UNITED STATES BEATS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOR SPOT IN SEMIS
san diego» The United States is going to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic for the second time thanks to another impressive home run by Giancarlo Stanton at Petco Park and a spectacular catch at the fence by hometown favorite Adam Jones.
Stanton hit a go-ahead, two-run shot into the third-level balcony of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building in the left-field corner in the fourth inning and Jones robbed Baltimore Orioles teammate Manny Machado of a home run in the seventh to help the Americans beat the Dominican Republic 6-3 late Saturday night, eliminating the defending champions.
Team USA will face Japan on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium for a spot in the championship game.
Stanton’s homer gave the United States a 4-2 lead and put a charge into the sellout crowd of 43,002.
The slugger’s shot was reminiscent of his Home Run Derby victory at Petco Park on July 11, when he peppered the far reaches of the big downtown ballpark, including hitting one onto the top of the 108-year-old brick warehouse.
Three innings later, Jones leaped and reached over the fence in the deepest part of the park in right-center to rob Machado of a home run. Machado tipped his helmet to Jones.
“I’m still in shock that I even got to that ball,” said Jones, who played at Morse High about 8 miles east of Petco. “I mean, off the bat I’m just like, ‘This ball’s hit far, so just keep going, keep going. You know this California air’s going to slow it down and just never quit.’ That’s just the style I play with. I don’t mind running into a wall or two. I just kept going after the ball.”
Robinson Cano then homered to left to pull the Dominican Republic to 4-3.
Andrew McCutchen gave Team USA some breathing room with a two-run double in the eighth, and Luke Gregerson pitched a perfect ninth to close it out.
Leishman locks in Masters spot
B orlando, fla.» Marc Leishman of Australia holed a 50-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole to take the lead, and he stayed there with two tough pars to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational and earn a trip to the Masters with an 11-under-par 277 total.
Leishman’s pitch from 45 yards short of the 18th green rolled out to 3 feet, and he made the par putt for a 3-under-par 69 final round.
Kevin Kisner had a three-shot lead at the turn, but he didn’t make a birdie over his final 11 holes.
• Anna Nordqvist shot a 4-under 68 to win the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. The 29-year-old held off fellow major champions Ariya Jutanugarn, Stacy Lewis and In Gee Chun by two strokes. Nordqvist finished at 25-under 263.
• Tom Lehman won the Tucson Conquistadores Classic by one stroke over playing partner Steve Stricker for his 10th PGA Tour Champions victory. Two strokes behind Stricker with three holes to play, Lehman closed with two birdies and a par for a 7-under 66 final round and a 20-under 199.