31/05/2021 - 05/06/2021

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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Baseball Americas Qualifier - Official Payoff

Final day Historical Preview: WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier

Final day Historical Preview: WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier
05/06/2021
The last game of the WBSC qualifier in Florida will determine the country that gets the fifth ticket into the six-team Tokyo Olympic baseball event, joining No. 1 Japan, No.3 Korea, No. 5 Mexico and No. 18 Israel.

The final day of the WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier takes place on Saturday with two games, the final of which will reveal the team that advances to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Unbeaten USA (2-0) are in control of their Olympic destiny, while Venezuela (1-1) and the Dominican Republic (1-1) are still in contention. Canada has been mathematically eliminated from the tournament in Florida, but hopes to end the tournament in third-place.

The second- and third-place teams in Florida will get another shot at the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier in Puebla, Mexico, which runs 22-26 June.

No. 13 Canada vs. No. 10 Dominican Republic (Super Round)

  • These teams most recently met in a major competition at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, where Dominican Republic beat Canada 9-2 in the first round in front of 27,388 spectators at Marlins Park in Miami.
  • Canada's most recent win over Dominican Republic in a major competition was 4-1 in the 2015 Pan American Games preliminary round.
  • Dominican Republic are hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games for the second time. At the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games.
  • Canada have participated in the Olympic Games twice previously, after 2004 and 2008.
  • This game will be between the two lowest ranked nations in the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier Super Round.
  • These nations also met at the American qualifying tournament for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, where Canada beat Dominican Republic 13-1 (7 innings) in the final round.
  • Seven players participating in the Super Round have hit multiple home runs in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier. Four of them are Dominicans: Juan Francisco (4), Luís Liberato (3), Yefri Pérez (2) and Julio Rodríguez (2).
  • Francisco (4) and Liberato (3) are the only players on more than two homers in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier.
  • Dominican Republic's Jeison Guzmán (.600) has the highest batting average of all players with at least five at-bats in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier.
  • Today's starters Raul Valdés and Andrew Albers both threw seven complete innings in their first starts, most of all pitchers in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier. Albers completed seven scoreless in a combined no-hitter against Colombia on Monday.

No. 8 Venezuela vs. No. 2 United States (Super Round)

  • United States beat Venezuela 4-2 in the second round en route to their 2017 World Baseball Classic title. That game was the last time these nations met in a major world level competition.
  • Venezuela's most recent win over USA in a major competition was 7-5 (10 innings) in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 first round in Taipei.
  • United States will qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games if they win this match against Venezuela.
  • This game will be between the two highest ranked nations in the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier Super Round.
  • United States qualified for four of the five editions of the Olympic Games when baseball was on the programme. USA only failed to qualify for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, after being eliminated by Mexico in the American qualifying tournament quarter-finals (2-1).
  • United States won one Olympic gold medal. At the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, they beat Cuba 4-0 in the final.
  • Three-time Baseball World Cup winners Venezuela have never qualified for the Olympic Games. The country has won 15 medals at the Olympics (G2-S4-B9), but none in a team event.
  • United States won the American qualifying tournament for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the last time baseball was on the Olympic programme. USA won eight of their nine games in the final round, with a 12-9 defeat against Venezuela (11 innings) as the only exception.
  • USA's Joe Ryan celebrates his 25th birthday on the day of this game.
  • USA's Mark Koloszvary has USA's highest on-base percentage (.692) and the highest slugging percentage (1.250) in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier.
  • United States have hit three triples in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier, most of all teams. Eddy Alvarez, Luke Williams and Jarren Duran hit three-baggers.
  • Seven players participating in the Super Round have hit multiple home runs in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier. Two of them are Venezuelans: Carlos Pérez (2) and Hernan Pérez (2).
  • Venezuela's Ramon Flores has drawn four walks in this Baseball Olympic Qualifier, a tournament-high alongside Dominican Republic's Luís Liberato and José Bautista.
  • Venezuela's Ali Castillo made a tournament-high three stolen base attempts. He got caught stealing twice, which is also a leading mark.
  • USA starter Matthew Liberatore gave up one run in five innings to earn the win against Nicaragua on Monday (USA won 7-1).
  • Venezuela starter Aníbal Sánchez lasted four innings in his start against Cuba on Monday. Venezuela eventually won that game 6-5.