U.S. in WBC final:
The Americans edge Japan, will face Puerto Rico on Wednesday for the championship.
LOS ANGELES — If not quite an embarrassment, it had been something of an indignity to the U.S. team that Japan, South Korea, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico had all reached the title game of a World Baseball Classic.
America’s pastime? Not really. The U.S. team, with many of its best players having passed on playing in the tournament, had advanced as far as the semifinals just once.
That finals drought ended on a rainy Tuesday night as the United States took advantage of two defensive mistakes by Japan in a 2-1 victory at Dodger Stadium to earn its first berth in the championship game.
“It means a heck of a lot,” said Pittsburgh outfielder Andrew McCutchen. “We’ve got a great group of guys on this team who have dedicated this time to be able to try to win some ballgames. Sacrifices had to be made, and there are no egos when that door opens.”
The U.S. team will play Puerto Rico for the championship Wednesday night. Puerto Rico eliminated the United States in 2013 and defeated the United States 6-5 last week in San Diego. Toronto right-hander Marcus Stroman will pitch for the United States in the title game against Puerto Rico’s Seth Lugo, a Mets right-hander.
Though Japan has developed a reputation as the most fundamentally sound team in the tournament, it was let down by its defense Tuesday. Miscues by second baseman Ryosuke Kikuchi and third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda paved the way for the U.S. runs.
“Well, two plays,” Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo said through a translator. “Honestly, there were some mistakes, and then a run was scored . ... The team that makes mistakes will lose. That’s what it means. I cannot blame them, though, for doing that.”
Matsuda bobbled an Adam Jones grounder in the eighth inning, allowing the Giants’ Brandon Crawford to race home with the decisive run. Crawford had singled to right with one out in the inning and had gone to third on Ian Kinsler’s double to left-center.
With Giants closer Mark Melancon pitching in the bottom half of the inning, Seiichi Uchikawa grounded a single to right and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Tetsuto Yamada. With two outs, Melancon walked Nori Aoki and was pulled. Pat Neshek retired Japan’s cleanup hitter, Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh, on a flyball to right.
It proved Japan’s last opportunity. Luke Gregerson pitched a perfect ninth, striking out Matsuda to end the game.
Tanner Roark, the U.S. starter, pitched four scoreless innings, and six relievers limited Japan’s chances.
The Americans came perilously close to not making it out of the first round, blowing a 5-0 lead to the Dominican Republic and needing extra innings to beat Colombia. After losing to Puerto Rico, they needed to beat the Dominican Republic, the defending champion, on Saturday to advance to the semifinals.
The persistent drizzle Tuesday night did little to dampen the spirit of the Japanese fans. They relentlessly clapped their thunder sticks, and a band stationed in the left-field pavilion, with drums and horns, gave the stadium a Friday night lights feel.
The United States took a 1-0 lead in the fourth by capitalizing on an error by Kikuchi, the second baseman, who was eaten up by a hard grounder, allowing Christian Yelich to hustle his way to second. With two outs, McCutchen brought Yelich home by lacing a single to left.
Kikuchi atoned for his mistake in the sixth when he drove a fastball from Nate Jones through the damp air and over the wall in right field. The home run tied the score 1-1.