United States, first finalist of the World Classic after defeating Cuba
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The United States demonstrated all its offensive power against a Cuban National Team that could not stop Trea Turner and a team in general that reached the grand final of the World Classic and could play against Japan or Mexico
The United States National Team defeated Cuba 2-14 and thus registered its name in the grand final of the World Baseball Classic, where it will have to face the winner of the match between Japan and Mexico. Without a doubt, Trea Turner was the figure of the game, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs .
With a start that was not at all solvent for the United States, Cuba managed to sting at the start of the match, because after the first four players, who reached without taking the ball out of the box, and after a ticket, the first run of the match came at the feet of Roel Santos, who stepped on the register to move the marker.
However, the United States did not stay with that and in his first turn at bat he turned the scoreboard around. To accomplish this, Paul Goldschmidt disappeared the ball and drove in Mookie Betts to make it 1-2 for the United States.
GOLDY GOES YARD 💪
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 19, 2023
Team USA takes the lead!!
📺: WBC on FS1 pic.twitter.com/1zUA3hHkZC
Then, in the second inning, Trea Turner, the hero of the victory against Venezuela , once again showed all his power with the bat and made it 1-3 for his team , thus being the third home run in the World Baseball Classic for him. 29-year-old American who has proven to be one of the different ones on the team with the bat.
ANOTHER NO-DOUBTER FROM TREA TURNER 🇺🇸🇺🇸
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 19, 2023
📺: WBC on FS1 pic.twitter.com/XeIJouieJr
Later, in the third inning, the United States struck again. On this occasion, Pete Alonso hit a single to bring the fourth run for the Stars and Stripes team, who had the bases loaded at that time. Also, Tim Anderson made it 1-5 after a sacrifice fly that brought Robert Jr. Kyle Schwarber to the plate.
However, the offensive power of the United States did not end there, as Nolan Arenado hit a triple in the fourth to sweep the bases and bring in Paul Goldschmidt. Subsequently, Arenado himself came to the plate after an uncontrolled delivery by Carlos Viera , thus leaving the 1-7 in favor of the Americans.
A Cardinal drives in a Cardinal!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 20, 2023
RBI triple for Nolan Arenado 🇺🇸
📺: WBC on FS1 pic.twitter.com/BciybnN0SY
For its part, Cuba had a small reaction in the fifth to Adam Wainwright's shipments. To do this, Andy Ibáñez hit a hit on the sides of the third to bring Erisbel Arruebarrena to the plate and thus make it 2-7, which closed the inning after striking out Ariel Martínez.
However, this received run did not matter much to the United States offense, which quickly placed the bases loaded with no outs, and although he later gave up two, Goldschmidt took charge with a hit to bring Alonso and Jeff McNeil and leave the score 2-2. 9.
Goldy locked in 🦅
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 20, 2023
Team USA leads 9-2 🇺🇸
📺: WBC on FS1 pic.twitter.com/HfAhPlSVaC
Later, Turner once again decided to make magic in the sixth inning and the ball disappeared through left field to bring Will Smith and McNeil to add three more runs for the American cause, which did not end here and used a double of Mike Trout for Betts to place one more and leave the 2-13 in favor of the United States.
O' Trea can you see. 🇺🇸 #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/bH5ja1l77R
— MLB (@MLB) March 20, 2023
In the eighth inning, with a big lead on the scoreboard, Cedric Mullins, who had come on as a substitute during the game, hit the ball with power and homered it to put more runs in favor of the United States and set up the overwhelming victory against Cuba by a score of 2-14 and which ended up being the final result that sealed the classification to the final of the American team.