15U: USA Run-Rules Panama In Seven Innings, 14-2
August 1, 2014 - Arizona Fall League (AzFL)
Team USA News Release
MAZATLAN, Mexico - After a week of trials, half a week of training and a day of travel that seemed like two weeks, the USA Baseball 15U National Team put a check mark in the victory column Thursday night in game one at the 2014 WBSC âAA' 15U World Cup as the red, white and blue thrashed Panama, 14-2, in seven innings.
Looking to get the tournament started on the right foot, the U.S. did just that at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal Stadium as it capitalized on wildness from the Panama pitching staff to bring home run after run, putting the game out of reach early. On the mound, righty starter Hunter Greene (Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) was ultra-steady for the U.S. as he touched the low 90's on several occasions on his way to picking up the win.
After allowing three hits and an unearned run in the first inning, Greene was lights out the remainder of his outing as he gave up just one hit and a walk the rest of the way to go along with four strikeouts.
RHP John Dearth (West Covina, Calif.) finished the game off as he allowed an unearned run and a walk to go along with four strikeouts in two innings of work.
For the game, the two U.S. pitchers gave up four hits and walked two batters to allow two unearned runs to cross the plate while striking out eight. Panama's hurlers meanwhile, allowed seven hits and 11 walks as the U.S. put up 14 runs (eight earned).
At the plate, Team USA stood like a statue and took the walks when provided, but also wasn't shy about swinging the bat. At the top of the lineup Brice Turang (Corona, Calif.) set the table for his teammates as he recorded two big doubles that plated a pair of runs, drew a walk and crossed the plate twice himself. In the two hole, Jacob Blas (Carlsbad, Calif.) drew a pair of walks and tied for a team high with three runs scored. Blake Paugh (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had a team-high three walks and also scored a run in the three spot. In the four hole, Alejandro Toral (Davie, Fla.) had a monster solo homer, induced two walks, tallied a pair of RBI and scored a run, while teammate Mark Vientos (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) recorded two hits, a team-high three RBI and a run scored in the five spot. In the seven hole, starting catcher Cordell Dunn Jr. had a hit, two walks and an RBI while tying for the team high with three runs scored.
"Tonight was a great start for us," said manager Chan Brown. "A the beginning of the game you could see some of the nerves in our guys. It was good for us to get comfortable after the first inning and obviously Hunter Greene did his thing tonight. He was sensational for five innings for us. We were patient at the plate and that helped us as we got to the point where we had some big hits. It was a total team effort tonight. We are calling it one heartbeat and they did that all the way through tonight."
Sitting at 1-0 after game one, the U.S. continues pool play at the 2014 WBSC âAA' 15U World Cup at 6:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. MT) Friday against New Zealand at Estadio Teodoro Mariscal Stadium. U.S. fans that aren't in Mazatlan can follow the tournament through live stats, Twitter (@USABaseball15U) or an impressive multi-camera video feed that is available for $7.50 through www.internetv.tv.
A crowd of well in excess of 2,000 that came out to watch the U.S. and Panama saw a wild and incredibly long first couple of innings.
Panama starter Didier Vargas lasted just 18 pitches and one out as he couldn't find the strike zone. The lefty walked as many batters (three) as he threw strikes and even tried a different pair of shoes (delivered to him by a coach) while on the mound to try and get back on the right track.
RHP Edisson Gonzalez entered the game and held the U.S. to just one run in the opening frame but not after a throwing error by catcher Migel Amaya scored one run as he attempted to pick a runner off first. The U.S. went for more, but Paugh was tossed out at home on a double steal attempt to end the American threat.
With the game tied at one entering the second inning, Team USA broke the game open with five runs as Panama walked four batters, hit another and allowed the U.S. to bat around in the frame. Turang hit an RBI double and Vientos plated two to highlight the inning.
The U.S. continued its onslaught in the third, on a Turang RBI double, and in the fourth as Toral hit a bomb over the right-field fence and Dunn Jr. came home on a Panama throwing error.
"I was looking for that pitch the whole night (the home run pitch) and I had a 3-2 count," said Toral. "He didn't want to walk me again and I saw it and it was perfect. One of those juicy pitches that you can get after."
Team USA closed out its scoring with four more runs in the seventh to send Panama to the showers two innings early as the frame ended with the U.S. up by more than 10 runs.
Arizona Fall League Stories from August 1, 2014
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