Panama blanks Italy to survive must-win contest
TAICHUNG, Taiwan — Panama got here into its Saturday matchup in Pool A of the World Baseball Classic needing a win to maintain its desires of creating it to Tokyo alive, whereas a loss by Italy would put its again in opposition to the wall. So, in fact, they each performed like their match lives have been on the road.
But after a decent, defensive pitchers’ duel, Panama got here out on prime, 2-0.
A mix of 4 pitchers put zeros on the board for Team Panama – beginning with former Minor League pitcher Harold Arauz. The righty went 4 innings – simply as his supervisor Luis Ortiz had hoped pregame – placing out three, whereas giving up simply two hits. Humberto Mejía went two extra and hard-throwing Alberto Baldonado went two extra. Javy Guerraclosed issues out within the ninth.
But for essentially the most half, Italy’s workers matched up with Panama’s. Starter Michele Vassalotti went 4 innings, additionally struck out three and likewise gave up simply two hits. Except, one of many these hits was a mammoth homer – with an much more mammoth bat flip – by Dodgers prospect Jose Ramos.
The Italians additionally performed unbelievable protection. It appeared nearly each inning somebody was making a run-saving play. Dominic Fletcher made a working, Willie Mays-style catch in proper and Robel García made a diving stab at third.
Perhaps one of the best was Nicky Lopez’s full-out dive and flip to start out a rally-killing double play within the fourth. All three performs saved runs.
This helped Italy relievers Sam Gaviglio and Matteo Bocchi hand over only one run over 4, the previous permitting Allen Córdoba‘s RBI single within the seventh.
Panama additionally had a shining defensive play from one its greatest stars right here this week, Rubén Tejada. The former Met dove into the outlet on a tough grounder by Miles Mastrobuoniand fired for the out at first. Italy challenged the play as a result of, effectively, it was nearly unimaginable to imagine somebody might do one thing like that.
Panama has accomplished play and now has a 2-2 report. Italy strikes to 1-2 with one sport left in opposition to the Netherlands (2-0). Both groups are nonetheless technically alive to advance. Italy performs the Dutch on Sunday (7 a.m. ET, FS2).
Chinese Taipei (1-1) and Cuba (1-2) are additionally in Pool A. Each group faces the opposite 4 in round-robin play, with the pool’s winner and runner-up advancing to the quarterfinals in Tokyo in opposition to the highest groups from Pool B.
