WBC: Japan Defeats Korea 5-3 (10 innings)

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Italy loads the bases but doesn't score in the second, then ends the bottom half of the inning with a nice relay from left-field to cut off a runner trying to stretch a single.

 

Italy looks at least equal to this game.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Italy leaves another two runners on.

 

They are getting the better of this game right now, but it's still 0-0.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Awesome play:

 

Abreu on 2nd for Venezuela, one out. Deep fly to right, Abreu takes third, rounds it wide and lazies it back toward third.

 

The base coach sees what's happening and starts gesturing wildly for him to get back, but too late and he gets tagged out sliding in to end the inning.

 

0-0 through four and Italy could very well win this game.

 

(edit: okay, on replay the reason he was lazying back was because he thought there was no one covering, but the pitcher had snuck in behind him backing up the play).

 

And Italy with a leadoff single in the fifth.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Solo homer gets Venezuela on the board in the bottom of the fifth, 1-0.

 

Boo.

[salukifudd]

Maestri came in for Italy and looked pretty good.

[salukifudd]

For Maestri so far, I think this is right:

 

1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K

 

He looked great finishing the 5th, came out in the 6th a little rocky with 2 walks, but came back and got a couple groundouts. Seems like he locates his FB well and his out pitch is a curve with good action on it.

 

edit: Maestri came out, so if I got it right, that's his line.

[Brian]

Dero playing tonight!!

[Brian]

wow, Dunn in RF and Derosa in LF that's pretty dumb.

[Brian]

Derosa's first WBC pitch nailed him right in the hip/back

[Yeti]

Derosa's first WBC pitch nailed him right in the hip/back

if he had gotten out of the way, i think the ump would have called the pitch a strike

[Brian]

yeah this strike zone is a bit off

[cubswin2009]

DeRo!

[Brian]

DERO!!

 

2 rbi triple

[mul21]

Why did we trade him again?

 

Yeah, yeah, I know. Money blah blah blah.

[Mike Aller]

Why did the U.S. wait so damn long to get a pitcher warmed up? :scratch:

[UMFan83]

I think I know part of the reason why I can't feel like the WBC is legitimate.

 

Baseball is the worst sport for a "double elimination" tournament where there is so much room for fluke. The Dominican Republic loses to an obviously lesser skilled team that wins despite being held to only 3 infield singles all game. And now DR's backs are to the wall.

[Brian]

nice work there against Victor freaking Zambrano

[Brian]

Jeter's here, we're saved.

[Sammys Boombox]

The Australia/Mexico game is going to be very high-scoring. It's 5-3, top 2nd, bases loaded, 1 out. There has been bad pitching and bad defense and the ball is flying out of there like it's blowing 30 MPH out at Coors.

[salukifudd]

It's been said previously, but this guy's strikezone is awful.

[Yeti]

DeRo!!!! you freaking stud

[Brian]

I'll take it

[Sammys Boombox]

It's killing me to see DeRosa play knowing he is not a Cub.

[Brian]

NICE!!

[Yeti]

It's killing me to see DeRosa play knowing he is not a Cub.

what kills me even more is that they keep showing the Cubs logo every time theres a graphic on him