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Bryce Harper’s Home Run Not Enough as Team USA Loses World Baseball Classic Final
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
Venezuela defeated Team USA 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday night in a heartbreaking loss.
Team USA started out slow, as they’ve done frequently throughout the WBC. Venezuela went up 1-0 in the top of the 3rd off of a sac-fly from Maikel Garcia.
Nolan McLean went four and two thirds, allowing two solo home runs to Eugenio Suarez and Wilyer Abreu. Given the circumstances and the lineup he faced, McLean didn’t have a bad outing. The bigger issue throughout the entire game was the lack of offense from Team USA.
Venezuela retired 11 of 12 hitters up until the bottom of the 6th, where Bryce Harper broke the streak with an RBI single to the left. Aaron Judge, the captain who has struggled since the start of bracket play, grounded out to end the inning.
If you want to take a positive out of the first half of tonight’s game, Brad Keller looked really good in a big spot. He went 4 up, 4 down on just 9 pitches facing Ronald Acuna Jr, Maikel Garcia, Luis Arraez, and Eugenio Suarez.
The night was dreary for Team USA. We’d go to the 8th inning, and Bobby Whit Jr would walk on four pitches. Then, Bryce Harper, an American hero, stepped to the plate, tying the game with a 2-run homer that traveled 432 feet.
Mark Derosa, who has had a brutal tournament, went with Garrett Whitlock in the 9th inning over Mason Miller. Whitlock has been good, and the goal was probably to save Miller for the 10th inning, but it’s a really, really bad look to not have your best reliever on the mound to keep the game tied. Whitlock would give Venezuela a 3-2 lead in the 9th, and Tyler Rogers would have to come into the game to limit the damage.
Bryce Harper gave Team USA their moment that they’ve searched for all tournament, but poor decisions from Derosa late in the game and bad execution from Whitlock was the factor. This game would’ve been a lot more interesting if Team USA could hit the ball early.
The World Baseball Classic is over, and we turn our attention back to the Phillies, who open up their season against the Texas Rangers in just 8 days.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com