U.S. gave 4 points in the beginning of the 8th inning when it was trailing 7-2, so it almost suffered a cold game defeat.
The United States added three points after the airlift, but it had nothing to do with the win or loss.
Mexico and the United States have a record of 1 win and 1 loss.
Hoey Meneses (Washington Nationals), the third hitter in Mexico, took the lead in defeating the United States.
In the top of the first inning, he hit a two-run home run in the left center against American starter Nick Martinez (San Diego Padres) from one out on first base to boost his momentum.
In the top of the 4th inning with a 4-1 lead, with two outs on 1st and 2nd base, Meneses again fired a five-point shot in the same direction, completely tilting the pendulum toward Mexico.
Meneses, who will turn 31 in May of this year, is a latecomer who has been in the minor leagues and debuted in the big leagues in August of last year after passing through the Orix Buffaloes of the Japanese professional baseball in 2019.
Randi Arosarena (Tampa Bay Rays), who is from Cuba and acquired Mexican nationality and participates in the WBC as Mexico’s No. 1 hitter, contributed to the victory by going 3 hits and 2 RBIs in 5 at-bats.
Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers), 메이저놀이터 Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels), Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Ernardo (both St. Louis Cardinals), and Pete Alonso (New York Mets), the USA’s powerful batting line, lost only 2 hits in 18 at-bats. gave an excuse for
In another Group C first round, Canada recorded a 18-8, 7 cold-game victory over Great Britain.
Canada had their first win, and England suffered two losses in a row.
Tyler O’Neill, a St. Louis outfielder and Canada’s No. 3 hitter, went 4-for-4 with 4 RBI and 4 runs scored.