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 [March 16, 2023]
PHOENIX -- Mike Trout had three hits and three RBIs Wednesday
to lead Team USA to a 3-2 victory over Colombia and a spot in the
World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.
The U.S. and Mexico each finished 3-1 in games played at Chase Field
to take the top two spots in Pool C. Mexico earned the top seed in
the quarterfinals from the pool because of its 11-5 win over the
Americans on Sunday.
The U.S. will play Pool D winner Venezuela in the quarterfinals
Saturday in Miami.
Trout finished 3-for-4 with a triple and two singles while driving
in all of Team USA's runs.
In his three previous WBC games, Trout was 2-for-8 while batting at
the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts was
2-for-13.
They combined for more hits against Colombia than what they had in
the first three games, going 5-for-8. Betts was 2-for-4 with two
runs.
The rest of the U.S. batters were 2-for-23 in the game.
The Americans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning thanks
to a two-out rally by a Betts single. The Dodgers outfielder moved
to second base on a wild pitch by Santiago Florez before Trout
singled to center field that scored Betts.
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U.S. starter Merrill Kelly, pitching at his home
field with the Arizona Diamondbacks, worked out of a bases-loaded
jam in the second inning but again encountered problems in the third
after allowing a leadoff double to Oscar Mercado.
Following a ground out that moved Mercado to third
base, Gio Urshela hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored
Mercado.
Jorge Alfaro then reached on an infield single before Reynaldo
Rodriguez belted a double off the center field wall, scoring Alfaro
to give Colombia a 2-1 lead.
The U.S. rallied for two runs in the top fifth behind a two-run
single by Trout off reliever Jasier Herrera, who was fifth of eight
pitchers used by Colombia.
Herrera came in for Ruben Galindo, the losing pitcher who walked
U.S. catcher Will Smith and gave up a single to Betts before Trout's
two-run single.
Ryan Pressly pitched ninth inning for the save, striking out Jordan
Diaz to end the game after Elias Diaz reached before him on an
infield single.
Kendall Gravemen pitched a scoreless fourth inning for the win.
--Javier Morales, Field Level Media
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