Colombia won 5-4 against Mexico in the first round of Group C of the ‘2023 WBC’ held at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, USA on the 12th (Korean time).
Colombia: Oscar Mertado (center fielder) – Harold Ramirez 메이저놀이터 (right fielder) – Rio Urcella (3rd baseman) – Jorge Alfaro (designated hitter) – Elias Diaz (catcher) – Renaldo Rodriguez (1st baseman) – Jordan Diaz (2nd baseman) )-Jejus Mariaga (left fielder)-Diyan Frias (shortstop), and starting pitcher Nabil Chrismat.
Mexico, on the other hand, has Randy Arosarena (left fielder), Alex Verdugo (right fielder), Joey Menesis (designated hitter), Laudy Tellez (1st baseman), Isaac Paredes (3rd baseman), Alan Trejo (shortstop)- Luis Urias (second baseman), Alec Thomas (center fielder), Austin Barnes (catcher), and starting pitcher Julio Urias faced each other.
Both teams fought fiercely until the end of the game. In the end, Colombia laughed in a game where there was no concession.
Colombia gave up the lead in the top of the fourth inning. With 2nd out and 2nd base, Paredes hit 1 RBI in a timely manner, leading to 0-1.
Colombia immediately regained the lead. In the beginning of the 5th inning, the opposing starter Urias did not miss the moment of shaking. Leading batsmen Alfaro and Dias doubled in a row to make it 1-1. After that, Rodriguez fired a two-run home run from second base without a hit and ran away 3-1 over the left wall.
The bullpen faltered after Chris Matt went down. In the bottom of the 5th inning, with 2nd out and 2nd base, Arosarena hit a 2-run homer that went behind left fielder and allowed the score to be tied 3-3. He went on to give and take a run in the seventh. In the beginning of the 7th inning, Colombia scored 4-3 with 1 RBI from Rodriguez on 2nd base.
The match between the two teams, which was lacking in 9 innings, went into a 10th inning match. According to the rules of the game, both teams started the attack from the second base unscathed. The batters who posted the last out count in the last inning were located on second base.
Colombia made one point by taking advantage of the opponent’s error in the 2nd, 1st and 3rd bases. While the opponent’s shortstop was unable to catch Gustavo Campero’s bat, the runner on third base stepped home, making the score 5-4. After that, he blocked the bottom of the 10th inning without a run and kept the team victory.
Columbia went down the mound after starting pitcher Chrismat allowed 3 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts and 1 run in 4 innings. After that, John Romero (⅔ innings, 2 runs) – Adrian Almeida (⅔ innings scoreless) – Julio Vivas (⅔ innings scoreless) – Laver San Martin (⅔ innings, 1 run) – Pedro Garcia (1⅔ innings scoreless) – Guillermo Suniga ( 2 scoreless innings) helped the team win.
On the other line, Rodriguez, a 37-year-old veteran, went 4 at-bats with 3 hits (1 home run) and 3 RBIs, and Alfaro recorded multi-hits, revitalizing the offense.
On the other hand, Mexico’s starting pitcher Urias played an active role with 3 hits (1 home run), 4 walks, 6 strikeouts and 3 runs in 5 innings. Subsequently, Luis Sesa (2 innings, 1 run) – Jake Sanchez (1 inning scoreless) – Giovanni Gallegos (1 inning scoreless) – Jesus Cruz (1 inning, 1 run unearned) took the mound, but failed to prevent the team’s defeat and became lonely. I had to turn around.
