Team USA struggled in their 2013 World Baseball Classic opener against Mexico, falling 5-2 and now facing an early must-win against Italy.
R.A. Dickey, the knuckleballing 2012 Cy Young award winner was roughed up to the tune of six hits and four earned runs in just four innings. He also surrendered a home run in the third inning to Adrian Gonzalez, the first baseman for both Mexico and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Team USA was not inept offensively-they managed eight hits, just one less than Mexico, but could not drive in the runs when they had runners in scoring position. David Wright and Jimmy Rollins, bitter rivals within the world of Major League Baseball, were allied bright spots for their country. They each had two hits, with Wright knocking in a run and Rollins scoring one.
Mexico received a nice performance from their ace, Yovani Gallardo, who pitched three and one third innings and gave up just two hits and one run while striking out four. Offensively Gonzalez played the part of lineup centerpiece, swatting a homer off Dickey, walking three times and driving in three runs. His Dodgers teammate Luis Cruz went 1-for-3 and had Mexico's other two runs batted in.
Team USA could be out of the World Baseball Classic if they lose to Italy. The loss to Mexico dropped the United States' record to 7-8 in three World Baseball Classic appearances. Dickey rationalized Team USA's poor performance both Friday night and in general by saying, "In tournament play, talent does not always win," said U.S. starter R.A. Dickey, who allowed four runs, including a pair on the third-inning Adrian Gonzalez home run that broke the game open. "That's just the way it is."
To advance to the next round, Team USA must now beat Italy by two or more runs and follow that up with a win over Canada, who already knocked off Italy 14-4 in a game cut short by the World Baseball Classic's mercy rule.
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