31/08/2019 2 Minute Read

Crow-Armstrong stars in USA win against Chinese Taipei, Canada discovers Bash Brothers

The USA took advantage of defensive struggles to get an early lead and then had their outfield defend it. Right fielder Hendrick in the fourth and centre fielder Crow-Armstrong in the sixth made a difference

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong stopped a comeback robbing clean-up hitter Lee Hao Yu of an easy extra-base hit, possibly a home run, and the USA went on to defeat Chinese Taipei, 8-1.

The USA took advantage of some defensive struggles that bothered Chinese Taipei starter Lin Tzu Wei early in the game to score a couple of runs and added one run in the bottom of the fourth, when third baseman Colby Halter singled, stole second and then scored on a base hit by shortstop Milton Tolentino.

The turning point of the game was the top of the sixth. First baseman Ho Heng Yu singled of the USA starter Maxwel Rajcic, touched third on a wild pitch and a ground out and then scored the first run for Chinese Taipei on a base hit by shortstop Cheng Tsung Che. Lee Hao Yu was all over the fifth offering by Rajcic and sent a fly to deep centre field. Crow-Armstrong had perfect timing in jumping to reach the ball for a catch that gave the USA the second out of the inning.

It was all for Rajcic, who left for Jason Savacool. The reliever got started with a wild pitch, but then got out of the inning without farther damage.

Chinese Taipei collected only one hit against Savacool and Colby Halter, the third American pitcher.

The USA broke the score open against relievers Wang Yan Cheng, who failed to collect an out in the bottom of the seventh, Chen Chih Chieh and Pan Wen Hui. Left fielder Robert Hassell and designated hitter Tyler Soderstrom collected a couple of doubles and the defending World Champions scored three in the seventh and two in the eighth inning.

After Crow-Armstrong’s outstanding catch, reliever Jason Savacool took the mound for the USA

Starter Scott Prins kept Canada scoreless for three innings, but then didn’t survive the fourth. The first two hits he allowed were solo homers: by catcher and clean up hitter Ryan Leitch and by designated hitter Owen Diodati. Canada went on to score three more runs in the frame, the last against reliever Sem Lauf.

Both Lauf and Shane Quant, who took the mound in the fifth, struggled with control and Canada needed only one more hit to widen the gap to a final score of 11-0.

Connor O’Halloran pitched six innings to earn the win.