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USA
9
Venezuela
7
Finished

USA vs Venezuela summary: scores, stats and highlights | 2023 World Baseball Classic

Miami (United States), 18/03/2023.- Mookie Betts (L) and Nolan Arenado of the US celebrate with teammates during the 2023 World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game between USA and Venezuela at loanDepot park baseball stadium in Miami, Florida, USA, 18 March 2023. (Estados Unidos) EFE/EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH

USA come from behind in 9-7 win over Venezuela

USA come from behind to advance to semi final in WBC

The USA had jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs before stagnating and allowing Venezuela to chip their way back into the game. Leading 5-2, they gave up five unanswered runs to a team that you can't afford to do that to. And then it all turned.

With the USA down 7-5 in the eighth, Jose Quijada's pitching troubles came back to haunt Venezuela when he loaded up the bases for Trea Turner. Bracho came out of the bullpen to try and put out the fire, but hung a middle-cut change up that Turner crushed for a towering grand slam to put the USA up 9-7.

It was a blow that the Venezuelans could not come back from, particularly after Jose Altuve suffered a suspected broken thumb. His bat was sorely missed.

The USA did a lot right, Venezuela did a few things wrong, and the end result is that the USA go through to the semi final against Cuba. 

Jeffrey May

USA take on Cuba in the semifinal. Follow Team USA v Cuba live. 

as.com

That is going to be it for our live coverage of the USA vs Venezuela WBC quarterfinal game. Thank you for joining us, we hope that you enjoyed it as much as we have. We will be back tomorrow on Diario AS USA to bring you live coverage of the Cuba vs USA semi final game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Until then, have a good evening!

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Altuve still being evaluated

The Astros will release an update tomorrow

as.com

Final out

Team USA closes it out

as.com

Trea Turner's grand slam

This shot got out of here in a hurry

as.com

USA advance to the semi final

The USA will now face Cuba in the WBC semi final

as.com

The United States advance to face Cuba tomorrow in the first semi final game. They leapt out front, then had to come from behind to grind out this 9-7 win against one of the best teams in the competition.

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3 out

Ball game

In the end though, he pops one to the left side of the infield. Nolan Arenado gets up under it and puts it away to end the game. The USA win!

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He puts up a titanic struggle, fouling off five pitches,.

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Anthony Santander is now the last hope for Venezuela.

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2 out

Escobar rips a shot at first base, but directly at Paul Goldschmidt for the second out.

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Eduardo Escobar now comes to the plate and takes a ball.

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1 out

Gimenez jumps on a high slider and lines it to center field for Mike Trout to put away. One away.

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Bottom 9th

As the USA takes the field, Cedric Mullins replaces left fielder Kyle Tucker.

Andres Gimenez will lead off for Venezuela and they are down to their last three outs.

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Pitching change

Team USA will bring on closer extraordinaire Ryan Pressly to try and slam this door shut on Venezuela.

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3 out

Bobby Witt Jr now comes to the plate for the first time tonight and chases a low pitch, popping it to shallow right where Santander puts it away to end the inning.

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Tim Anderson now at the plate and swats the 0-2 delivery to right field. Santander mis-fields it and Anderson hustles into second with a sliding single.

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Update on Jose Altuve

Initial reports that are coming in are that Jose Altuve is feared to have broken his right thumb. It is unconfirmed, and the Astros will investigate further tomorrow, but we can only hope that this is not the case.

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2 out

A low slider away gets Tucker swinging for strike three. Two away.

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Kyle Tucker comes in now and fights off a steady stream of sinkers to get the count to 1-2

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1 out

Arenado jumps on the first pitch from Alvarado and hits a high, towering fly ball to shallow left. Peralta calls for it and puts it away for the first out.

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Top 9th

Nolan Arenado will lead off for Team USA

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Pitching change

Venezuela will call on Jose Alvarado to take over on the mound and shut the USA down, give their offense a fighting chance.

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3 out

Torres lines a hard shot at right field, but Mookie Betts is pretty much right there. Acuña is stranded on third as the eighth inning ends, the USA still leading 9-7

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Acuña takes off and steals third and the USA don't seem to care. Their out that they are focusing on is at the plate.

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Gleyber Torres will now try and do something with that base runner for Venezuela with two outs.

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2 out

Three great fastballs with late movement get Suarez swinging at strike three. Two away

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Eugenio Suarez comes to the plate and Acuña is taking a huge lead.

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1 out

Williams misses with three changeups before putting two fastballs in for a strike. The payoff is a beauty, another changeup, this time just fading out of the bottom of the zone for a swinging strike three. One down.

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David Peralta comes to the plate and will try to get that runner around, eat into this lead that USA has.

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Acuña crushes a long shot to deep left field, off the base of the wall for a leadoff double. This is what Venezuela have been waiting for out of him.

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Bottom 8th

As the USA takes the field, Bobby Witt Jr. will stay in the game, now as the DH.

Ronald Acuña Jr will lead off for Venezuela and they have been waiting for him to get started in this competiton. Now would be a perfect time as far as Venezuela are concerned.

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Pitching change

David Bednar had a great inning in the seventh, but now hands over the mound to Devin Williams

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3 out

Nothing but fastballs and Goldschmidt swings through a change up for strike three to end the inning. But what an inning it was! Trea Turner's grand slam puts the USA back on top and Venezuela trail by two.

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Paul Goldschmidt crushes the first pitch into the upper deck, but foul. Whew! What a long shot that was.

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2 out

Mike Trout comes up now and works the count full. Everything is elevated in the zone to him. A low slider gets him off guard and he swings through it for strike three. Two away.

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1 out

Mookie Betts now comes to the plate and hits a deep fly ball to center field. Acuña is there and puts it away for out number one

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USA score

Bracho throw straight heat to get the count to 0-2 before Turner crushes the changeup into deep left field! GRAND SLAM! Trea Turner got all of that one and the USA takes a 9-7 lead.

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Trea Turner will come to the plate to face Bracho.

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Pitching change

That is going to be it for Quijada. Silvino Bracho gets handed the shovel and asked to dig Venezuela out of this hole that they are in.

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JT Realmuto comes to the plate and works the count to 2-0 before an inside fastball clips him to load the bases. There was a little stare-down between Quijada and Realmuto there. But the USA has bases loaded with no outs here.

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Nobody out and two on as the USA brings on Bobby Witt Jr. to pinch run for Alonso.

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Alonso gets a fastball and pops a bloop into shallow right field. It falls in for a single.

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Quijada is struggling to find the strike zone now

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Kyle Scwharber will head back into the dugout as Pete Alonso is brought on to pinch hit for him.

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Anderson works the count full before the payoff pitch misses inside to give the USA a leadoff walk.

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Top 8th

Venezuela will make a defensive shift as Eduardo Escobar comes in for Luis Rengifo. That will prompt Arraez to move to second, Suarez takes over at first, and Escobar will line up at third.

Tim Andreson will lead off for Team USA, now trailing by two in the top of the eighth.

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3 out

Salvador Perez comes to the plate and jumps on the first pitch. Line drive to left and Kyle Tucker charges it for the third out.

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Ven score

Arraez crushes one into right. That was high into the upper deck! His second home run tonight! That was one of the farthest hit balls we have seen in this tournament. What a shot! Venezuela extend their lead to 7-5

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Luis Arraez comes to the plate now

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2 out

Anthony Santander comes to the plate and gets nothing but heat. He gets in a hole and then foul tips one into the catcher's mitt for the second out.

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1 out

Rengifo hits a long ball to center field and Trout drifts back to the warning track to make the catch for out number one.

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Rengifo is not overly aggressive, sitting on the pitches, and working the count to 2-2

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Bottom 8th

Luis Rengifo will lead off. This is his first at-bat, having come into the game as a pinch runner for Altuve after he was injured on a hit by pitch.

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Pitching change

David Bednar will now come on to pitch for the USA.

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3 out

Another payoff and it is a called strike three! A heater right at the top of the zone and Tucker is unhappy about it. He is giving the umpire a little lip, but either way, Venezuela gets out of the inning.

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The payoff to Tucker and he fouls it directly into the finger of Salvador Perez. That is the second time tonight that has happened. Perez is taking a beating back there!

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Tucker fights off a few fastballs, but stays picky. The count runs full.

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Kyle Tucker has a single, a double, and a home run on the night and he will stand in now against Quijada.

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Pitching change

Venezuela are taking no chances that the USA have made back to back singles. Hernandez will get pulled and Jose Quijada will get the call to get out of this trouble.

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Hernandez delivers a 102mph fastball that Arenado yanks into the gap in left for a single. Goldschmidt hustles around and comes into third base.

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Nolan Arenado now will come up to the plate with two out and a runner on first. He digs a hole quickly at 0-2

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Paul Goldschmidt will try his luck now and slaps one into left field for a two-out single.

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2 out

Hernandez brought straight up high heat and Trout swings through a 99 mph four seamer for strike three. Two down

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Mike Trout is a fastball hitter so this could be an interesting at-bat. Trout likes them low, so Hernandez keeps everything elevated.

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1 out

The payoff pitch comes in and Betts pops it up to the right side. Arraez gets under it for the first out.

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Hernandez is blasting them in there at 100mph, touching 101mph. Betts works it well and the count is full.

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Top 7th

Hernandez will face the top of the order as Mookie Betts will lead off here in the seventh.

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Pitching change

Luis Garcia has had a spectacular outing, carving up the USA side and giving his team a chance to stay in the game, but now Venezuela will call on Carlos Hernandez to take over.

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3 out

Andres Gimenez jumps on the first pitch, ripping a shot at third. Arenado makes a diving stop, throwing across the diamond for the third out.

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2 out

Torres chases a slider outside for the second out.

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Gleyber Torres comes to the plate and fights off some lovely pitches working the count to 2-2

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1 out

A beautiful fastball gets Suarez swinging for the first out.

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Bottom 6th

Eugenio Suarez leads off for Venezuela here facing Ottavino.

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Pitching change

Now that there has been some time to warm up, the USA will dip into their bullpen and call on Adam Ottavino to take over on the mound.

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3 out

Trea Turner gets three straight fireballs and goes down on strikes. A 1,2,3 inning for Garcia.

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2 out

JT Realmuto now comes to the plate and tags a line drive to right field. Santander is on the run and pokes a glove up to make the catch for the second out.

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1 out

Schwarber rips a long fly ball to center, but Acuña is on line for it and takes the catch for out number one.

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Top 6th

With Altuve out and injured, in what looks like a problem with his finger, Luis Rengifo remains in the game as the second baseman.

The USA will send Kyle Schwarber to the plate to get things started and try to muster a response to that four-run inning by Venezuela.

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3 out

David Peralta grounds a sharp shot to second. Tim Anderson fields it and makes the play at first to end the inning, but Venezuela has taken the lead for the first time in the ball game.

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Ven scores

Ronald Acuña Jr now crushes a bomb to dead center. Trout is tracking it back, onto the warning track, at the wall, and he makes the catch. Two down, but Arraez tags and scores and Perez advances to third. Venezuela take the lead 6-5 here in the fifth.

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Ven score

Perez rips a shot down the left field line! Luis Rengifo scores from third. Arraez is into third and Perez is at second with a stand up double. Venezuela have leveled the score!

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Salvador Perez comes to the plate now with an out and men on the corners.

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Ven score

Arraez swats a four seamer to deep second. Tim Anderson makes the nab and gets the throw to second for an out. Gimenez scores on the play. 5-4

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Bard had a nightmare. Two walks, two wild pitches, and a hit batter. Now Adam will face Luis Arraez with the bases loaded and nobody out.

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Pitching change

That is going to be all for Bard,a s Mark DeRosa strides out and takes the ball from him. He taps Jason Adam to try and get out of this mess.

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Bard can't settle down and the USA bullpen is up and working. He walks Santander on four straight pitches to reload the bases.

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Wild pitch

Santander now at the plate and Bard's delivery is in the dirt, and squirts back to the backstop. All runners advance and Gimenez scores on the error. 5-3 now.

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Venezuela brings on Luis Rengifo to pinch run for Altuve.

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He is holding his right hand and heads into the dugout. There is no thought that he was hit on purpose, but that is a terrible blow for Venezuela.

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HBP

The 1-2 delivery runs in and hits Altuve, it looks like it hit him high, in the head. He is shaken.

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Altuve fights off a couple of curves, fouling them off.

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Andy Pettitte trots out to the mound to see if he can calm things down. This is a big moment for Venezuela, and the most trouble the USA has been in for a few innings.

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Wild pitch

A wild pitch in the dirt gets away from Realmuto and both runners advance 90 feet.

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Jose Altuve now at the plate with two on and no outs.

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The 0-2 to Gimenez is check-swing blooped in the infield, between the mound and short. Arenado charges and tries to bare-hand it, but bobbles the ball. Everybody safe.

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Andres Gimenez now comes up and Bard's command seems better as he gets two quick strikes.

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Torres draws the walk on one that is REALLY high and tight.

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He gets a sinker in there for strike one.

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Bard comes out with some trouble finding the strike zone. 3-0

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Bottom 5th

Gleyber Torres will lead off against the new pitcher in the fifth.

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Pitching change

Lance Lynn had a great outing, giving up a two run homer but otherwise controlling the Venezuela bats pretty much all night. But coming to the top of the pitch count, Team USA make the switch and call for Daniel Bard to take over on the mound.

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3 out

Anderson has been fooled by that cutter before and he takes a cut at it again, and again coming up empty for strike three to end the ending.

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Tim Anderson comes to the plate now with two outs.

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USA score

He smokes a high cutter to deep right field! This one is out in a hurry, line drive over the wall to give the USA a 5-2 lead! He is perfect so far and lacks only the triple for the cycle tonight.

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Kyle Tucker has been Mr Automatic so far tonight, 2 for 2 with a single and a double.

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2 out

Nolan Arenado now up and hits a sharp ground ball to first base. Arraez makes the play and takes it to the bag himself. Two away.

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1 out

Goldschmidt gets a mid-high cutter and lines a bullet to left field. David Peralta is on the dead run and lays out for it, making a spectacular catch! He robbed a base hit there and it is one away.

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Luis Garcia is in his third inning of relief and has allowed one run.

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Top 5th

Paul Goldschmidt will lead off here in the top of the fifth for Team USA.

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3 out

The payoff pitch is a four seamer at the top of the strike zone that he just blows past Suarez to retire the side.

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He fouls one off and the count is now full.

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Suarez shows patience and works the count to 3-1

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Eugenio Suarez comes to the plate and Andy Pettitte decides to stride out to the mound to discuss things with Lance Lynn.

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David Peralta now comes up and takes the first pitch into the gap in right for a two-out single.

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2 out

It won't change in this at-bat though, as he grounds a slow roller to short. Trea Truner fields it and goes to first for the second out.

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Ronald Acuña Jr is at the plate, and he has yet to really come to life in this competition, but you have to feel that has to change.

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1 out

Bottom 4th

Salvador Perez leads off for Venezuela and jumps straight onto the fastball, grounding it up the middle. Anderson gets to it and makes the throw to first for out number one.

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3 out

Another foul and the eighth pitch of the at-bat is finally put into play, as Trout smashes a line drive to third, but directly at the glove of Eugenio Suarez. The inning ends, but the USA adds on another run. 4-2

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A cutter and slider both miss to bring the count to 2-2

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Trout fights off a barrage of fastballs, fouling off four

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Mike Trout now with a runner on second and two away.

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USA score

Once again and this time Betts lifts it to center field. Acuña makes the catch for the second out as Schwarber tags and scores.

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Two quick strikes and the 0-2 to Betts is fouled back.

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Mookie Betts comes to the plate and Venezuela will play the shift. The right side of the infield is empty as the infield is still playing in.

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1 out

Trea Turner comes up and rips a shot to the same spot. The infield is playing in and Gimenez makes the nab again. This time, he looks everyone back and takes his time to make the throw to first for the out.

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E6

JT Realmuto jumps on the first pitch to short. Gimenez nabs it and makes a jumping throw to second that gets past Altuve into right field. An easy out now is turned into runners at second and third with nobody out. What a huge error!

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Top 4th

Kyle Schwarber leads off for the USA and hits into the shift and it dribbles through to right field for a single to lead off.

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3 out

Arraez gets in a hole 0-2 and goes after a curve, lifting it down the left field line. Tucker is there for the easy catch to retire the side.

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Luis Arraez heads to the plate to see if he can do anything with the runner in scoring position.

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2 out

He gets jammed and lifts one to left center. Tucker drifts over and makes the catch for out number two.

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Anthony Santander now with one out and a runner at second.

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1 out

One more time, Altuve gets the payoff and chops it to third. Gimenez was running on the pitch, taking away the double play. Arenado makes the throw to first for one away.

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The payoff to Altuve is ripped down the right field line, foul.

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He gets one and fouls it off, before working the count to full.

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Jose Altuve now comes to the plate and loves to attack the pitch. He takes the first pitch low, but you have to feel that if he sees a strike he'll jump all over it.

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Gimenez fights off some impressive curves and works the count full. The payoff pitch misses low and Gimenez gets a leadoff walk.

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Bottom 3rd

Gimenez will lead off for Venezuela here in the third, and see if he can get anything started against Lance Lynn.

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3 out

Tim Anderson stands in now and gets a hanging cutter that he bangs to third, but Suarez is right there. He makes the long throw to first to end the inning.

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Kyle Tucker comes to the plate a drills one into the corner in right field. He rounds first and is into second with a two-out stand-up double.

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2 out

Arenado fights off a flurry of fastballs before chopping a grounder to short. The throw is high, pulling Arraez off the bag. He turns and makes the tag, but the umpire calls him safe! This is strange.

The umpires come together and have a chat, and the call is reversed. Arenado is out at first. All that I can figure is that the umpire's view of the tag was blocked, and he was corrected on reflection.

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Nolan Arenado comes to the plate now, having singled his first time up.

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1 out

Goldschmidt swings through a beauty of a fastball for strike three. One away here in the third.

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Top 3rd

Paul Goldschmidt will lead off for the USA here in the third.

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Pitching change

Venezuela will bring Luis Garcia out of the bullpen to take over from Jose Ruiz.

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3 out

Gleyber Torres now at the plate and takes a wild hack at an outside cutter for strike three to end the inning.

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2 out

Omar Lopez is out and talking to the umpires. The USA are challenging the call of safe and the call is overturned. Lopez is really hot, arguing that the USA took longer than the allotted 20 seconds to make the challenge. But angry or not, the USA get the call. Two down.

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Eugenio Suarez crushes one to right, over Mookie Betts' head and off the wall. Suarez heads to second and the throw is not in time. Venezuela have a one-out double.

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1 out

Peralta puts one on the ground, straight at Trea Turner. He makes the throw to first for the first out.

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Bottom 2nd

Lynn will come out and face David peralta to get things started here in the second.

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3 out

Trout gets a steady stream of fastballs that he fouls back. Finally he gets a curve and swings through it to end the inning.

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Mike Trout now at the plate with two outs and a runner on third.

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2 out

We are back around to Mookie Betts who led off with a single to get the game started. Not this time.

Betts grounds one to short and Gimenez flips it to Altuve who turns it for two. 6-4-3 double play.

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Kyle Turner now up and Ruiz is having trouble finding the strike zone. On four pitches, he gets the pass to first and the USA have men on first and second with nobody out.

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Realmuto gets a low change up that he rips to left field down the line and landing fair. Peralta can't get to it and Realmuto is into second with a leadoff double.

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The first pitch is fouled into the mask of Salvador Perez and after another fastball strike, time is called so that they can have a look at him. The trainers are out and the umpire gives him a couple of catches to see how he feels. There is something uncomfortable there.

All seems good so we continue.

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Top 2nd

Ruiz will come out and see if he can calm this scoring spree down. JT Realmuto will lead off for the USA.

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3 out

Ronald Acuña Jr comes to the plate and works the count full before getting the middle-middle fastball that he wanted. He lines it hard, but directly at Mike Trout in center for the third out.

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2 out

Salvador Perez attacks the first pitch and puts it deep to left, but not quite deep enough. Kyle tucker gets under it and takes it in for the second out.

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Ven score

Luis Arraez now stands in for Venezuela and jumps all over a high cutter. He crushes it! It flies a long way do deep right field for a two-run shot! Venezuela hit right back and are within a run of the USA. 3-2

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1 out

Anthony Santander comes to the plate and pops one high on the left side. Nolan Arenado drifts under it and puts it away for the first out.

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Bottom 1st

Lance Lynn will get things going on the mound for the USA and Jose Altuve leads off. Altuve jumps on the first pitch and pokes it into left for a leadoff single.

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Betts run that started it off

This was the key play to the inning

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3 out

Schwarber gets a 2-2 fastball and skies it a mile high to left field. David Peralta camps out under it to put it away and end the inning. The USA have jumped out to an early lead, 3-0

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Kyle Schwarber is now up to the plate with Arenado on third and two outs.

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2 out

Anderson can't hold up on the check swing. A really good 12 to 6 curve ball gets him swinging for strike three. Two down.

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Tim Anderson comes to the plate to face the new pitcher. Almost lost in the VAR review was that Goldschmidt scored on that play from third to take the score to 3-0 for the USA

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Pitching change

The USA have jumped all over Perez, so Venezuela is going to go ahead and make the change. Jose Ruiz will get the call out of the bullpen.

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1 out

After review, the call on the field is overturned. Tucker got in there, but Altuve held the tag as Tucker came off the bag during the slide. One out.

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VAR

Kyle Tucker hits a single up the middle and Arenado makes it to third. On the throw, Tucker tries to stretch it to two. The throw comes in and he is safe at second. Jose Altuve is adamant that he applied the tag so Venezuela will appeal the call.

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Venezuela's pitching coach Ivan Arteaga will head out to the mound to see if he can calm his man down.

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Arenado smacks a laser to right field, down the line. Goldschmidt goes to third and the USA have men on the corners and nobody out! All four batters have hit safely.

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Nolan Arenado stands in now and the first three batters for the USA have had base hits.

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USA score

He rips a change up to the gap in right, falling for a single. Trout scores on the play. USA 2-0

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Paul Goldschmidt is now at the plate with Trout at third and nobody out.

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USA score

Mike Trout jumps on the first pitch and bloops it into shallow right for a single. Betts is aggressive and stretches it to third base as Trout comes into second. A cannon throw from Acuña deflects off Betts and rolls out of play into the dugout. Betts is awarded home and Trout moves to third. It goes down as a single with a throwing error, but no matter. The USA is on the scoreboard!

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Betts puts the ball in play with a hard grounder to short. Altuve, who is in the shift, stretches out for it and can't quite get to it. Betts is on with a leadoff single.

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First Pitch

Martin Perez is on the mound for Venezuela and he has been dominant in the tournament. Mookie Betts will lead off for the USA and needs to establish that he can control the plate quickly if he wants to make a dent in the way they pitch him. Perez opens the game up with a fastball for a strike.

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This is a sold-out crowd here in loanDepot Park on hand to see what could be the best matchup in the tournament so far. The winner of tonight's game will face Cuba in the semi final on the road to the 2023 WBC championship title.

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Both of the teams are now on the field warming up. We are only about 15 minutes away from the first pitch here in Miami and the evening is gorgeous. Some clouds on the horizon, and there may be rain behind it, but for everyone in loanDepot Park, there is nothing but bright baseball to look foreward to.

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Estados Unidos vs Venezuela en vivo: Clásico Mundial de Béisbol 2023 en directo

If you would like to follow along with all of the action and Spanish commentary, please join our colleagues over at Diario AS USA Latino here!

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Venezuela lineup

Jose Altuve 2B

Anthony Santander RF

Luis Arraez 1B

Salvador Perez C

Ronald Acuña Jr CF

David Peralta LF

Eugenio Suarez 3B

Gleyber Torres DH

Andres Gimenez SS

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USA lineup

Mookie Betts RF

Mike Trout CF

Paul Goldschmidt 1B

Nolan Arenado 3B

Kyle Tucker LF

Tim Anderson 2B

Kyle Schwarber DH

JT Realmuto C

Trea Turner SS

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Preview by Bally Sports

Sarina and Gordon take a look at the matchup

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Who ya got?

Will team USA finally begin to show their full potential, or will #ArepaPower keep Venezuela in the contest?

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Starting pitchers

Team USA will start Chicago White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn against Venezuela. Lynn was USA's best starter in the group round and the 35-year-old posted a 3.99 ERA with 124 strikeouts over 121.2 innings last season.

Venezuela will tap Texas Ranger lefty Martin Perez, who dominated the Dominican Republic in the opening game of the competition. The 31-year-old was perfect through seven against the Astros last season and finished up 2022 with a 2.89 ERA and 169 strikeouts over 196.1 innings.

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Welcome to the live commentary coverage of the USA vs Venezuela WBC quarterfinal game here with Diario AS USA.

Team USA have a lineup that is widely seen as the All-Star of All-Stars lineup. The defending WBC champions came into the competition widely picked to repeat their reign.

Pool C play didn’t quite turn out the way that they had expected, though, and after a humiliating loss to Mexico, the USA finished in second place. They come into this quarterfinal game facing the winner of Pool D, Venezuela.

While the USA has power and depth throughout the batting order, the bulk of the load has been carried by team captain Mike Trout through the group play. In order to live up to their full potential, they will need some of the other bats to come to life.

For their part, Venezuela has a lineup that is as good as the USA’s across the board. They swatted away all opposition in Pool D effortlessly, coming through what was perhaps the most difficult group overall without blemish.

Catcher Salvador Perez is a red-hot talisman for Venezuela, going 5 for 10 and driving in five runs through three games. He banged out a dinger and three doubles over the pool play and walked away with MVP honors.

Across the rest of Venezuela’s lineup, there are big bats contributing to the output with David Peralta, Anthony Santander, and Jose Altuve coming up big for them, but so far Ronald Acuña has not made his presence felt. At some point, you have to expect that to change, and when it does, Venezuela might thenbecome the best team on the planet. Right now, it is still a question to be answered.

At the moment, the true divisor between the two teams seems to be on the mound, where the Venezuelan bullpen has been electric. They have completely dominated the opposition through their group play and have posted an ERA of 2.00, which is the second best in the tournament behind Japan’s 1.80.

Conversely, team USA has been average at best from the mound, giving up hits and runs to all opponents, including the lowly Great Britain and a Canadian team that was struggling at at the plate. They have only mustered a pedestrian 4.24 ERA out of the bullpen through the group round.

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