Team USA, without "Captain America" David Wright, could not overcome a dominant effort from former major league journeyman Nelson Figueroa in a 4-3 loss to Puerto Rico that knocked them out of the World Baseball Classic.
Figueroa was dealing Friday night, going six full innings and allowing no runs on just two hits and one walk while striking out two. Figueroa was emotional after he completed the sixth inning, leaping off the mound with joy, up 4-0 with an upset in his sights. After the game Figueroa said "We were supreme underdogs against that lineup. It was motivation to show them what kind of pitcher I was.''
Team USA did not go quietly, plating a run in the seventh inning on a Giancarlo Stanton RBI single, and two in the eighth inning on a Ryan Braun RBI double followed by a Ben Zobrist bases loaded walk. That narrowed the deficit to 4-3, but the Americans couldn't muster any more offense. J.C. Romero polished off the victory for Puerto Rico with a four-out save.
The story of the night was Puerto Rico's ability to jump on starter Ryan Vogelsong and Cleveland Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano for four runs in the first six innings. The 38-year-old Figueroa never let Team USA get going, and American second baseman Brandon Phillips said as much after the game. 'He kept us off balance. He was hitting his spots. I didn't want to go back to Goodyear [the site of Reds spring training]. I wanted to go to San Francisco so bad. It stinks, man.''
Puerto Rico, whose roster has far fewer major league stars than Team USA or the Dominican Republic, whom they will face at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, always believed they could compete with any roster according to center fielder Angel Pagan. ''When I caught that ball, I was thinking about my country all the way. We overcome what everyone expected. I think nobody expected us to be this far, but it's about what we believe, and we believe we can go all the way.''
Puerto Rico is advancing to the semifinals for the first time in World Baseball Classic history. Team USA has never made a World Baseball Classic final despite entering all three as prohibitive favorites.
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