|
Baseball: Puerto Rico reach Classic final with win over Netherlands
Send a link to a friend
 [March 21, 2017]
(Reuters) - Puerto Rico made it
to their second straight World Baseball Classic final on Monday with
a 4-3 extra-innings win over the Netherlands at Dodger Stadium.
Eddie Rosario's sacrifice fly drove in Carlos Correa in the bottom
of the 11th inning to seal the semi-final triumph and set up a
decider against the United States or Japan, who square off in the
other semi on Tuesday.
“We want to win it all, that’s our goal,” Correa said after scoring
the winning run. “This is one of the best moments of my baseball
career so far.
"Doing it for my country means everything to me.”
Correa opened the inning at second base and Enrique Hernandez was
placed at first in a game played under international tiebreaker
rules.
Yadier Molina's sacrifice bunt moved the runners before Javier Baez
was intentionally walked by Loek Van Mil (0-1).
Rosario hit the first pitch to send Puerto Rico to the title game
for the second consecutive tournament after they fell to the
Dominican Republic in 2013.
“Unfortunately, (the last time) didn’t go our way. (But), the fact
that we were able to get this win today, I know Puerto Rico is
celebrating and we’re excited for them,” said Carlos Beltran.
“The future is so bright for Puerto Rico.”
Netherlands outfielder Wladimir Balentien gave his team a 2-0 lead
in the opening inning with a two-run homer off right-hander Jorge
Lopez.
[to top of second column] |
Puerto Rico pitcher
Edwin Diaz (39) reacts after a strikeout during the tenth inning of
the 2017 World Baseball Classic against Netherlands at Dodger
Stadium. Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Correa responded for Puerto Rico in the bottom of the first with his
third homer of the tournament to tie the score at 2-2.
T.J. Rivera gave Puerto Rico a 3-2 lead with a solo homer in the
second inning, but the Netherlands tied it in the fifth on an RBI
double from Shawn Zarraga.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter
Rutherford) [© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All
rights reserved.]
Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
 |
