USA tops Venezuela to claim 3rd Place in Group B. Daniel Durazo homers twice as Mexico beats Philippines in four

The United States defeated today Venezuela, 7-4, collected its fifth victory in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship and secured the third place in Group B. Venezuela ended fourth.

Herwims Querales drew a leadoff walk and José Solorzano doubled to put two runners in scoring position, with no outs. However, Venezuela only scored once, on a sac fly by Jorge Lima to make it 1-0.

In the bottom of the second USA tied the game. A walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases, and later, with two outs and full count, Gilbert Saenz drew a walk producing the first run for USA.

USA took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jeffrey Nowaczyk walked and Tyler Dudley singled to the left side to put two runners on and no out. They advanced on a wild pitch and then scored on a go-ahead 2-run double in the left-center field gap by catcher Nick Mullins.  Angel Perez replaced Luis Colombo in the circle and he fanned Saenz and Jonathan Lynch to end the inning. Colombo exited after 3.1 innings allowing 4 hits and 3 runs, with 2 strikeouts.

Rogelio Sequera led off the top of the fifth for Venezuela with a triple to left field and later scored on a throwing error by reliever pitcher Joel Cooley to reduced the gap to one run. However, USA recovered the 2-run difference in the bottom of the same inning, with an RBI double by Matt Palazzo to the left field corner to plate pinch runner Marcus Tan.

In the next inning, Venezuela tied the game with a 2-RBI single by pinch hitter Erick Urbaneja through the right side of the field to score Manuel Contreras and Carlos Carreño, who had previously singled and walked respectively.

But USA answered with three runs in the bottom of that same inning to clinch the victory. Nick Mullins singled with a bunt, then Saenz and Lynch walked to load the bases, and Cameron Schiller produced two runs with a single up the middle. The last run of the game was batted in by Jenner Christiansen, with an infield single to second base.

Cooley was the winner of the game allowing 3 hits and 2 runs with 1 walk and 1 K. The lost was charged to Maiker Pimentel.

With this score USA clinched the third place in Group B with a 5-2 record, and will play tomorrow at 13:30; while Venezuela finished in fourth place and tomorrow will face Japan for the quarter-finals of this World Championship, at 10:30.

BOXSCORE

Daniel Durazo homers twice as Mexico beat Philippines in four

Mexico and Philippines finished today the group’s stage of the World Championship. The team from Las Americas grabbed its third win of the event, 12-2, but ended anyway outside of the quarter-finals. Philippines ended at eighth position, winless.

Mexico scored multiple runs on its three at-bats, including a 7-run third inning, to clinch the win. Daniel Durazo homered twice, in the first and third innings, to lead his team. Alan Salgado collected 3 RBIs.

BOXSCORE