Schwarber homer lifts U.S. past British

PHOENIX — Nolan Arenado had three hits, including two doubles, and Kyle Schwarber blasted a threerun home run to lead the United States to a 6-2 win over Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic opener for both teams.

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Arenado, batting cleanup, finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the Pool C game.

His Cardinals teammate, Paul Goldschmidt, scored three runs batting ahead of Arenado in the order.

Great Britain’s second batter of the game, Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson, opened the scoring by hitting a home run to center field off the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright.

The 41-year-old veteran right-hander lasted four innings and was credited with the win, per World Baseball Classic pitch-count rules.

Wainwright threw 49 pitches (36 for strikes) and scattered five hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Arenado sparked a tworun rally in the bottom of the third inning.

He hit an RBI double with one out against Great Britain starter Vance Worley, the losing pitcher who was relieved by Jake Esch with two outs in the third after he walked Trea Turner.

Kyle Tucker, the first batter Esch faced, lined a single to center to score Arenado to give the U.S. a 2-1 lead.

Esch was relieved by Ryan Long with one out in the fourth after he walked Mike Trout and hit Goldschmidt with a pitch.

After Arenado popped up for the second out, Schwarber followed with his threerun home run to center field that gave the U.S. a 5-1 lead.

The lead increased to 6-1 in the sixth when Goldschmidt singled off reliever Daniel Cooper to lead off the inning and scored on Arenado’s double.

Team USA is trying to defend its 2017 WBC title while Great Britain qualified for the event for the first time.