Puerto Rico vs. Mexico Full Game (3/17/23) | 2023 World Baseball Classic

[Music] all right welcome back here to Miami where From Now On In This World Baseball Classic single elimination games quarterfinals two to be played here in Miami and the semi-final games and the championship and our first of the two Miami quarterfinals Puerto Rico and Mexico and here's the starting lineup for Puerto Rico Francisco Lindor has been outstanding in this tournament he's the lead off hitter of course in the shortstop Hernandez Nelson Velasquez to get a right-handed bat in there toward the top of the order he gets start Rivera Javi Baez Eddie Rosario the first Lefty on that list and the only one in the starting lineup and Christian Vasquez homered against the Dominican Republic as the DH naftali Soto and Martine and Maldonado against a guy Yonder who's got really really great stuff yeah he has a lot of just potent stuff he likes to work fast likes to work at the top of the zone for me is the secondary stuff is he Landing his curveballs is he Landing his change up and let's take a look at his arsenal we know this guy likes to work fast but fast is an understatement it's a four seamer coming at you the slur of the change up that slurp though he likes to mix it it's a little bit of a softer pitch but at times especially with two strikes it's more of a slider cutter mix to the back foot hitters or the right-handers I can't wait to watch this dude play look he's a guy that if he can just get three or four Innings I think it's ideal 65 pitches is the limit for him but I can't wait to watch him he's pitched in some huge games already in his young career the defense behind Oreos Rose ready you heard JP talking about him he's been the star from Mexico In This World Baseball Classic Alec Thomas excellent defensive center fielder Alex Verdugo Ian right Paredes Trejo on the left side of the infield and then Luisa Rios and Joey Meneses the first baseman very experienced catcher and a guy who works with Arius a lot with the Dodgers Austin Barnes I think he's helped team Mexico a lot and here we go the left-hander's first pitch in this quarterfinal game is a fastball outside for ball One Toledo now velocity is key that's that's what I'm going to be keying on especially in the first couple hitters if he's got that 95-96 right up in the zone we know he's he's pretty sharp if it's that 92-93 Sinker he might be tinkering and going to the softer stuff early on that was a swing so it's one and one two Lindor usually early on first at bat you know one one counts he likes to go up the ladder let's see if he's playing a little bit of the cat and mouse game early it down with another off-speed pitch to Lindor it's one and two and I do think look it's a different format not only is it an elimination game but also it's still march that's right is on a pitch limit so he's not going to pitch into the seventh inning year today yeah but I think the more important thing you said is the first thing it's elimination game so you got to pitch every every inning like you have runners in scoring position and it could be your last so this this is not a time where okay let me let me make sure I command the heater no it's it's go let's go ahead of Lindor one two and Lindor pulls this one down the left field line foul Abby does the breaking balls right there by urius and one thing Lindor has done as we see the Mexican manager and Benji go they've done a really good job of counter offering on the door right lindor's been crushing fastballs especially early in the count right here there's a quick adjustment going on we're just letting people know I've been studying you just a good pitch up up in the zone right there no messing around you see that four seamer look at the ride on this look how underneath the door is on it yeah he's late he's underneath he had no chance we'll executed pitch right there by urius the one out and he gets through the lead off hitter and the Superstar leader of Team Puerto Rico Francisco Lindor that'll bring up Hernandez righty stacked in there of course that Puerto Rico is fairly right-handed heavy anyway adore The Switch Hitters had a lot of success from the right side good breaking ball for strike one oh Yadier Molina is talking so highly of Hernandez when I asked him said he's just a good teammate we talk about a guy who you know wants to go to Boston he's in Boston playing shortstop come some place for team Puerto Rico and says we're going to go to center field he says no problem if my captain my leader is commanding shortstop just put me in coach I'll play center for you on one change up the swing it's two and one you know one thing about Lindor he's going to have that communication he's the first guy that has seen who he is tonight right away as soon as that strikeout was has had he he went right up to and said hey this is what I'm seeing from swing but a foul ball that could be part of what you're talking about like hey elimination game the pattern the strategy might be a little different tonight A lot of times he'll let you know the action move hey this changeup's got bite down not not bite to the side you know a lot of times it's a lot better to get a warning on what the pitch is doing so then you can kind of go up there and be like okay it's got to start here for me to go and attack it doing two and he go up the ladder here he tries he tried but he went too high he catches that ball bare hand he he was disgusted with that pitch right there he didn't like it no 3-2 anything anything goes here for him it's a guy that really controls all three pitches doesn't necessarily A fastball count that is ball four it wasn't a fastball and he missed so Hernandez is the first base runner of the game foreign Austin Barnes is a really solid catcher Good Game caller now you have a left-hander on the mound that makes it a little more tough but in the big leagues we do see teams from time to time try to run on Austin Barnes a little more aggressively say than against Martine Maldonado the catcher for Puerto Rico don't be at second base on a ground ball base hit oh we got Hernandez taking for third and he'll make it in there first and third with one out action early enough in his key from Team Puerto Rico Ruiz is in a pickle right now look at this shift this is a hit and run right not not a hit and run executed but just you see the shift you just go right with it we're gonna get first and third is in a pickle early on [Applause] Keegan loves it that's Nelson Velasquez his first hit of this World Baseball Classic and if you're watching a tournament game for the first time this year and you've been paying attention to what's happening in Big League spring training the pitch clock rules the ban against overshifts those are not in play in this WBC playing by 2022 MLB rules so you saw the overshift and it costs Mexico there ball one to Emmanuel Rivera he's had a lot of good at bats so far for Puerto Rico Olivia so far is using all his pitches four sliders five fastball sport changeups it's been a good mix [Applause] what a spot what a moment for him right now trying to get out in front against Mexico Fly ball down the right field line and Verdugo goes into a slide can't catch it it's just foul catches that it's one of those where you have a decision to make in the first inning I think if you can get it out and you take the out if he caught that the Run was going to come into score no question about it if you're the team Puerto Rico you feel very confident about the situation 18 for 40 with running some scoring position in this tournament feel really good about yourself especially early on in a lot of ways it was their key to advancing here to the quarterfinals they were not a big Power hitting team in their four games already here in Miami he's gone soft here one-on-one early on time he goes soft again and bounces it it's two and one well he's lost that change up he's a little bit too quick with his front side kind of getting on top of that change of you know as a hitter when you're getting on top too much you get too steep on it that's exactly what's happening to Urias on the pitching side gotta feel that timing for this fingers it's all the timing that pitch is all timing and feel 2-1 that one is hit down the right field line for Dugo tracking after it again this one he will get there make the catch he gave tags here comes the throw all the way home it's offline and Hernandez scores the first run of the game it's one nothing one of their biggest nods for Puerto Rico is after the first round play scoring runs has been a difficulty so far early on right now they're having really good at bats swinging at the right pitches one nothing Puerto Rico and what you're referring to is their history in This World Baseball Classic Through The Years they've been a dominant team often in the first round games and then haven't played quite as well as the tournament has moved on Booker Rivera right there in The Dugout saying everything is everything's up everything's away they're not fearing anything in nothing at all that's why you see most of their fall Balls to the right side tries to take that approach here Up and Away ball one oh these right he's listen if Furious wants to have a good outing here he's got to crowd somebody because he's hitters right now if you don't crowd them you can just You Feel Free as a hitter you're extending your arms gotta you can let the ball get back to you you have all the time in the world big swing and Miss over top that off-speed pitch one to two Pat's a good change up right there there's some history there isn't it the postseason the magician model you would figure Baez would be one of the main weapons against a tough Lefty like this 1-2 poked behind first chasing after it menesus and it hits the net he goes tumbling [Applause] the net it's a dead ball and by his will live to see at least one more pitch careful it is interesting in the in the era of the bigger Nets that extend farther down the line a lot of corner infielders have learned how to use that net use it to your advantage you know you're not going to get hurt by Falling with the crowd or their seats or literally a safety net yes Runner goes 1-2 driven to right field hard hit going back on the ball Verdugo it is gone is here to play almost finest Javi Baez what a swing what a moment team Rubio foreign [Applause] everything's away everything's Up and Away you have all the freedom in the world Myers has certainly took advantage of that we know coming in with the postseason history and the overall history of the numbers Javi likes to face him you see that fastball Up and Away oh look at Hobby oh baby's finest he's here to play you think he knew it was it was out he did I wasn't 100 sure the Wall's a little taller out there [Applause] but it made it over by plenty look at Lindor [Applause] first home run of the World Baseball Classic for Javi Baez this year he did hit the home run against Mexico in 2017. that was just a beautiful swing Rico they have seven first inning runs now in five games in this tournament they have been a quick starting team after the meeting Rosario drives one to the Deep part of the ballpark Thomas at the wall that one's gone back to back [Applause] Rosario's finest what a swing the two-step back the only Lefty in the lineup against first pitch to the big part of the ballpark it's a party [Applause] look at that moment for him his second home run of this World Baseball Classic and now it's a four run first inning there is just getting clobbered here but he sees that fastball Ambush fastball guy who's known to ambush people against a Fastball The Heart of the plate it just sounds different Rosario's hitting it 2-0 Julio Rios may not be in this game for very long the way this is going [Applause] careful with that heater right there we saw him the Dominican game Vasquez 2-0 heater he demolished it to left that fastball right there was much better executed down in a way he can live down in a way he'll have a chance so far this inning 25 pitches this is a win for Puerto Rico all the way in every way you could look at it I want to start vodka's got the scoring started against the Dominican Republic with a home run decisive final game of the pool winner moves on loser goes home incredible atmosphere tension and vasquez's Home Run put Puerto Rico ahead just hasn't been there this inning right down the middle usually he's not there when he is on he is living in the corners he's got full command of his pitches he's throwing some bad changeups he's throwing some good ones right now 27 pitches not ideal and at this point if you're in Mexico you got to start thinking about okay when has he had enough yeah soon I think is the answer the pin is going now 3-2 foul yeah well we had questions I think they were very natural ones the way the game ended the other night [Applause] and how emotional that scene was for Puerto Rico even after a great win would they be ready to play tonight with their hearts be in it we've answered those questions to right center field Verdugo is going to get there to make the catch now Mexico comes up in the bottom of the first and a huge task because they have fallen behind a Rosa rain has been great so it's Joey Meneses he had the monster game against the United States Roddy Tellez the DH and cleanup hitter Perez Alan Trejo Ali Thomas and Austin Barnes rounding out of the lineup with a lot of talent a lot of Big League experience against a guy pitching for Puerto Rico he was the MVP of the World Baseball Classic for the United States back in 2017 Marcus strowman yeah pool D against Nicaragua took the no decision but pitch to gem four and two thirds he's going to take advantage of this lead try to get early swings he's going to use all his pitches and last start he was on with his fastballs his sliders breaking ball threw some good ones through some bad ones at times when you look at this number and Randy orozo oh my goodness yeah it gives you a little Freedom when you start the game with a four-run lead but this guy has just been so good five doubles one Homer nine RBIs and it's not to say he hasn't been really good in the regular season he has but it kind of mimics what he did in 2020 in the playoffs well rosarina in these big game settings has just been unbelievable his career MLB postseason average 333 with 11 home runs and he's been even better he's got an Ops in the four games in Phoenix of 1700 but he bounces this one up the middle and Javi Baez hasn't played perfectly little high with the throw but it's there for out number one he's got good fight on that sinker and strowman that's what he's going to do he's going to rely on his defense you know for him is all about executing in the corners if he can execute in the corners if he can feel that that finesse that that swag that that you know just the aura of who he is if he feels that early on in this outing Mexico is in trouble so now Verdugo a big Chopper up the middle and Lindor what range and the throw got him at first oh my beautiful play oh my Shulman loves it Verdugo can't believe it let's talk about the range that he covers check out his first step boom put it in your pocket that's a good play wow you know the way he was positioned there too I think Mets fans are going to be seeing a lot of that with without the big overshifts just kind of right where you expect against a left-handed hitter he's often going to be playing he showed a ton of range what an athlete now it's above average leaders in all baseball at every position if you want back now a lot of years but Francisco Lindor could still pick it at short one of the things I I noticed with Lindor playing with him is just has ability to be so consistent you never see him overthrow a ball you never everything is just done so smooth you take it for granted look how good he is that's a strike Marcus strongman's got a really good fastball today usually he's 88-91 today's got a couple ticks on it oh he's feeling it maybe a little pause here Vanessa's got a high lead kick he can use it well it's one of those pitchers and they're more and more of them cool try to use those timing devices is defense behind him Rosario Hernandez Velazquez then Rivera Lindor Baez and Soto with the great Martin Maldonado one of the great defensive catchers in the World Behind the plate down nobody on slider strike two so right there after throwing that slider down our way he likes to freeze you down and Away with a heater he likes to go up and in with a heater but he can also repeat with that changeup he doesn't mind throwing the change up to the right he's so many windows he can go with here he's feeling it we can see a pause we can see a quick pitch Anything Goes more normal delivery and just a normal ground ball to short and door makes a throw and that couldn't have gone better for Puerto Rico in the first inning four runs on offense and a one two three inning for strowman [Music] Edwin Diaz not in attendance here tonight but very much the inspiration behind Puerto Rico's early four-nothing lead he sent out this message after his injury on Wednesday quote to all my beloved fans especially Mets fans I want to let you know that I am doing well and healing I feel blessed and grateful for your support with messages and prayers thank you very much I can't wait to see you guys in New York again and hear those trumpets Dave we can't wait to hear those trumpets ourselves and it's just a really unfortunate situation he was so great in that game and the game couldn't have been better an incredible win an entire Island watching and this Stadium going nuts a tough scene at the end of that game and our best of Edwin Diaz he had the surgery I think everybody assumes that okay get it fixed it's going to be a long rehab but he should be just fine when he comes out and the end of it not an arm injury Charlie Soto Strikes Out Swinging Julio Arias I wasn't sure that he was going to stay in the game after the way the first inning went but he gets the strikeout here now that smoothie right there though in that at back dominating the inner part of the plate making the adjustment going up in the zone afterwards that's Julia right there working in and out that first inning though he had no feel for the inner third of that plate everything was away everything was up and away you're when you're missing out over to these hitters they're going to make you pay Benji Gill the manager for Mexico who was hoping ball from Maldonado this falbo was hoping that between Urias and then maybe a a sort of hybrid longer type reliever to get through six or seven Innings and then be in the back end of the bullpen obviously it's going to be a much different night for him managing Oh yeah talk about Martin machete Maldonado you know he has five at-bats of three two counts not not every time they're you're gonna expect to hit but he makes you work I'll tell you what he had a putt hit in pool play that was just a huge play Puerto Rico's rally against Johnny Cueto and the Dominican Republic he shuts down the running game pitchers love working with them Molina was raving about him today the way he prepares I mean it's the room he commands the meeting which is a guy that's very very well known to prepare but in the bat he's frisky I mean you you you mess with a pitch and he'll make you pay to have some power he doesn't go quietly he grinds you out who is here he wants to finish this at bat right now he doesn't want to get to 3-2 I would I would think he would challenge him here hopping in let's see if valmonado can turn on one two two and he got him with the fastball [Applause] a lot of times you can tell the demeanor anurious right took his time with that pitch he wanted to put him away his go-to obviously with two strikes is that up and in fastball that up a high fastball too much from our team Maldonado right there is since he was a very young boy I mean he was a he was a star at such a young age that was yanked fouled the Battle of Lindor dreamed about playing for Mexico being a part of this team [Music] coming off a great year with the Dodgers who's third in the National League side young voting [Music] and they expect him to have a big year again this year but so far tonight tough Lindor he swings and misses much better command with that fastball in this inning and who knows maybe the adrenaline I mean this guy's pitched in the deciding game of the World Series so he's felt adrenaline before but home runs were a little up against him and the two home run balls got him here tonight already O2 the door stays alive both home runs with fastballs and I think that's something that that he really has trusted throughout his career a guy that wants to throw more fastballs he's not a guy that's you know 50 50 or 48-52 I mean this is a guy that's 70 fastball he likes the fastball he Dives with a fastball a lot of that body language from Maria's just not happy well he's had his fastball this inning I would like him to go back to it gotta trust it pasco's good here changeup's good here uh sliders not not my favorite changes struck him out with the change up so Lindor goes down swinging for the second time that's more like it for orias he strikes out the side but it's four nothing Puerto Rico Marcus strowman Gold Glove winner All-Star and author as well strowman has written this book called the grip geared toward Middle School age kids with an emphasis on self-confidence and finding your way it is a semi-autobiographical work okay we're gonna have to check it out I have somehow my Advanced copy got lost in the mail what a guy Marcus strowman Rowdy Tellez big slugging left-handed hitter pops his pitch up from strowman on the infield Lindor one away he's just flipping pages of his book right now he's retired four that's one making it look easy that's a big change we're seeing Marcus at his finest right now saw contact a lot of ground balls run their pop-ups more than not they're soft pop-ups right-handed hitter merged as a Young power-hitting infielder on the other side of the state of Florida St Pete with the Rays took one right in there from strowman for strike one ball out voice of our home plate umpire will little Big League umpire they're two big league umpires part of this four-man umpiring crew there's will Dan bellino who's the crew chief also part of this crew that Ball's hammered for left center field going back on the ball is Rosario and it's gone Paredes goes deep and Mexico is on the board hermosillo's finest he's a hanging slider second time Marcus strowman in this tournament has thrown backsliders and have gotten deposited that's a really good swing right there short to the baseball staying through the zone that ball got out of here in a hurry the exact same spot that's the first home run Marcus strowman gave up yeah Nicaragua pulled the ball a little bit more but essentially yeah same pitch same kind of Swing same trajectory look at this lower half look how connected he is with his back herbal oh he stays through that ball never rolls over it that Paul was crushed ball inside just missed it was crushed so there you go Mexico has a base runner and maybe feeling like okay this game's got a long way to go it's only the bottom of the second quick start for Puerto Rico 2-0 pitch got the call there on the outside to Luisa Rios infielder just one for 10 so far in these World Baseball Classic tall and statue he does have some power because that one to shallow right and it's hanging for Velasquez two down that's a good placement right there good pitching with good placement Warriors likes to fight those heaters up in the zone the other way not trying to do too much yeah Mark Sherman knows that was a pretty good pitch especially with two strikes gotta access yourself after you make those outs and say okay what happened there maybe overthinking that prior hitter what happened Trejo goes after the first pitch from strowman foul ball we talk about Maldonado he was staying away from a lot of the hitters in the first inning now after that Homer he's coming in we gotta adjust blow these hitters down outside and no swing the pitch limitations go up in the quarterfinals from first round play that doesn't necessarily mean that the individual pitcher has the license to go a lot deeper in the game we'll see about strowman tonight not close two and one a little tougher time with that pitch 65 is the limit you can finish it at bat if you get over that threshold but then you got to come out same idea near the quarterfinals you get an extra 15. if a team and a pitcher wants to go up to 80. that one also missed badly so it's three and one you know doesn't have to rely on the breaking ball right now throw red Optimum with your good fastball he's had really good command of it all get yourself a ground ball center field Thomas well let's take a look at urius's home runs pitches versus the strikeout pitches in the second inning we see those fastballs Up and Away Rivera did a good job in The Dugout of saying hey everything's out out of third now with the strikeouts in the second inning he was mixing in that fastball inside being a little bit more careful with the breaking balls let's see if he continues to adjust as this game goes on DK Hernandez takes one right down the middle for me it's just the velocity is not there yeah I mean it's 91 93 doesn't have that bite doesn't have that that extra carry halfway through the zone usually you see him 96 97. that's how good these hitters are broken is bad a one hopper and a third Andes throws out Hernandez these hitters they they face stories before when he's 95 96 97. it's a whole different animal when you're just 91-92 you got to rely on breaking balls again you got nothing you got to rely on command but he's gonna fight he's going to compete that's who he is I give him credit for making it to this point because in that first inning it just didn't feel like it was going to be his night well that's an ace for you right there right he understands what what just happened in the first inning and he's probably winning that Dugout and said hey that's all they're going to run that's all they're going to score today your urius Velazquez got the first hit of that four run first inning for Puerto Rico making his manager look smart Yadi Molina putting him in the lineup not one of the big name players on team Puerto Rico but not just putting him in there that's a good changeup but putting him in that third spot and he was right in the middle of the rally you see that change of that turnover right there he throws a harder change up than most left-handers most pitchers do he's about 91-92 with his fastball that changes about 86-87 usually you see that change of about 80 81 miles an hour he throws a harder one up shallow Center and it'll be Thomas number two that's good communication right there by Thomas taking full control of that pop-up and again another good change up he's got that feel for it like I said all you got to do is throw one once you throw one and you got that Rhythm and that timing on it oh then you can throw it whenever you want on the air Assad warming up in the bullpen hard thrower he gives you an idea that Maria's just isn't going to be in this game a whole lot longer he has retired six in a row he looks like himself now clean up hit over two down to nobody on Emmanuel Rivera if that one foul he wants that pitch back that's a part of the plate fastball first pitch wanting to Ambush him just missed it picture like this won't give you many many more change of count on the ground the third greatest has this one you gotta give Julio Rios a lot of credit that's two consecutive perfect innings for him seven in a row retired overall Carlos Correa was supposed to be the third baseman for team Puerto Rico instead Emmanuel Rivera has been a revelation for Los Rubios check out his offensive output and extraordinary story originally drafted in the 19th round by the Royals now a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks and he has Dave one of the greatest nicknames ever for a third baseman El pulpo which he got from his father which of course means the octopus helps to have eight arms and legs able to get up every ground ball that hits you over a third that is a very good third baseman nickname El pulpo and it really he has he's been excellent all the way around he's been the cleanup hitter for every game for Puerto Rico right in the middle of a lot of their best offensive rallies sure has been Mexico batting here on the bottom of the third Alec Thomas ground ball right to First Soto takes you to the bag one away I've just been very impressed with Puerto Rico's defense and all I mean it starts up the Middle with Maldonado Lindor buyers and but the corner guys have played tremendous defense all tournament you want to talk about having a good team you rely up the middle and then if you have a couple two or three that can really play defense in the corners oh you got yourself a Dandy of a defense yeah and yeah look to JP's Point uh Carlos Correa that's a massive loss and Bill Carlos had a brand new baby and he's yep spending time with his family nobody's blaming him for that but he's one of the great players in the world but Rivera has more than capably handled things defensively he's often look like Correa at the blade absolutely there's right there right on the corner he's able to locate that down and away you can go in on him now you can go slider and is the play so from Maldonado got the call strike three the change up right on the outside that's the problem when you're consistent down and away like that more than enough they're gonna give it to you if you're just a hair off that's a good change look at this comeback Frozen [Music] two down first strikeout for strowman that'll bring us back to the top of the order for Mexico Randy orozo right now Mexico has managed to kind of settle this game down first in English all Puerto Rico four runs on offense and a quick inning for strowman on the mound it wasn't right up first at bat you can tell he was looking out over some point Marcus Romans got to come in on him Rosarito was ready and pulled it into left field another hit for him absolute rocket are you trying to sneak a little split changer in there rosarino was absolutely ready for it too much bass speed the cut connected here's with his back elbow right here oh my goodness that is red to red right there connection explosiveness yeah he's looking at the fans saying that was an absolute rocket the way he's swinging right now if you give up a single to him it's like okay thank God it's 109 miles an hour right there I round up that's 110 in my book liner and pick clean no catch throw the second get the force out anyway El pulpo makes the play 4-1 Puerto Rico hey the first thing they tell you when you get to the big league says hey you got to be able to hit the fastball well Mr Baez has done that and Mr Rosario definitely can hit the fastball getting a fastball over the plate absolutely demolishing it and like the Bad Bunny says the Luca step back is on Full Effect baby [Applause] Bad Bunny kind of like Daddy Yankee you know one of our Pals here in South Florida oh yeah stands in you're getting me up to speed on all the culture here in your part of the world you got your first Empanada today oh delicious cafecito I'm all in on that now yes got a few more things to check off my list before we're done okay there we're here for several more days you and I'll be out on yeah maybe we'll take a boat ride to the keys tomorrow morning that's not choppy this is the first the first thing you've heard of it but sure change up my eyes look like he's he's a little unbothered right now with his back his neck took that first swing and you can just uh something was off yeah did lose yeah he's he he's uncomfortable right now and if I'm worried I'm not throwing him a heater I mean I'm gonna keep throwing them those breaking balls two and he rips one into left field I guess he's feeling okay Finance is gonna stop big wide turn around first good play by rosarina to get to the ball but another hit for Baez all right you try to go soft right there on that split change up I just love how he can stay through this Baseball look at that changing right there but look how he stays through it usually when you stay through it that front hand just continues to get extended when you're not the Top Hand kind of rolls over on the barrel allowing you to hit a ground ball that's just a good piece of hitting right there by Mr buyers that's a lead-off hit Baez is two for two now you've documented those two first inning home runs one by Baez won by this guy it was impressive home run to straight away center field and he didn't get the fastball it's a chopper towards second drugged to the bag for one and the throw to first double play Harris has definitely made the adjustment right now but Bai is a steady diet of breaking balls after depositing that fastball to right field where Rosario first pitch swinging he made the change as well going with the curveball just a good double play right there well handled by Alan Trejo swinging at the first pitch worked really well for Eddie Rosario first time now he's an ambusher not quite as well this time and we will we'll pay attention to Javi by his back in that Dugout just to make sure we noticed something looked like he wasn't feeling a hundred percent straight back off the bat of Christian Vasquez being with Christian baskets and even these Puerto Rican hitters they know this is his last inning regardless all right we talked about hey after that first sending debacle they can get four out of him that's good enough so they don't care about kind of going deep into the about they know this is it but they get a fastball they like they're going they're going hunting 55 pitches now and it it doesn't have anything to do with the World Baseball Classic rules that are in play it's just how Mexico has agreed to use Julio Rios tonight good soft count right here really well executed one and two more than not with uria's first time through he likes to go with a fastball second time through he'll change it up for you and start going soft mixing it in change them is good he can repeat more than not though he likes that fastball up in the zone two is live in the corner Vasquez on his way to Second Rosa Arena waiting for the Karim and finally comes to him and that's a two out double just a good piece of hitting right there getting that slider down and in look how this ball stays in I mean this is a hair fraction of other being foul boy Vasquez what a hitter what a tournament he's having he has had some great swings not your classic DH but I think Yadi Molina just trusts him so much he wants him in that lineup and when you're on the same team as Martine Maldonado it's hard to get Innings as a catcher has caught some In This World Baseball Classic now naftali Soto just one hit thus far stuck out his first time up tonight he takes ball one brought himself a fastball count right here oh he's been struggling but he has hot good at bats all tournament that's the that's the beauty of baseball I mean you can be one for ten but you've been hitting the ball on the nose you look at the Statue you're thinking oh man what a bad tournament he's having ah I wouldn't necessarily say that you guys put together some really good at bats and hit the ball to wall fields 1-1 good miss right there good breaking ball If You're Gonna Miss You're Gonna Miss down had good fight on it it's gone very soft in the third and fourth inning here in oreos continuing that Dugout they're talking too they're saying hey he's going soft now pulls in a fair ball backhanded by Perez his long throw to make one hop two hops gets there in time for out number three let's play there Vanessa Tellez and then that guy Perez power coming up for Mexico when we come back when Benji Hill LED Los tomateros de culiacan to a Mexican winter league championship nine years ago this man was on the roster it took until August though of 2022 for Joey Meneses to make his long deserved Major League debut and Dave what Benji Hill said was far more than any hitting advice that he gave monesses he just told him to keep the faith and know that he belonged right here well it does seem like thank you JP does seem like he did that I it went a little under the radar look he was playing for the Nationals they were way out of the race there were lots of other stories in the big leagues late in the year last year but what he did was amazing sure was I mean what else can you say this is a guy that as soon as he got up to the big leagues pitchers cannot get him out at all not only does base hit I mean it was slugging involved there was walks involved oh look at that oh look at that look what Stroman just did absolutely is messing with Manassas like cake he went double move right there on him Manassas is in sort of trouble now just more conventional Vanessa's hits this one down the right field line and foul All That Swing was was late late because of the pause look at Marcus Vanessa Joy manesses excuse me joy monessen's swing and numbers look at the ranks 13 bombs 125 total basis those are ranks everybody in the National League from the time he got called up to the end of the year he had 13 home runs third most in the league he was one of the best hitters in the league after he got called up that one out to left center field Here Comes making the dive of the catch Alec number one Kiki can cover some ground can he wow all out extension right here it's just the first move that he takes he really has a knack for good plays look at this first move boom takes off and he knows he's gonna make a play on it well if you go by statcast he had the best center field jumps in baseball last year according to statcast PK was covering center field Kika can cover all of San Juan Puerto Rico hesitation move Rowdy Tellez fouls it back out of play that's what strowman does to you right there little hesitation with his delivery Roddy tell us all in such a trouble with his timing on that pitch I was surprised he didn't do it more to Manassas kind of went with the original on him it's Romans 01 off the inside that's Truman's finest right there he loves to to crowd the lefties especially low and in he wants to move those big lefties feet will make them get kind of comfortable in there he never came up and in on me you know he stayed soft away backdoor Cutters but one thing I knew it was going to get in the at-bat was you were gonna get moved that just irritates any big Lefty bouncer the first nice high hop there Soto flips it to strowman the second hour I want to talk about an action on a cutter how it eats up a big slugging Lefty like Tellez oh my goodness and this starts on the outer third and just rising to your hands with all the action needed and look at this look at this swing right here he's got nowhere to go but tied up he knew it too that was a disgusted hitter two outs Perez for his second Advantage he blasted a home run first time up one of two Mexico hits so far their only run we're at the bottom of the fourth wow he gets hit [Applause] well I I mean I'm assuming there was no intent but anytime a guy hits a home run and comes up in the very next pitch he gets drilled somebody's gonna be thinking I just got away from him right there not much to it wanted to come in on a two seamer more than not when it gets away from you like that a two seamer mini Castillo didn't like it though I mean that's that's my point is I'm not saying there was intent but if you hit a home run against again the very next pitch you see from him is coming right in the middle of your back uh but if you hit a home run as like mini Castillo used to tell me all the time it's nothing it's nothing personal it's just business Vinnie's changed his mind since then two down I'll be hack from Urias foul ball that's his favorite line to use when somebody hits a homer in the dugouts not personal it's just business me JP well Dave uh Taiwan Walker was thinking right along with you as soon as Paredes was hit by the pitch Walker looks out at George stop where his buddy Francisco Lindor was and lots of smiles and shrugs back and forth like hey what was that I'm not saying it that's what it was on the ground with Baez playing in the shift his play is to First and certainly has the arm strength to get it there so strowman Works around that hit batter go to the fifth 4-1 Puerto Rico Martine Maldonado senior is here at the Ballpark tonight and will watch his son lead off in the fifth inning Martine senior described the World Baseball Classic to him as another world series of course Martine Junior just won that World Series with the Astros in the fall he played the second half of that season Dave with a sports hernia and later a broken hand this is one tough ball player we did find that out thanks JP we found it out after the World Series was over and there were a few little moments where you could kind of see something was bothering him he didn't tell anybody broken hand and you catch your way all throughout the world series that is a tough dude Javier Assad takes over on the mound for Mexico 4-1 Puerto Rico leads Maldonado goes after his first pitch pulls it foul all right Assad's first major league Striker was against Albert pujos got his MLB debut this year August well last year August 23rd big rat hander with a big arm foreign two you want to talk about a guy who's got good sliders and good two seamer look where he stands on the mound and then we're going to compare Marcus strowman a guy who likes to use the third base side to make it uncomfortable on the right-handers good two seamer good slider yeah wow wow safe spot man just beautiful and I think maldonado's saying to the Umpire a little okay you're gonna call that against B you better give it to my pitchers well here's the thing when you when you stand on the third base side and you have a good two seamer that ball just looks like it's running away from you and it's never coming back felt catches the plate yeah that's a strike too close to take absolutely perfect one out and back to the top of the order Lindor will turn around about left-handed cutter right there it's fastball cutter change talk about what he's done In This World Baseball Classic three Innings pitch just one hit is going to be around the zone no walks more than that you're gonna get a good pitch to hit here Lindor he does and he lights it to center field sinking fast base hit Lindor has got his first hit of the night it's a one out single just trying to come in on him with that cutter right there just miss it just missed out over Lindor was ready full advantage of that cutter right there not trying to do too much A lot of times you can get big with that 2-0 count just a pro and it wasn't quite as hard hit but it wasn't that different from the ball he hit the other night against the Dominican Republic but skipped by Rodriguez now he's passing info on uh he does such a good job with that that's what that's some Capitan right there takes that role very seriously Wednesday that's the play we were talking about yep went all the way to the wall and the door never stopped he came all the way home that was fun it was I'll I will never forget the reaction of the ballpark his reaction that was just such a fun game on Wednesday night we had everything through his helmet up my Dad just once it was it was like a walk-off moment now who has walked scored a run grounded out and made a great diving catch gotta be careful with Kiki likes velocity side has fallen behind now a fastball in fouled away a healthy cut right there but a Goodwill executed pitch right there by Javier and that's what Javier Assad does is two seamers in Carter's away Carter's away two seamers in all you got to do is pick sides with him everything's gonna be kind of hard you're Kiki right now you're just picking where am I gonna go am I gonna look out over or am I going to look in [Applause] low that hard little cutter two and one he does have a change up she can slow you down he'll throw it to the right handers but he's got that action with his two seamer he knows he's going to go long into this game too he doesn't necessarily want to strike out he wants a ground ball here a door over it first not going anywhere and takes it off the outside three and one wheelhouse middle in trying to cheat just the hair and your swing here it's either a homer to left or a fall ball to left can be laid on it strike DK thought it was Ball Four [Applause] down now full three and two that's a little it's a Mac cutter right there those are unhittable to hit they just keep riding into your hands can't predict what it's gonna happen but when it does it give me an effective pitch more than not Puerto Rico likes to run in these counts you think with the door and his speed we'll see 3-2 the door runs the pitch is grounded toward the middle a diving stab from second area stands up and throws him out nice play by Luis Urias to get the out what a play you're talking about a lot of things moving lindor's running Torres is running to second base sees the ground ball he says I'm just going to cut it off because it stays behind that that ball right there makes perfect throw to manesses because you're right infielders moving runner in motion things can get weird on a play like that there's so much action everybody's talking you got it I got it outfielders are moving trying to back up bases it's a lot meeting on the mound I think because of the pinch hitter we see this in the big leagues a lot these these the pinch hitter comes up pitching coach immediately is coming out for a Scouting Report Refresher the winner plays Japan in the semi-finals we are in single elimination play now from here on out in This World Baseball Classic two of the quarterfinals have already been played a couple days ago in Tokyo Cuba and Japan are here awaiting the results of tonight and tomorrow Venezuela and the United States MJ Melendez pinch hits for Velazquez to add on with a base hit Lindor and his speed at second it's ball one has had some big advance for Puerto Rico only three hits but four runs batted in and scored three runs well the approach here's to pull him he's got that cutter he's got that good two seamer but I would think up in the zone especially early in the count the outside that's that changeup we were talking about I would just trust it so much it's got to be in your wheelhouse right here you're thinking Center to Right Center it's got to be your pitch if it's not your pitch let it go we're still in favor of a 2-1 count asad's got to be careful here standing on the mound for Javier Assad in his first World Baseball Classic nice pitch if he's living there MJ's got to make the the adjustment now maybe taking your sights a little bit over to that left Center that's just a good cutter whoa executed right there if he lives there the bat is basically over it is unhittable stuff door dancing around second the ball he tried to go right back to that spot and he almost hit it but you see Barnes right there having a little chat he thought he got that pitch very close [Music] I really want to be careful with the MJ here good hitters count three and one runner in scoring position two outs that is not close Ball Four that's stubbornness all the way around right yeah that's a sightseeing I'm not gonna give you anything and MJ saying oh well if it's not here I'm taking my walk just because I'm pinch hitting doesn't mean I'm gonna I'm in swing mode two on two outs for the cleanup hitter annual Rivera has driven in a run with a Sac fly and pulpo yeah mostly refers to his defense but maybe an octopus can hit what do you think I would think so two out side to Rivera oh he's so behind a lot of these hitters fifth inning right here already had 18 pitches not an ideal situation for him Rios the starter did well to go four after the way the first inning went but only four for Julio Rios I know he wasn't pleased with that first thing but I would be pleased after that get really good adjustments likes to take his shots the guy who likes to let the ball travel but he'll take his shots if he thinks you're coming up and in on him bounces it to shore Trejo the second for the force out there and Assad gets through it a hit and a walk but two stranded and some emotion from Javier Assad still four to one leading off for one of the men in the major leagues Alan Trejo has his degree in aerospace engineering from San Diego State University his father Ray a high school basketball coach at Roosevelt high in Los Angeles for two decades and that athleticism that Allen has certainly evident so far tonight you don't have to be a rocket scientist to be a baseball player but you can be if you're a rocket scientist you can still play ball so he likes the cliff jump okay maybe he's not that smart I thought he was the smartest guy in the game he's flinging himself off cliffs makes the build airplanes and maybe that's his for I I make airplanes and then I want to feel like an airplane for just a couple seconds too old pitch Trejo fouls it away no chance take a little splash when you got to the bottom an got Trejo to chase it's two and two I'm gonna slide it right there it's got really good feel of his stuff today I mean the slider's been the one pitch that he's kind of fought with it a little bit but that was a good one 2-2 and he threw another one look at him hey yeah that's when he starts feeling it for this slider right here well he threw a lot of good ones in that at bat unhittable unmatched it just looks like a fastball and all of a sudden we're gonna take a drop and a dive on you yeah all you can do is shake your hand and look at Marcus strowman back big personality on the mouth off the mound and he loves to have fun when he's out there pitching yeah he likes to have fun a guy that really prepares and works very hard not only during season but in the off season I think you put that work in you put in the time you prepare you go out there and you earn the right to show emotion act like you're excited when good things happen because such a good job of tunneling his pitches and what I mean by that is everything comes out and just looks the same everything looks like a cutter everything looks like a two seamer just at the last second for the hitter to see that's when he either takes a dive on you or it takes a cut on you and that's what you call tunneling these pitchers now they are doing such a better job with technology kind of feeling them themselves a little bit learning how to do that makes it a lot harder to hit especially a guy like Marcus strowman a lot of pitches one of the beauty things about Sherman is where he stands on the mound I mean we can we can compare both pitchers Roman's a guy that likes to use the first base side of the mound where Assad likes to use the right the left the right side of the mound it's a lot of different guys different different approach to their hitters troman he likes to use the bottom left of the of the strike zone like right there for Assad likes he used more of the inside letting his two seamer kind of ride in on the on the righty different angles make some very tough for the hitters are you as a hitter you before a guy throws a pitch you feel like you learned something see where he stands on that rubber Thomas a bouncer toward the middle bias backhand and no chance to make a throw Thomas is very fast I think baya's made the right decision there he's got some Wheels but you know one thing is we've seen some great defense from Lindor and bias that's a little routine but man Lindor and bias talking about up the middle defense it is TaylorMade talk about the Puerto Rican catchers in the history of Puerto Rico how good they are well let me tell you the minute infield two doesn't fall behind they've always have had some good ones picked so close together in the 2011 Draft how about that look at those games please you talk about consistency almost exactly the same so many similar numbers gloves killer highlight plays big contract signed well they played together as well with the Mets a little while yeah prefers one out Austin Barnes the night playsetter ground ball base hit first to third you try here comes a throw from Melendez is offline and Alec Thomas slides in safely so now it's set up for Mexico with their red-eyed hitter coming up they've got first and third a great chance to get back into this game turn the lineup over you got problems there we see that face hit but look at Thomas he's gonna challenge him even if that ball was hit hard that's a catcher in right field with a good arm but he can trust his speed that was very well executed right there by Thomas [Applause] You Had Your Shot MJ a little bit wide a perfect throw he did have a chance but I think Thomas had decided right from the jump he was going to test him it all starts with a lead in the secondary you got good lead good secondary let the speed take over for the night you're gonna make it first and third right now we got problems Thomas while the conference on the mound he's going to come over and a cup of water why not hey it's go first to third it can take it out of you meetings over this is exactly the spot that Mexico wants still a long way to go in this game they fell behind four nothing give yourself a chance for a rally with your best hitter [Music] maybe the best two in the tournament so far coming up you're going to be very careful with him last time about to try to sneak a little split change in there he was ready for it I will think the two seamers in play and the sliders and played rosarina so locked in right now tying run at home plate not close ball one they're going to be very very careful with them it's one of those situations where it's like hey you want to hit get yourself out you're only going to hit my pitch about 110 miles an hour as last time up side it's 2-0 you got a hitter behind Earl's Arena who's one for 17. [Applause] the 2-0 he made a mistake look at Maldonado telling him hey come on he didn't like that one bit he got away with one right there that was pretty forceful for Maldonado parking back at his pitcher that might be the only pitch I was already gets it's going to be slider heavy I don't think they will go back inside and and miss [Applause] 2-1 pull that down green one [Applause] the plans there if you want to hit go ahead and swing at those balls I'm not going to give you much anymore rosarina's got to feel that he's got to feel the hay in this situation we can't pull the baseball we got to go the other way he's gonna stay away from me the 3-1 that is outside ball four and it just looked like Marcus strowman did not want to give a rosarina a chance to get Mexico back in this game but now the bases are loaded let's take a look at the pitch sequence after that mountain visit it was slider heavy the whole at-bat try to rush him in there but I think that tool pitch was always Lorena's at bat right there that was the whole at-back he missed that showman and Maldonado were gonna go right to the game plan and tell him hey big boy I know you're having a great tournament you're not gonna hit anything over the plate now Alex Verdugo Bases Loaded one out talk about a moment for Verdugo one for 18 in the tournament to erase all of that [Applause] number two Purdue is simplifying everything right now right just simplify get your ball up and go to work middle of the field is the play [Applause] 4-1 but Mexico threatening against strowman who's throwing 62 pitches now and he's missed badly with the first two there's nowhere to put for Dugo walk forces in a run you do start to wonder you got over this pitch numbers last time out there but still march whether some fatigue is starting to settle in the cutter hasn't root type of pitch the two seamer the changeup has been the one that's been working for him I will be careful with Verdugo here might have helped him pull that foul that's a good change of right there too little kind of using verdugo's aggressiveness of the moment strowman does such a good job with that rally Sombrero on in The Dugout and in the stands as you saw it 2-0 there's a good chance you can see it 2-1 that split change [Applause] to pitch Verdugo another foul same idea from strolling now the Puerto Rican fans are going to stand up and he's mad I think he was sitting on that pitch a lot of trouble here [Music] [Applause] foreign huge moment in this game and Maldonado wants to talk it through good visit if you're Puerto Rico right now because the play is not so much to strike out the play is here working for two it's pretty much could be his last batter with the middle infield defense that we've talked about you get a ball on the ground Puerto Rico's got a great chance to try to get two outs even with verdugo's speed I would think he would triple up here on the split change we'll see 2-2 he did and Verdugo took it and now what [Applause] a walk and it's four to two the bases are still loaded and you might be coming out of the game well the one thing he's had all all game is that fastball that good two-seed fastball three changes in a row 3-2 cold sharply foul he stayed with it [Music] Marcus Roman is a guy that will just just work off what he seen and right now he's not seeing Verdugo really make any adjustment to the splitter will they throw a fifth straight split change I don't think he's had enough with it I think the two-semer player right here plays [Applause] another 3-2 for Marcus strowman Here Comes Verdugo to shallow Center a little blue and it's gonna fall base hit everybody had to make sure so Thomas comes in to score bases still loaded it's four to two professional Alex Verdugo absolutely professional grinding in advance at his finest right there falling off tough pitches gets a cutter up in the zone the one mistake showman made in the event Verdugo understands velocity won't beat you it's all about executing and getting a good pitch very well done by Verdugo well that's it for Marcus strowman who threw the ball well leaves with a lead but he's going to lean on the bullpen back right after this Mexico rallying Joey Meneses coming up against the United States and Mexico's win that ultimately won them the pool against the U.S not just that one home run from Joey Meneses he went deep again and the two things you notice there with those two home runs on a guy that can throw pretty hard Jacksonville Rios right now has got his hands full a big arm 96 97 miles an hour with a good slider split but gotta be careful with the first pitch on Joy Meneses he would Ambush you and if it's a fastball oh it could be a party for Mexico Rios has pitched really well in this tournament throwing hard his stuff has looked very sharp but this is a different kind of scenario inheriting The Bases Loaded still only one out and a big time power hitter at the plate speed out there on the bases first pitch swing he went after it with a pretty healthy rip 68 pitches for Marcus strowman responsible for the three runners out there one thing you're seeing with Manassas he was cheating big time for that can Maldonado see that and adjust with it a little different temple on the mound for Rios than Stroman that one is skyed up there way up there on the third base side it's going to hook though and make it into the seats so just a foul ball it's Owen two boy he got away with that one right there and that's a manual mono right there my best stuff against your best stuff let's see it's even got big boy he continued to climb here but see that pitch right there on omano just barreled it out of play [Applause] Rios has done a nice job of getting ahead of the count but now he and Maldonado a little different idea too Manassas is completely rushed right now I mean they're throwing him two fastballs at 98 miles an hour those eyes and that timing in his head right now is O2 it's one to shallow Right Here Comes Melendez racing in and going out from first the catch and the wheel around to keep the runner at third Soto will play what an absolute gem wow [Applause] not an easy play at all basket catch I didn't think Soto was going to get there I thought Melendez had the best chance but terrific into the awareness to wheel around and fire it back in it's a huge Rios and Puerto Rico off the Batman Essence may have thought he had himself a little blue pit and it's so easy to you know base running was done exceptionally there he goes after that first pitch not the fastball strike one he's a fastball hitter biggest moment for Mexico right now you've already got a run back another total breakdown of the Swing strike two and nasty you know he's got that 97. we also know he's got that splinter and if it ain't broke don't fix it continue [Applause] [Music] [Applause] it's a good job I tell us right now slowing everything down [Applause] F3 Big League grand slams is loaded two down and an O2 count back to the splitter that was pretty close see that split right there a lot of times from Maldonado you're thinking about that split it's going to be on the ground so you're anticipating [Music] [Applause] thank you one two pulled with the shift off right Baez has it and he throws him out wow what a job by Rios stroba the first to greet him just the one it's four to two this copyrighted telecast is presented by authority of World Baseball Classic Inc it may not be reproduced or re-transmitted in any form the accounts and descriptions of this game may not be disseminated without Express written cassette Miami is just the perfect venue for This World Baseball Classic The Passion of the fans here in Miami this week has been amazing now we're in the elimination portion of this tournament every game from here on out an elimination game sod first pitch into Javi Baez for ball one Puerto Rico had a four nothing lead Mexico has got back in the game did a tremendous job of keeping Puerto Rico ahead now it's 2-0 and Javier Assad had a long time to wait in the dugout bottom of the fifth took a while cut at the knees friendly pitchers strike two and one that's a good pitch right there where there's smoke there's fire you got to be very careful inside on buyers and try to come in on him three times now I would think that's enough it's two for two with a home run on a base hit it's hit the ball hard twice that's good pitch two and two it was so tough varieties when a right-handers on the third base side of the mound I mean they're just right on you the ball's coming out of shortstop Bouncer and a nice play by a reach up and get it if that gets by him that's gonna be a tough play who said pitchers aren't athletes very good play right there one leg jump right there I got it it's okay I'm gonna get off the mom here oh that's what we do in Spring training all those pfps paying off the buyers retired for the first time Assad who works the fifth Inning on the mound Rosario he's got a home run and two at bats hot takes a strike they're taking that pitch right now he could be in swing mode gotta be careful he has you know Eddie Rosario and it's not this is not a criticism but he has become more of an All or Nothing kind of hitter usually that's what happens when you get strike one against strike one he can he can be in more of an ambush type of guy tip stays alive if you don't get it's right one as we take a look at his home run right here first pitch swinging Ambush he's a fastball hitter always has been when you leave a fastball right there a Bad Bunny Luca step back will be on full effect Luca switched it by the way below and two I see now you got him on swing mode you know you get that first pitch you throw some good pitches after that and he swung the bat the whole time be good for a good change up on the dirt more of a wasted pitch just just throw away just throw an absolute ball there we go all right now we can get into the at-bat again I was kind of hoping to take your advice and just throw it to the on Deck Circle you want to see a ball I'll show you a ball to change up you try the 2C Marine cutter back door cutter inside doesn't want it what else you want now they're coming in Rosario hanging in there it's it's in the zone man very heterish foreign [Applause] good time to use it very good time to use it look at this pitch right here how it just dies drops out of the table right there that's the last thing that Rosario was thinking about he was thinking cutter two seamer not that curveball pitch and you were right he was in swing mode two outs for Christian Vasquez he doubled in two Advance against the starter Julio Rios Puerto Rico got all four of their runs against him down the middle strike one out of action on that two seamer though more action O2 oh he's not good hasn't he saw it he has come into this game helped keep some of the momentum on Mexico's side and he blows away Vasquez might be fired up too the emotion of the World Baseball Classic on both ends Puerto Rico's lead is four to two Marcus strowman the tournament MVP for Team USA six years ago but now pitching for Puerto Rico in honor of his mother adlin who is Puerto Rican he said quote I'm beyond excited my mother is my heart she's my rock she's my best friend my blood I love her more than anything anything for Mom Dave this certainly dedicated to her and I think you can see that JP with the emotion that he has shown on the mound for Puerto Rico he's very proud of that part of his family heritage Al Fernando Cruz takes over third pitcher of the game for yario Molina's team bottom of the six Puerto Rico leading 4-2 Sak Paredes right-handed hitter first pitch swing and he pulls it sharply foul look out overnighter Cruz was using the opener versus the Dominican Republic team through just 28 pitches on one hit so it's a guy with a good slider a good fast born a good splitter mainly a bullpen guy even though he started for the Dominican against the Dominican team guy he's got a great story it took him forever to finally get a chance last year to pitch at the big league level and and he did make it up Fernando Cruz did to the Major Leagues he's drafted out of the world in sixth round of 2007. so 2007 is when he started his professional Journey last year finally got up to the Major Leagues and I thought handled because let me think about that you know he made his major league debut September 2nd you know the the butterflies the nerves the emotions of that moment for him considering how long it took him to get there but then the scene we had here on Wednesday night and he was the guy who got the ball first facing Soto and Rodriguez and Machado truck Him Out Swinging for itis goes down we talk about that fastball slider but right there in this that bad it was that splitter just a nasty splitter right there well executed well located right there no chance out in front completely I just thought considering the just the enormity of the moment and the night it was it was hard to believe that he could have handled it any better about him having family on both sides we know the tattoo he has on his left arm serving as a Dominican flag yeah it was it was funny to see in the intensity of the game against the Dominican Republic but to me it was just the perfect emblem of what this tournament what this event means because it's not just about pride in pride in your country and your team it's about the Brotherhood of this sport it's about how these countries come together and make the sport what it is as soon as they won one of the first things he did was nod to the Dominican bench as tipping his cap and saying hey he loves him he's got blood showed him his tattoo then after that then he went and celebrated with his team it just tells you the type of guy and character Cruz brings to the table ahead here on two to Luisa Rios dirt he's got to be feeding that splitter today because he likes to finish his hitters with specially right-handed hitters with sliders it gets more on the book I think these hitters understand he's got a good slider maybe Maldonado is sensing something about Maldonado how how well he prepares for the games two the middle a little soft line drive base in shift killer and nobody was there just kind of flipped one out into shallow rate Center you want to talk about how hard hitting hey baseball is watch him doesn't try to do too much just want to replace it over there if I'm gonna make it out it's got to be the other way look at that oops excuse me I'd like to knock thank you pretty good job that's beautiful right there yourself bass head uh Alan Trejo [Music] Matt does allow Mexico here in the sixth inning to get the tying run to the plate all right Cruz let me see 98 right now yeah Trejo has bought himself a fastball but you gotta believe your fastball is better than Trejo and I'm messing around with the Soft Stuff the 1-0 okay it's always the pitcher's decision the pitchers again has to throw the pitch but when you have Martin Maldonado back there I think everybody does tend to trust how he's seeing things be another breaking ball away he's just so good at reading the action of the hitter the energy of the hitter you talked to Martin he says I know when you dig on the box if you are ready or not he'll peek over he'll look at you all right I got my pitch this is what I want split is the action pitch got him two down second strikeout for Cruz it was a diet of breaking ball and boy there were good ones especially this one with that split look how in front he is yeah the book is uh the book has been served we're going soft soft and more soft [Applause] [Music] first pitch into the defense Baez flips to First and Fernando Cruz is loving this World Baseball Classic we go to the seventh four to two Puerto Rico [Music] Puerto Rico now only nine defensive outs away from a third straight trip to the WBC semifinal the only nation with a longer streak Japan with a population of 125 million the population of Puerto Rico 3.2 million Dave that's just a little bit larger than Miami Dade County and it feels like the whole country has come here to Miami for this event maybe not literally true but it sure feels like you walk around this town the pride from the Puerto Rican population here in South Florida the folks who made the trip here to see these games no question about it I mean the Dominican fans were intense the Mexican fans have done a great job here tonight Venezuela's got a lot of fans but hard for me to believe that Andy fans passion will ring louder than the Puerto Ricans here in this World Baseball Classic they bring hands and bring drums they bring trumpets with would be my own machine pinch hitting here one and one Assad still in the game Francisco Lindor talked about that leading into the game against the Dominican Republic he was talking about the emotions of that game the Rivalry between those two countries and Lindor said you know this is how when I was a kid my parents we would grab our instruments we'd go to the games we'd sing our songs with our friends with our family that's how you grew to love baseball as a kid that's right three Frozen two seamer not much you can do with that too close to take for machine look at this Frozen [Applause] oh what a Dandy [Applause] Dave I couldn't beat more impressed with the fan base if you're a young kid and you want to love baseball you come to this atmosphere and oh my goodness it is a sight definitely where you want to be on a Friday night in Miami the smiles on the faces Falls and foul this scene is why this event is so great for the sport [Applause] you've been telling maldonado's takes right there he's looking hard all the way in trigued the barn sees those hard takes that was a hard take our front foe was Landing very hard yeah and the ball hit up the middle Maria's knows he's got plenty of time it's an incredible job by Assad and what he's able to do right now he's controlled these hitters but worry is dead what Assad is done I mean other than the first inning that's all they've had they had a few opportunities but that's about it [Applause] Romero warming up in the bullpen behind his side but they're gonna well I thought they were gonna try to get at least one more out I guess not with Lindor coming up well we'll see I haven't seen the point to the bullpen yet but 41 pitches and here we go well he deserves that pat on the chest there very well done absolute job of pitching help keep Mexico in this game it's the week to be here in Miami with all the baseball fans you got Spring Breakers too although it's never really boring over there on South Beach is it there's probably not a quiet time of the year over there no the weather's beautiful great places to eat great places to hang out South Beach is the place is that the Clevelander right there I think so Javier Assad very he how he was very impressive using all the corners that two seamer was outstanding he kept these hitters off balance the whole time and now JoJo Romero takes over he's pitched two times already in the World Baseball Classic I know we're all done a nice job [Applause] not the easiest task because he gets Francisco Lindor but two outs bases empty 41 pitchers for Assad Lindor has got history on him he'll Ambush him fastball tonight he'll sit soft a lot of the times we will talk and say hey if I know the guy I'll Ambush his best stuff but if I don't really know him I usually sit soft [Applause] to see if he gets the Soft Stuff yeah but it was low the bullpen for Yeti or Molina the brother of Edwin Diaz Alexis Diaz [Applause] you know how eager he is to get in the game for lots of different reasons oh yeah it's a good two seamer right there our Romero 2-1 oh as Lenoir reaches and Hernandez gets a shot here in the seventh all four runs for Puerto Rico on the very first inning I would be very careful with a fastball here you're gonna throw it's got to be very well executed gotta respect Lindor got in on his hands broke his back from third the tough throw and the pick out of the dirt by manesses greatest and manesses to retire Lindor seventh inning stretch time in Miami in Miami we might have just had the best one of all Alexis Diaz comes into pitch for the bottom of the seventh the brother of Edwin Diaz and as he entered the game the trumpets were blaring the song of Edwin Diaz to bring his brother in Edwin of course hurt in the celebration after the game on Wednesday and he's going to miss the full Major League season very emotional for Alexis Diaz but here he goes in a little soft Line Drive left center field Dives and he can't get this one hustling over to help Rosario his throw to second is off line and that turns into a lead off double for the catcher Austin Barnes well let's take a listen to the intro for Diaz [Music] about an exciting moment huh in between Innings not only that but on the scoreboard they had it the Jersey and The Dugout coming out of Alexis Diaz dealing with a lot another conferencing on him now let's go down to JP thanks Dave we saw the moments in the immediate aftermath of Edwin's injury where Alexis was crying and overcome with the motion I spoke with one of his friends earlier today who said he's in a much better frame of mind today that they've actually looked at the video and concluded that Alexis was not himself responsible for the injury which was the source of his immediate distress so much better feeling now much more confident there on the mound and I think his brother has helped with that Edwin's I mean look nobody wants to have happen what happened but Edmonds had a great attitude about it since then now the Mexican fans are unhappy because the second straight meeting they just met and NADA needed to say something else this was the last pitch of the game the celebration Puerto Rico moving on and Edwin Diaz went down so the celebration went from incredible to very somber in one moment rosarina the challenge of the hottest hitter for Mexico as the tying run ball won my team by the way after each hit is now the first baseman well they've been very careful with oros Arena a lot of a lot of Sliders nothing really to hit slider [Applause] I don't know if it was exactly the way Alexis Diaz wanted to throw it but it worked so locked in 500. he can sits soft here I would imagine another slider I mean the problem with okay okay I understand you want to be careful with him that's great he's been red hot if you walk him he's got blazing speed and he's the tying run well you got Verdugo who came up clutch prior to second at back one for three with an rvi he had a gorgeous gorgeous at-bat for the RBI with Bases Loaded you want to be careful here but at some point you got to trust your stuff nobody out 2-1 blue a fastball by him that's trusting your stuff right there now you put doubt in orozarena that four seam fastball right there cuties underneath it is trying to do a little bit too much a little long right now yeah you got a good pitch to hit two and two three and two I think the problem is for rosarian is so difficult to pick up spin from Diaz it's from the same armslide he throws that fastball slider you gotta pick and choose here what plate you want to cover what side of the plate [Applause] we'll count 3-2 pitch and that comes inside it's Ball Four so rosarino on base for the third straight time he's the tying run [Applause] and still no outs and Tim Verdugo come through again this is the value we're talking about yeah we'll take a look at this pitch sequence and everything that have concurred through the at-back turn him up with that changeup and I think that was going to be the key for the M back can he stay off can he lay off the changeups I think he saw way too many changes strowman tried to go to that cutter and Verdugo was ready a little bit different now with Diaz Diaz throws a lot harder he's got a Wipeout slider totally different at back if you ever doogle but the same approach you got to see him up and you got to think the middle of the field is my friend anywhere I want to hit it is to the middle of the field oh he takes just outside Maldonado wanted it it's one to know you can see Maldonado talking a little home plate umpire he's been chirping on him all day long Mexico is the team that as this game has gone up Dave had the scoring chances it was four nothing [Applause] another close pitch it's 2-0 [Applause] look at him that's a manager fighting with his guys fighting for his guys [Applause] experience as a player as a very successful manager in the Mexican League 2-0 oh that's out another good take from Verdugo a walk and the bases are loaded with nobody out the tying run is in scoring position with nobody out [Applause] 3-0 pitch basketball four that's it yeah yali Molina has already made the move so Jorge Lopez coming in and what a mess he's gonna face base is loaded nobody out for Mexico well without Edwin Diaz Yeti or Molina does have some options to try to get the final outs of a game and he told us before the game that he was just going to feel it out in terms of where in the game they were what the score was what hitters were coming up Alexis Diaz one of his most trusted options so is Jorge Lopez who's coming in here he still has Dwayne Underwood and Giovanni Moran a left-hander available in that Bullpen and I think it tells you something about how he feels about Alexis Diaz in that he used him against the best hitters but Diaz tonight just didn't have his command well you can talk to any manager you can say you can either win or lose a game in the seventh even as more important as the ninth inning and they're going to use their horse and Jorge Lopez this is a starter converted into a closure the guy's got really good feel for all his pitches anything goes at any given time I would think right now he would trade two outs for a run but if he gets a strikeout even better well he's got the third place hitter the guys hit for so much power in this tournament Joey Meneses at the plate Barnes the runner at third or rosarina with his speed tying run at second for Dugo is the runner at first Lopez on Wednesday night could not have looked better yeah he was fantastic he had a really good fastball you got to be careful with the fastball here though if you're if you're Lopez first pitch fastball strike one I don't think he's going to see another one like that Lopez almost like a little rice smile the 01 foul tip now zone two and now he can pitch through the strikeout now you pitch for the strikeout you don't pitch for the ground ball he's going to bait him the whole Outback from here on out until he's got to come in with a strike this evening has the discipline this Mexican team is fighting so hard considering the way the game started before Mexico had taken an at-bat tonight they were down four nothing they've held the line since then they've built some opportunities best chance right here right now Bases Loaded no outs what a moment [Applause] one two Lopez come set here's his pitch a little pop up number one you got to be careful I think Lopez slipped while he was making that pitch he looks a little bit uncomfortable right now he slipped on that mount on the rubber I gotta take a look at him I think he might be okay but we take a look at his at that pitch that he threw yeah they're bringing the trainer out just to check on him look how he slips on the rubber well oh my goodness I can't even believe he threw that pitch yeah he got him out on the pitch where his foot slipped not only that but he he threw us somewhat of a strike that's just getting caught right there at the rubber it could have been a disaster oh my goodness well this is I mean you just have to absolutely make sure that he's okay so he really just trusts the player to be honest all right okay saying I'm okay how are you being wow I mean he did beat finish the pit it was awkward looking at the rubber look how he's on the Rubber and he just slips off yeah incredible glad he's okay they don't need no more scare no and he moved well off the mound coming toward that ball that's a good sign still not out of the pickle here and I think with Tellez you gotta respect the change up gotta respect the two seamer the double plays in play base is still loaded one out telez wow now that one's called the ball will little yeah Will Littles he's barking you don't see an Umpire do this very often he was leaning down right into maldonado's here yeah he's been on him maldonado's been on him though all day I think will had enough of it Martine had an argument on that pitch the 1-0 [Applause] to call this time you want to be a manager how about being an Umpire umpire I mean if if you have the electronic Strike Zone that's called a strike it's a strike one and one the pitch foul back that's a good changeup right there the arm action right there on that change if it's best one he's thrown now he can go anywhere you want back foot heater up at 98 or back to that changeup look at the spin on this look at the drop oh another strikeout kind of situation here the big overshift on for the left-handed hitter speed on the bases for Mexico base hit almost certainly ties the game 1-2 very high with a fastball I was just that was a bad wasted pitch right there I was a bit too high for me I think Lopez wasn't happy with it either that was a ball out of the hand and he's doing he's kicking that dirt in front of the rubberies think after that slip whether he's trusting it fully or whatever he's doing a lot of work there talking to Hernandez he's telling me he's got no arm yeah he says the only Army he has is MJ Melendez okay buddy take a shot I love this is what Baseball's all about Gotta Throw your best pitch 2-2 and show Jorge Lopez Maldonado back down to the Crouch against the Slugger Roddy Tellez two got him struck him there's your action pitch that's your best pitch right there 2-2 going with that slider take a look here it's a back foot slider boy they pitch tell us Tough All Night Long he's been highlighted in the meeting guaranteed he's a guy that they can't he couldn't allow him to beat you well Lopez on Wednesday in a tight game in the seventh inning struck out Soto struck out Julio Rodriguez got Manny Machado to ground out went through the top of the order one two three in a close game now trying to get out of a Bases Loaded nobody out jammed foreign they got Mexico on the board back in the second was off the slider I would think right now Lopez got to trust that 97-98 mile an hour fastball [Applause] he's been locating that fastball in on right-handers [Applause] Puerto Rico just hadn't even have any chances like this Mexico with a great chance here but now two down ball outside it's 2-0 you got nowhere to put him a walk makes it a one-run game problem is that the action on the fastball it's an action pitch more than that the hitter is going to swing at it if it's around the zone 2-0 he got all of second base open right there some strength seven right on the corner that's absolutely dotted right there [Applause] slider count 2-1 Line Drive basic left field that's going to tie the game Barnes is in here comes the rosarina he'll score Verdugo slides into third it's four to four in the seventh you want to talk about adjusting yourself throughout the event early on looking soft [Applause] it's about too old went back to it [Applause] well executed pitch not a bad one just got enough of it Perez is doing a fantastic job staying through that baseball we got ourselves a ball game look at the base running look at all the coaches on The Dugout oh what a bat by Paredes Mexico's come all the way back they were down four nothing before they had a single at bat in this game and now here in the seventh it's four to four Luis Oreos can put him ahead he takes low [Applause] one thing about Mexico they will fight they will fight back certainly happened here tonight [Applause] Paredes has driven in three of the four runs strike [Applause] [Applause] a little flip shot into right field that's another hit will put Mexico ahead Verdugo has scored o Reyes comes through five to four Vehicles alive magdalena's finest resurius biggest moment for Mexico biggest moment for warriors Mexico takes the lead [Applause] fix that fastball inner third right there stays through this pitch and fights it off like he did in his second at-bat just using the shift using the field Honda knows it Purdue goes excited a very similar pitch to the one that Paredes hit Perez managed to pull it into left Maria's just kind of dunked it into right a three-run rally and the strike that's the problem with throwing fastballs like that it's an action pitch more than not hitters are going to swing if it's around the zone gotta be careful and sometimes even if you make a good pitch [Applause] guy manages to get some of the bat on the ball and he beats him that one is popped up left field Rosario out number three but Mexico rallies in the seventh and we go to the eighth for the first time tonight they lead five to four [Music] all right so tomorrow the final quarterfinal game then the semis will be set it's team number two for pool C that's the United States against the team that swept right through pool D in Miami Venezuela they have arguably been the most impressive team in the tournament although Japan might argue with that and those are the starting pitchers lined up for tomorrow seven Eastern Lance Lynn and Martine Perez should be a scene oh I can't wait this place is going to be electric it has been again tonight Romero stays in is hard to believe but Mexico has come all the way back after the way this game started the bottom of the seventh inning they sent eight men to the plate three hits none of them was hit particularly hard the two walks were huge three runs to take their first lead change up to character shown the heart shown wow what a comeback six out to win toughest six outs in baseball the winner plays Japan [Applause] strike it's one and two [Applause] door made the final out in the seventh so if you if you're Puerto Rico you're trying to make sure you at least give him one more crack they're gonna have to work to do that that's a pop-up on the infield backpedaling from second Arias who had to hit they put Mexico ahead and he squeezes it for out number one or you just got a good change up there saw it well got a little under it a little too long but Romero executed beautifully that whole Outback fastballs down and Away change of change up [Music] this point right now Mexico's just counting the outs that's one they need five more Jay Melendez left on left behind Puerto Rico just hasn't been able to generate a lot of chances since that first inning [Applause] and Mrs tuna I mean they could use a base runner here they've had four base runners since the first inning and they scored four runs [Applause] right there okay for sure that the problem here begins with not wanting to for the hitters for Puerto Rico doing it at bat through at bat right it's about I want to be the guy one swing the way they've played in this tournament has been at back through our back that's how they've been scoring runs and in bunches good hitters count here for MJ Melendez walked for the second time in this game let's go down to JP well Dave you made a great point about Puerto Rico's offense since the first inning they've had only three hits all of them singles in a span of the last 24 played appearances home runs Baez went deep Rosario on the very next pitch made it back to back homers now pitching change Romero is coming out with Rivera coming to the plate we'll be back right after this maybe you don't necessarily have to hit the ball 100 miles an hour exit Velo you just gotta hit him where the defense is not and that's been the rally for Team Mexico if you look at the exit velocity 85 miles an hour 73 miles an hour 62 miles an hour just hit him where they ain't you're gonna score a lot of runs that way and look even though they weren't hard hit balls they were good at bats against a guy who's got incredible stuff Jorge Lopez oh I'm good at bats swinging at the right pitches you'd rather be lucky than good yeah sometimes that's true now Rivera against the new pitcher Jake Sanchez who's pitched twice two innings both scorelessly with three strikeouts this just feels like an Oscar De La Hoya versus Felix Trinidad fight Mexican against the Puerto Rican it's been a battle all night long bottom of the seventh The Knockout Punch or does Puerto Rico have a counter the fight went on all 12 rounds and it was a Danny so right now we're not done we I don't think we're done Jay Melendez who drew the walk he's at first Rivera has a Sac fly over two tonight swing one and one a good four seamer as well we're very well located right there 1-0 down and away Nick Sanchez had quite a baseball Journey He's 33 years old comes from Brawley California out in the desert same hometown of the great Sergio Romo [Applause] Sergio Romo special right here no dot slider 1-1 there it is one and two that was a tight one right there little baby cutter slider you're locating that fast one that slider down there it's gonna be a battle for Rivera we've seen him in this tournament use right field a lot gonna be a hitter not a slugger here one two a thousand straight back that one was up and he's yelling at himself yeah he missed it right there you can hear him yeah you want to talk about wanting a knockout Blow That Swing was a knockout blow take a look at it oh he just missed it and he knows it up in the zone all you got to do is touch it when that's that that thing's spinning like there not do too much another one too fastball misses down these look good on both pitches [Applause] that's pitch 2-2 action pitch not really close hold that fastball count runs full three and two I would think nj's running here he's got good Wheels Molina's got to trust Rivera in this long Outback 3-2 what a Dandy [Applause] [Music] [Applause] we'll see will MJ Melendez take off from first base [Applause] they're thinking he's got a great chance I looked to me like he was starting to leave he leaned big time that was a good move right there no matter what you can't get picked off and if you're NJ you got to make sure he goes home look at him lean right here oh you're trusting right now the hitter if the hitter swings through it you know you're gonna be out you're just trusting The Hitter 3-2 he runs Rivera Fly ball left center field him well a rosarina back and he will leap up and make the catch [Applause] to get back and he will want to play WoW what a play unbelievable you're not gonna piss to me fine I'll save you a run unreal [Applause] he's been the star of the tournament in a lot of ways are you not entertained yeah are you not entertained can he be the hero for Puerto Rico [Applause] this is what we had on Wednesday it was just everything was on display power speed defense manager wants to come out here I need somebody to tell me how good that was let me go over here [Music] well it reminds me of a another great catch made Manny Machado thinking he had that one and Adam Jones for Team USA [Music] [Applause] absolutely robbed maybe the Highlight Moment In The History of the World Baseball Classic right there yeah yeah and this one the stakes were high on this one that would have tied the game if he hadn't caught it hold up apparently he did it's 2-0 again we set it in the bottom of the seventh you you walk you understand being careful against by as you walk him though the tying run is in scoring position he wasn't just trying to tie the game that was a knockout swing right there got to be careful with bias he already took you deep to right on a fastball I think he may have bought himself a slider here on this 2-1 count your advice you got to see it up your Sanchez it's got to be down in and away two outs one run game eighth inning [Music] [Applause] it's a reach of Trejo Melendez digging for third and he's in there another hit for Javi Baez well that's a good fastball right there just a better swing by Baya is not trying to do too much look at NJ Melendez go as soon as he sees that ball going to the Outfield oh we're running the problem with this situation is she got holes now you got first base covered I want to think buyers will be running he's going to leave Rosario with that hole [Applause] a lot of great at bats in this inning for Puerto Rico can Rosario come through he goes after that first pitch breaking ball such a good slider right there he's throwing some really good ones tight down hasn't really missed much [Applause] Melendez leading away from third Baez being held at First pulled on the ground just foul this is a good moment right now we've got two Runners that can run okay it could be a pickle here where buyers can take off and see if he can get a throw and the Mexican defense right now they're all talking they're all kind of figuring it out and saying all right this is the scenario if he takes off we'll let him have the base main priority is Rosario and Melendez has taken a massive lead with the shift on I mean why wouldn't you he's halfway down the line at third bias runs Rosario pops it up is it playable Barnes underneath it Barnes makes a catch what a game here tonight in Miami the first of the two quarterfinal games played in this ballpark which has been electric all week between full D play and out here in the quarterfinals team Mexico with Randy rosarina leading the way at the plate and in the field has come from all the way behind four runs down to take a lead now coming up in the bottom of the eighth inning against the new pitcher for Puerto Rico the left-hander Giovanni Moran yeah he was a rookie for the twins last season but this is a guy that can absolutely deal man heart throwing left-hander 94-95 a good change up with a good slider pitch for the in the Dominican game 13 pitches one hit foul ball got a piece of Martin Maldonado so will little the home plate umpire is going to buy him just a moment well the job for Giovanni Iran is get through the bottom part of the order here and oh yeah a rosarinos due up third and keep it a one-run game gives Puerto Rico a chance with the bottom of their lineup due in the ninth get somebody on base and give Lindor a crack [Applause] see what happens [Applause] I got to give a lot of credit to will little right there he's had a tremendous Zone he's been tight he's been Fair a lot of times the moment can get to somebody he's been great I mean this is a big stage for a young umpire will Little's not been around the big leagues that long two and two [Applause] got it fastball struck out Alec Thomas there's too much power right there by Giovanni Moran let's look Dandy all tournament see that four seamer right there just a riding four seamer saying hey my action is better than your action such a good quality for a late inning reliever still he's pitched no he pitched Club what 50 Innings or thereabouts as a big Leaguer but he's not yet given up a big league home run unreal to keep the ball in the ballpark in the late innings it's a big part of doing the job I think it's his ability to command that pitch to right-handers just the change up more than not you're going to get soft contact whether or not you're going to get swing overs like that you respect the 96. oh nobody on base no harm done but it just tells you the situation of that mound second time now somebody's had an issue with it you know a lot of times that jerk can get a little bit too hard so you get stuck your cleat gets stuck change up the Zone too Austin Barnes has been a big part of this rally for Mexico he got the hit that started it last inning also had a hit that fueled a rally that scored a run to the fifth another good game for Austin Barnes [Applause] O2 Fly ball shallow left Center TK Hernandez makes a running catch two down another good change up right there PK man so good he can cover so much ground I know this is the beautiful part about this game if you make a good catch in the Outfield according to the not good things happen when you're hitting they'd love to get up Puerto Rico would but a rosarina just made the catch of the night and now he gets to hold that bat first pitch swing ground ball to short Lindor goes about so here we go Puerto Rico down to their final three outs to the ninth inning they need a run to keep playing and it's 5-4 in Mexico [Music] Giovanni Gallegos is on the mound already ranked 10th all time in saves among mexican-born pitchers and one face in the crowd tonight Dave Adam Jones himself author of that great WBC catch I texted Adam I said hey where does the Randy rosarina catch rank on the scale of Adam Jones and he just said that was amazing a game-saving play I thought I saw Adam Jones here before the game tonight he's amazing yeah what a player huh this one wasn't a home run robbery but a rose Arena was spectacular in his own right to keep Mexico ahead during Duran now takes over in right field for Mexico so Duran replaces his Boston teammate Alex Verdugo and the new pitcher is Gallegos Christian Vasquez stands in against the right-hander Mexico three outs away from a matchup with Japan in the semifinals gives one for three one thanks for sharing with Gallegos Is Molina just caught him so he knows everything Gallego likes to throw he knows everything he likes to do with his sequences you can see a vivid kind of meeting going on at the top deck with all the hitters that were coming up yeah in between Innings Molina kind of gathered the three hitters scheduled the bat here Vasquez right through that fastball and Yani was he was very demonstrative and look he was the Cardinals catcher last year in the big leagues for the guy who's on the mountain you've got to get on top big time on top of this fastball his fastball's got a lot of rides know about that good changer but the fastball he'll really ride up on you Gene and then Maldonado too that one is lined into left center field Vasquez has a base hit rosarina cuts it off his throw comes back into second and that will hold Vasquez to a single but there's your base runner I will take a pitch Runner as key right now [Applause] and here's Yadi coaching them up look at him he's telling him all right this is what we got it's a fastball it's a change of a riding fastball kind of letting him know and it surely pays off with Christian baskets he totally gets on top of this pitch and now we got baseball would it be the short game would it be the let's get him over or would it be the hey we can do a hit and run here we can do certain things well they will use the pinch Runner fargas who does have good speed at first young player machine The Hitter and takes a pitch for a ball Gallegos is a 1-4-3 to the plate that's more of the average for pitchers quicker guys are more of the one two going to home the slower guys are more of the one six one seven fish off the line but in [Applause] tying run at first nobody out with the pitch Runner another square of the butt popped up and caught Gallegos made the catch good job by fargus because that could have easily turned into a double play but a huge first down and a wasted out he's just jacked at this fastball the butt you gotta catch the ball not jab at it good base running right there [Music] play it was in play here now gotta get to second see if you can salvage the situation I'm thinking the same thing Mexico is there's one thing Maldonado likes to do and that's Ambush Ambush what he's looking for problem is I don't think he's faced that many hitters not that many times in Gallegos being in the National League brings it this way and Pops it out Mexico one out away [Applause] the good news for Puerto Rico you get one lasted bat for your captain your best player Francisco Lindor [Applause] [Music] I don't know how you feel to me now that it's lit door I don't know if you can risk an out on the basis with your pinch Runner I don't think you could risk taking the bat out of the hands of the door absolutely not he's got the red light this is going to be monu imano right here your best against mine here we go this is it Puerto Rico down to their final out one out away from being eliminated first pitch the door pops it up fouled that'll make it back into the seats [Applause] he's had a great World Baseball Classic doing it all but he has to do something here to keep this game alive for his team for his country [Applause] [Applause] on that top change up I face the Eagles in the past I think his changeup is his best pitch but fastball's got a lot of ride but you really trusted you really got to respect the changeup if you're a left-handed hitter I would think the 1-1 is a change of pitch the fueling doors got to start with the fastball you gotta adjust your base is open they've got the overshift on for the door well off the outside he's ahead two and one if he reaches base then Hernandez would get a chance here in the night there's hoping 2-1 change up Puerto Rico is down to their final strike boy that's a good changeup right there Randy knows it [Applause] [Music] set the 2-2 pitch Lindor Line Drive beats hit up the middle game shot over Vargas stops at second one and a half Gallegos all he can do is just shake his head 2-2 change up right there and daughters are trying to do too much with it look how simple look how short he is he's got to see the buffer before he reacts trust in your hands trusting your eyes runners in scoring position all over again Puerto Rico and we'll get another meeting on the mound here with the manager not the pitching coach situation here Gallego likes to throw his change up to right-handers too okay he doesn't necessarily have a breaking ball but the problem is the rule number one or thumb rule for a relief pitcher is you got to be careful throwing right on right change-ups so fastballs the play but Kika has done a really good job on getting on top of the baseball especially with fastballs that's his go-to guy can hit a fastball with the best of him in this league [Applause] Marcus has plenty of speed in second you got great speed at first in Lindor Puerto Rico has not scored since the first inning Hernandez is walking the first inning got that rally started can he tie the game and keep Puerto Rico's Championship hopes alive here comes the first pitch off the inside to change up [Applause] onto the hand Kika saw it really well I would think the fastball is a challenge pitch he collects the ball at inner third always looking in there 1-0 in the dirt man not close and a great save by Austin Barnes otherwise you'd have to go ahead run in scoring position what a block because that thing bounced way in front of home plate 2-0 [Applause] Gallegos a bouncer toward third scooped up foul a foul ball a foul ball that's good want to believe but just to strike well he got away with that fastball right there okay is rushed right now I know it's a big rule it's a big if on throwing that change up to a right-hander you got to trust it that's your best pitch [Music] here comes a 2-1 that is a fastball for his strike once again Mexico one strike away [Applause] good fastball right there hey Kinko got caught in between that's usually a fastball he swings at [Music] 2-2 on the ground foul managed to get a piece of the change up live to see another pitch change up slider off speed he was out in front and he did a good job rosarino's ready to sprint in and celebrate Baez and Puerto Rico trying to stay alive in This World Baseball Classic thinning Two on Two Out [Applause] two two that is strike three called one of the biggest comebacks in World Baseball Classic history and it sets Mexico into the semi-finals for the very first time what a comeback what a moment for Team Mexico viva Mexico well Mexico is still alive [Applause] unbelievable one half inning into this game it was four nothing Puerto Rico we did not think we'd see that image of a celebration for Mexico on the field [Applause] [Music] and his adopted Home Country so proud to be a part of this team from Mexico and his catch will be remembered for a long time oh they believed then you four runs just leave it there and give give him a shot as we see that slider right there completely froze not much he can do with that you see the excitement right there three toughest outs in baseball are in the ninth inning what a game top to bottom clean baseball he practiced throwing that glove a few pitches prior look at this bench [Applause] [Laughter] that was a great win that's a team win right there it was [Applause] so now it'll be Mexico and Japan in the semifinals one more spot still to fill tomorrow night Team USA and Venezuela and if you're Mexico you're believing right he just beat a good team moving on this team's got heart this team's got character Mexico's alive and it and continue and this tournament has drama man if we had a lot of it tomorrow seven Eastern right back here in Miami it's the U.S and Venezuela for Yonder Alonso and our old crew Dave Fleming saying so long we will see you tomorrow night here in Miami thanks for watching this presentation of the World Baseball Classic

Channel: MLB

Views: 762,072

Keywords: mlb, baseball, sports, mlb highlights, sports highlights, baseball highlights

Id: aF1vY6M_4RA

Length: 161min 56sec (9716 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 27 2023