Mike Trout leads the United States to the WBC quarterfinals with a 3-2 victory against Colombia to set up a clash against Venezuela
Mike Trout had three hits and three RBIs Wednesday to lead Team USA to a 3-2 victory over Colombia and a berth in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.
The USA and Mexico each finished 3-1 in games played at Chase Field to take the top two spots in Pool C. Mexico earned the top seed in the pool quarterfinals due to their 11-5 victory over the Americans on Sunday.
The United States will play Group D winner Venezuela in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Miami.
Trout went 3-for-4 with a triple and two singles while driving in all of Team USA’s runs.
In his previous three WBC games, Trout went 2-for-8 while batting in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts went 2-for-13.
Mike Trout led the way as the United States reached the WBC quarterfinals
They combined for more hits against Colombia than they had in the first three games, going 5-for-8. Betts went 2 for 4 with two runs.
The rest of the American hitters went 2-for-23 in the game.
The Americans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning thanks to a two-out rally on a single by Betts. The Dodgers outfielder moved to second base on a wild pitch by Santiago Florez before Trout hit a single to center that scored Betts.
American starter Merrill Kelly, pitching on his home field for the Arizona Diamondbacks, snapped out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning but struggled again in the third after giving up a leadoff double to Oscar Mercado.
Following a groundout that moved Mercado to third base, Gio Urshela hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Mercado.
Jorge Alfaro then reached on an infield single before Reynaldo Rodríguez doubled off the center field wall, scoring Alfaro to give Colombia a 2–1 lead.
The USA rallied with two runs in the top fifth behind Trout’s two-run single off reliever Jasier Herrera, who was fifth of eight pitchers used by Colombia.
Herrera replaced Ruben Galindo, the losing pitcher who walked American catcher Will Smith and allowed a single to Betts before Trout’s two-run single.
Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth inning to save, striking out Jordan Diaz to end the game after Elias Diaz reached before him on an infield single.
Trout and the United States recorded a 3-2 victory against Colombia on Wednesday night
Kendall Gravemen pitched a scoreless fourth inning for the win.
he had three hits and three RBIs, and the United States used a stellar night from their deep bullpen to beat Colombia 3-2 and advance to the WBC quarterfinals.
Mexico and the USA finished with a 3-1 record in Pool C to advance. Mexico gets the top seed because it beat the United States 11-5 on Sunday.
Trout singled in the third, bringing home Mookie Betts and giving the US a 1-0 lead.
Colombia rallied quickly, taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on Gio Urshela’s sacrifice fly and Reynaldo Rodríguez’s RBI double.
Trout put the Americans ahead again in the fifth with a two-run single that scored Betts and Will Smith.