Turner’s grand slam lifts U.S. over Venezuela

Trea Turner hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning that lifted the United States over Venezuela 9-7 Saturday night and into the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

The defending champion Team USA will face Cuba on Sunday night for a spot in the WBC championship.

Venezuela second baseman and Houston Astros star Jose Altuve left the game in the fifth with a right hand injury after he was hit by a pitch from Daniel Bard. The Astros said there would be an update on his status Sunday.

Trailing 7-5, the United States loaded the bases in the eighth on a walk, single and hit by pitch against losing pitcher Jose Quijada. Silvino Bracho relieved and then Turner, the ninth batter in the U.S. lineup, sent his 0-2 changeup 407 feet to deep left field for the third grand slam in Team USA history.

David Bednar, the fifth U.S. pitcher, got the win. Ryan Pressly got three outs for the save.

Luis Arraez, playing the ballpark that he’ll soon call home with the Miami Marlins, hit two home runs for Venezuela.

The U.S. team boasts a roster of big names that many picked to repeat as WBC champions.

All nine batters in Team USA’S lineup are allstars, including Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The United States is in the top six in the tournament in batting average (.296), RBIS (34) and hits (48), and every U.S. starter had a hit Saturday night.

Venezuela took a 6-5 lead in a four-run fifth after Ronald Acuña Jr.’s sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Salvador Perez drove in the tying run with a linedrive double that sneaked just inside the left-field foul line.