Panama City. Brazil has stunned the established baseball power houses from the Americas and won the World Baseball Classic Qualifier at Rod Carew Stadium in Panama City, Panama. The team of manager Barry Larkin upset host Panama for a second time in the tournament and clinched their spot in next year’s World Baseball Classic with a 1-0 shutout.
Brazil won all three games they played in Panama City, allowing just one run in victories over Panama (2) and Colombia. Panama, which had participated in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic, failed to re-qualify despite fielding a roster with current and former Major League players.
It was an impressive showing of the Brazilian team in the final game of the World Baseball Classic Qualifier on Monday evening. Pitcher Rafael Fernandes, Murilo Gouvea and Thyago Vieira combined to allow just three hits and two walks in nine scoreless innings, keeping the powerful bats of Carlos Ruiz, Carlos Lee and Ruben Rivera in check.
Fernandes earned the win, giving up two hits and a walk in six strong innings. He struck out two and threw 45 of his 74 pitches for strikes.
The outcome was decided in the third inning. After Isaias Velasquez was thrown out at the plate in the top of the frame, Brazil scored the lone run of the game in the bottom half. Leadoff hitter Paulo Orlando reached with a one-out single to left and moved to third base on a single by Leonardo Reginatto.
Yan Gomes, who made his Major League debut this summer, stepped to the plate and came through with a RBI single to center fielder Ruben Rivera, scoring Orlando from third. They even had the chance to blow the game wide open, as Reinaldo Sato singled to load the bases afterwards. But Daniel Matsumoto and JC Muniz struck out to end the rally.
Panama had one last chance in the ninth, when Isaias Velazquez and Carlos Ruiz put runners on the corner with one out. But Carlos Lee and Ruben Rivera struck out against Brazil’s 19-year-old closer Thyago Vieira, who is pitching in the Seattle Mariners organization in Rookie ball.
Brazil becomes the second new team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, joining Spain as debutant. Spain had won the WBC Qualifier in Jupiter, Florida in September. Canada and Chinese Taipei meanwhile were able to defend their spots in the main event of the baseball world champion crowning tournament.
Defending title holder Japan, Olympic Gold Medalist Korea, IBAF Baseball World Cup winner Netherlands, record world title holder Cuba, the U.S.A., Venezuela, China, Australia, Italy, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico already were qualified due to their final ranking in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
The first round at the 2013 WBC starts on March 2 and will be played in Taichung, Fukuoka, San Juan and Phoenix. The second round will be played in Tokyo and Miami, while the championship round is set for San Francisco. For the first time the winner of the World Baseball Classic will be also the Baseball World Champion.
Results WBC Qualifier Panama City:
Thursday, November 15:
Panama 2 – Brazil 3
Friday, November 16:
Colombia 8 – Nicaragua 1
Saturday, November 17:
Brazil 7 – Colombia 1 (Brazil reaches final)
Panama 6 – Nicaragua 2 (Nicaragua eliminated)
Sunday, November 18:
Colombia 7 – Panama 9 (Colombia eliminated, Panama reaches final)
Monday, November 19:
Brazil 1 – Panama 0 (Panama eliminated, Brazil qualifies for World Baseball Classic)
The World Baseball Classic Qualifiers will be streamed live at www.worldbaseballclassic.com, where you also find highlights and full game videos of all matches.
Photo: Copyright World Baseball Classic, Inc.
