Mexico’s lead-off hitter Antonis Macias went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a walk-off single to right field in the bottom of the eighth to lead his team to a key 8-7, eight-inning victory against Panama, to open Tuesday’s action at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.
It was an electric first inning at LECOM Park. Panama jumped ahead in in the top half with a two-run homer off the bat of Eric Guevara. However, Mexico responded with five in the bottom of the first, including a RBI single by Carlos Gutierrez and a sac fly by Carlos Barriga.
In the top of the third, Panama’s right fielder Angel Rodriguez made it a one-run ballgame with another two-run dinger to left field. And two innings later, Panama tied the game with a sacrifice fly by Eduardo Tait.
In the bottom of the sixth, when Mexico had the bases loaded and one out, the game was interrupted because of a thunderstorm in the area. When the game resumed, Rosman Verdugo sent a deep sacrifice fly to left field and Yael Romero singled to center field to give Mexico a 7-5 lead.
Panama tied the game in the top of the seventh, with an RBI double by Roger Lasso and a sacrifice fly by Eduardo Tait, but couldn’t score in the top of the eighth.
In Mexico’s half of the eighth, Macias found runners in the corners with one out, and ended the game with a line-drive single to plate the winning run.
