Tucker compares WBC to playoffs

Kyle Tucker lived the tournament’s thrill and terror during his final World Baseball Classic game. He sprained his ankle after sliding into second base during the

first inning of Team USA’s 9-7 quarterfinal win over Team Venezuela. Astros teammate Jose Altuve applied a tag on Tucker, who held the bag despite rolling his right leg in an awkward-looking play.

Tucker finished the game while in substantial pain. He struck a solo home run in the fifth inning to widen Team USA’s lead, launching a 1-1 fastball from teammate Luis Garcia 365 feet into the right-field seats.

Tucker trotted around the bases while a sold-out crowd came to a crescendo. He reached home plate, produced a wide smile and saluted his superstar-laden dugout.

“It was a really cool experience,” Tucker said with a smile.

Disaster struck during the home half. Nursing an injury of his own, Tucker watched from left field while Altuve writhed in pain at home plate after being hit in the thumb with a pitch.

“I was hoping it ran up and in and went by him or hit the bat or something, didn’t really hurt him too bad,” Tucker said.

The news of Altuve’s fractured thumb reached Tucker — and the entire sport — a day later. Tucker didn’t suffer anything that severe, just a minor ankle sprain that he doesn’t expect to hinder him for opening day. Tucker said he hopes to play in Sunday’s Grapefruit League finale against the Miami Marlins.

Tucker has appeared in 51 playoff games. He’s been on each of Houston’s past three World Series rosters. Few of his Team USA teammates shared such experiences. Most of them gushed about the tournament’s atmosphere in awe.

“It’s relatively the same (to the playoffs),” Tucker said. “The crowd is probably just as loud and into the game as the playoffs are, but instead of rooting for your own MLB team, you’re rooting for your country. Atmosphere and noise-wise, it was probably roughly the same.”

Tucker finished the WBC 5-for-15. The sprained ankle sidelined him for Team USA’s final two games, including a 3-2 loss to Japan in the final.