Welington Castillo keys big 11th inning as Dominicans beat Colombia

Did you notice that Jim Leyland, the United States manager, gritted through the Colombia opener without using his best reliever, Andrew Miller, so that he could use him, if needed, against the Dominicans?

After blowing a 5-0 lead and suffering a disappointing loss to the Dominican Republic last night in Miami, FL, Team U.S.A tries to rebound in their third game of the World Baseball Classic when they take on Canada tonight.

The Dominican Republic beat the United States of America 7-5 on Saturday night, and the emotion shown from the DR players made fans yearn for the playoffs, or at least it should have. “The expectations for the U.S. are high, and it’s a thrill to get out of here”. Neither are in the argument for America’s best pitcher, but they’re All-Star-caliber players who give Team USA a chance to win. “As a grown man I was not afraid but we feared for the small children around”, Hiram Burgos, the father of Puerto Rico’s pitcher with the same name said to the AP. “We’re representing our country”.

Quintana, who plays for the Chicago White Sox, left the game, but not before he recorded four strikeouts and walked just one batter. They had to come from behind against the USA and then again on Sunday against Colombia, a game in which they scored seven runs in the 11th inning to win 10-3.

The earlier game held considerably more suspense as Colombia, in its first time in the WBC, almost upset the Dominicans, who have now won 11 consecutive games in the tournament. The biggest underdogs in the tournament went 3-0 in their pool, and their most famous player is probably the right-hander Jason Marquis, who hasn’t pitched professionally since 2015.

“Whitt noted the enthusiastic crowds and said he’s dumbfounded” some major league players are reluctant to take part.

The Dominican team won the WBC in 2013, and they are considered the favorites by many to repeat.

Danny Duffy became the third consecutive US starter to turn in a scoreless performance. Yet we’re unsure about Marcus Stroman’s ability to neutralize Bautista, Manny Machado, Robinson Cano and countless others. He scored after two groundouts, but Venezuela still had a one-run lead, two outs, none on and Francisco Rodriguez on the mound. Tyler Clippard retired all six batters he faced, striking out four. The United States added two more runs, including a Buster Posey solo homer in the seventh, but couldn’t deliver a knockout blow. They staged a comeback for the ages to defeat Mexico and gave a Venezuelan team playing with their backs to the wall all they could handle. I’ve long said that if baseball wants to grow the game they need to continue to show off the wealth of young talent and this WBC has done a great job of doing just that. Jones and Yelich reached base after both hit singles with one out to bring up Arenado.

However, for a time, it seemed like their very green group of players might engineer their own “Miracle on the Diamond” by beating the mighty USA in their first-ever appearance in the 16-team global tournament.