Turner's slam lifts U.S. to win over Venezuela WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
MIAMI >> 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 U.S. will face Cuba tonight for a spot in the WBC final against Japan or Mexico. St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright will start for the U.S. against Cuba.
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 will be an update on his status today.
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 No. 9 batter in the U.S. lineup, sent his 0-2 changeup 407 feet to deep left field for the third grand slam in American WBC history.
U.S. manager Mark DeRosa said Saturday’s win was one of the three greatest games he’s ever been a part of — including winning the World Series with the San Francisco Giants in 2010.
“I told the guys before the game, I wanted to match their passion,” said DeRosa, who once played for
QUARTERFINALS Saturday’s result
U.S. 9, Venezuela 7
SEMIFINALS
Today’s game
Cuba vs. U.S., 4 p.m., FS1
Monday’s game
Japan vs. Mexico, 4 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Tuesday, 4 p.m.
the Venezuelan professional team Leones del Caracas. “I had played over there. I had been a part of that, coming out of the dugout and jumping around ... When Trea clipped that ball, honestly, I saw about 35 guys, including the coaches, kind of black out and lose their minds for a minute. So it was just an awesome moment.”
David Bednar, the fifth of seven U.S. pitchers, got the win. Ryan Pressly got three straight outs for the save.
Luis Arraez, playing in the ballpark that he’ll soon call home with the Miami Marlins, had the first multihomer game of his professional career and drove in four runs for Venezuela.
The U.S. is in the top six in the tournament in batting average (.296), RBIs (34) and hits (48), and every American starter had a hit against Venezuela, which had gone 4-0 in group play.
“Unfortunately, this is baseball,” Venezuela manager Omar López said. “We have to accept this and as men we have to keep our heads up. It is not easy, especially when they came back in the game.”
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.
Arraez hit a two-run drive to right field in the first and added another in the seventh to give Venezuela a two-run lead. Arraez, the reigning AL batting champion, was traded to the WBC host Miami Marlins this offseason after four seasons in Minnesota.
Bard replaced U.S. starter Lance Lynn with a 5-2 lead in the fifth and loaded the bases with two walks, an infield hit and the pitch that injured Altuve.
Bard was pulled after Gleyber Torres scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Venezuela added its last three runs against Jason Adam, who managed to get out of the inning in 10 pitches.
The U.S. hit five straight singles to start the game. Mookie Betts led off the first with an infield single, then the speedster raced from first to third on Mike Trout’s single to center, scoring when he forced a throwing error by Acuña.
Kyle Tucker homered for the U.S. off Astros teammate Luis Garcia.