U.S. nearly flops in opener to Colombia

MIAMI — Retired manager Jim Leyland was back at his familiar perch on the dugout steps Friday night, looking tense as he watched his U.S. team go hitless until the sixth inning and flirt with a devastating defeat before pulling out a 10th-inning win in its first game at the World Baseball Classic.

“Now you know why I’m not managing anymore,” Leyland said with a laugh.

He and his players could smile only after Adam Jones hit the game-winning RBI single with two out in the 10th to beat Colombia, 3-2.

The Americans improved their all-time WBC record to 11-10. They failed to make the finals in the three previous events and next face the Dominican Republic, the defending champions.

“I’m hoping this win takes a little bit of pressure off and we can relax a little bit,” Leyland said. “You don’t relax against the Dominican Republic, but at least the guys feel good they got a win under their belt.”

U.S. starter Chris Archer retired all 12 batters he faced. Archer, coming off a 9-19 season with Tampa Bay, struck out three and needed only 41 pitches to get through four.

He left the game well shy of the limit of 65 pitches for the first round because the Rays had requested that Archer pitch only four innings, Leyland said.

“It was tough, but we stuck to the plan,” Archer said.

Colombian starter Carlos Quintana was also dominant, holding the Americans hitless until Brandon Crawford singled with two out in the sixth. Quintana was then pulled after throwing 63 pitches, and Colombia’s 2-0 lead was soon gone, too. William Cuevas gave up an RBI double by Jones and threw a wild pitch that tied the game in the sixth.

With one out in the 10th, Christian Yelich and Crawford were walked by Guillermo Moscoso, and both advanced on a groundout.

Jones lined a single on an 0-2 pitch and was mobbed by his teammates.