*Photo from TheScore*
With just one swing of the bat, everything had changed in an instant. Kyle Tucker homered and drove in two runs, Trea Turner hit a grand slam, and team USA rallied to defeat team Venezuela in the WBC Quarterfinals on Saturday night in Miami.
The win moves the US to the WBC Semifinals as they continue their quest to repeat as WBC champions after winning in 2017. Turner's grand slam was the 3rd time a USA hitter did so in the WBC and first since David Wright in 2013. The other hitter was Jason Varitek in 2006.
Asked about his big grand slam, Turner said that "Individually, I think this is probably the biggest hit that I've had. As a team, I think you set a goal, and we want to win the whole thing. We're not done yet. I'm glad we won and we can kind of keep striving for that goal. But individually, it was kind of, it was pretty big for me personally."
Mike Trout started the scoring, hitting an RBI single in the first to make it 1-0 for the US early. Paul Goldschmidt and Tucker then hit RBI singles in the first to extend the lead to 3-0. Luis Arraez answered back for Venezuela in the bottom of the first with a two run home run to right field. Mookie Betts then made the lead 4-2 for the US with a sac fly in the 4th inning that scored Kyle Schwarber.
When the 5th inning rolled around, Tucker hit a solo home run to right field extending the USA lead to 5-2. In the bottom of the 5th, Gleyber Torres scored on a wild pitch, Andres Gimenez scored on a groundout, Salvador Perez hit the game tying single, and then scored on a sac fly from Ronald Acuna Jr to give Venezuela a 6-5 lead.
It stayed that way until the 7th inning, when Arraez struck again, hitting a solo home run off the foul pole in right field to make it 7-5 Venezuela. After two walks and a single in the top of the 8th, it was Turner at bat for team USA, trying to at least tie the game. He did more than that, hitting a second deck grand slam to turn the game on it's head and give the US the win.
Turner said of the atmosphere surrounding the game that "This is pretty much a postseason atmosphere, and we're getting it right in the middle of Spring Training. It's a great team over there, and it almost makes me kind of want to go play in winter ball a little bit and see how rowdy these fans get. It looks really fun, and I was glad to be a part of it."
Getting the start for the Americans was Lance Lynn, who allowed two runs on 4 hits in 4 innings of work. Daniel Bard allowed 4 runs while getting zero outs in the 5th, with Jason Adam having to finish the inning. Adam Ottavino, David Bednar, Devin Williams, and Ryan Pressly shut it down after.
Martin Perez started for Venezuela, lasting only 1/3 of an inning while allowing 3 runs. Jose Ruiz pitched the next 1 2/3 innings before Luis Garcia went 4 innings. Carlos Hernandez and then Jose Quijada pitched, with Quijada getting the loss. Silvino Bracho allowed the grand slam to Turner, and Jose Alvarado pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
Up next, team USA takes on Cuba in the first WBC Semifinal game on Sunday night, with Mexico and Japan squaring off on Monday night. A trip to the championship game is on the line for all 4 teams.
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