Late homers lift U.S. over Venezuela at WBC
Hometown favorite Adam Jones hit a tying home run leading off the eighth inning and Eric Hosmer added a two-run shot three batters later as the United States rallied to beat Venezuela, 4-2, last night in the second round of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego.
After being shut down for the first five innings by Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, the Americans broke through against Venezuela’s bullpen. Hosmer singled leading off the seventh and scored on Jonathan Lucroy’s sacrifice fly.
Hector Rondon (0-1) started the eighth for Venezuela and Jones homered to right-center to tie it at 2. Christian Yelich singled and Nolan Arenado flied out before Hosmer muscled a shot 418 feet to right-center for the lead. . . .
Yoshitomo Tsutsugo sparked a five-run sixth inning with a solo home run to lead Japan past Israel, 8-3, yesterday in Tokyo and into the championship round of the WBC.
With a perfect 6-0 record through two rounds, two-time champion Japan advances from Pool E along with the Netherlands, which beat Cuba 14-1 at the Tokyo Dome. Israel and Cuba were eliminated. . . .
Baltimore Orioles right-handed pitcher Chris Tillman won’t start a fourth consecutive season opener because of a sore right shoulder. Tillman will get a cortisone injection in hopes of returning sooner rather than later. Tillman had a platelet rich plasma injection in late December on the shoulder and has not pitched this spring. . . .
Just 31⁄ months after trading for 2 Derek Norris and penciling him in as their starting catcher, the Washington Nationals released him. Norris became expendable in February when the Nationals signed four-time All-Star catcher Matt Wieters.
U.S.: Hockey boycott looms
Members of the U.S. women’s hockey team will give up the chance to defend their world championship gold medal on home ice unless there is significant progress in settling a wage dispute that has dragged on for months. Players informed USA Hockey yesterday they will not report to training camp next week or play in the tournament that begins March 31 in Plymouth, Mich. . . .
Bruce Arena changed half the U.S. men’s soccer roster after replacing Jurgen Klinsmann as coach, hoping to spark the Americans to a rebound in World Cup qualifying. Among his changes, Arena brought back Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and Geoff Cameron after lengthy illness and injury layoffs.
The U.S. coach from 1998-2006, Arena selected just 13 of the 26 players on Klinsmann’s final roster. Six players earned selection with their performances during Arena’s January training camp, and 14 are from Major League Soccer.
The U.S. hosts Honduras on March 24 and is at Panama four days later.
Misc.: Muirfield back in
Muirfield voted to admit female members for the first time in its 273-year history, paving the way for the Scottish golf club to again host the British Open.
Members voted last May to retain the male-only policy. That led to Muirfield being taken off the list of 10 courses that can host the British Open. The second vote showed 80.2 percent voting to allow women to become members. . . .
NASCAR decided not to penalize Kyle Busch, Joey Logano or their crews for their post-race scuffle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, saying the sport was built on the kind of racing that Busch and Logano did on the final laps of the race.