TAICHUNG CITY STADIUM. Team USA remains on track at the XXVI 18U Baseball World Cup. The defending champion downed Venezuela 15-5 in seven innings on Thursday afternoon at Taichung City Stadium to kick off the second round. The US squad scored in five of the first six innings, highlighted by five runs in the third and four in the sixth. They are now 3-0 in the semi-final round robin, while Venezuela dropped to 0-3.

A tie-breaking five-run rally in the third decided the outcome. Hits by Jackson Reetz, Jeffrey Schwartz and Bryson Brigman put the US team up by a score of 5-2. A sac fly by Michael Rivera and an error capped the big inning. They added plenty of insurance afterwards and ran away with an easy victory.

The United States collected 18 hits in the game. Scott Hurst led all batters with four. Schwarz went 3-for-5 with four RBI. Keaton McKinney scored three times. Yonathan Oliveros drove in two for Venezuela, which was overmatched by the American firepower.

Jack Flaherty got the start from US manager Rob Cooper. He allowed seven hits, five runs and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Marvin Gorgas conceded two hits and two walks in 2 2/3 scoreless frames to close it out for the win.

Venezuela’s starter Antony Avendano surrendered eight hits, six runs (5 ER) and a base on balls in 2 1/3 innings, getting charged with the loss. Ismael Zerpa, Will Alvarez and Miguel Caigua couldn’t stop the USA either.

On Friday Team USA will clash with host Chinese Taipei in the evening game at Intercontinental Stadium. Venezuela is taking on Korea at the same field in the afternoon.