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Golden Boys! Team USA Defeats Cuba
By Jake Fehling // USA Baseball // November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007 - Team USA wins first world cup gold since 1974. Once again two international baseball powerhouses faced off on the world stage for gold. Team USA and Cuba squared off in Taiwan in the gold medal game at the 2007 IBAF World Cup. Cuban starter Yadel Marti opposed Team USA’s Brian Duensing at Tien Mou Stadium in Taipei City .
With one out in the U.S. second, three consecutive singles from Delwyn Young, Justin Ruggiano and Jason Jaramillo put the USA on the board first 1-0 and after walking SS Brian Bixler to load the bases Marti’s night was done after just 1 1/3 innings. Reliever Norberto Gonzalez came in and walked Colby Rasmus and Jayson Nix pushing the lead to 3-0 before being relieved by Yuniesky Maya, Cuba’s third pitcher in just an inning and a third. Maya’s first batter was Andy LaRoche and with a 2-2 count on LaRoche Cuban second baseman Hector Olivera called time and walked over to SS Eduardo Paret. Olivera then clutched his right ankle and called for the trainers. After a seven minute delay, Olivera was lifted for Rudy Reyes and LaRoche was struck out on the next pitch. Knowing Cuba has a history of trying to take the completion out of it’s game by making questionable moves, the USA expected the unexpected and were not at all rattled.
In the U.S. third Evan Longoria led off the inning with a single and after a fly out to right Justin Ruggiano singled for the second time in as many at-bats. With first and third Jason Jaramillo ripped a double to right, his second hit, scoring Longoria and giving Team USA a 4-0 lead.
Brian Duensing was nearly perfect through the first three innings, yielding just one hit.
Jayson Nix led off the top of the 4th with a solo blast for his second home run of the tournament giving the USA a 5-0 advantage. Duensing pitched into the 5th and with two-out and a runner on first, Paret singled to left and Delwyn Young over ran the hit allowing both runners to move up to second and third. Cuban lead off hitter Alfredo Despaigne then ripped a two strike single to right scoring two and pulling Cuba closer, 5-2. Manager Davey Johnson then pulled Duensing for Steven Shell who induced a groundout to short that ended the inning.
In the 7th Evan Longoria led off with a single and Delwyn Young crushed a double off the right field wall. With second and third and no outs, Ruggiano then dropped a single to center scoring Longoria. Young, trying to score from second was thrown out by centerfielder Alfredo Despaigne. The USA now led 6-2.
Shell was great in relief, going 3 innings, striking out 3 and walking none before a two out double to Yulesky Gourriel and a single to Alexander Mayeta made it a 6-3 game. Jerry Blevins relieved Shell and got the final out of the 8th and Team USA was three outs away from their first gold medal at the World Cup since the Ford administration.
In the ninth Blevins got Yoandry Urgelles on a ground ball to third for the first out. Manager Davey Johnson then bought in Jeff Stevens to face the former Cuban batting champ Osmani Urrutia. Stevens got Urrutia swinging on strikes for out number two and up stepped Cuban catching legend Ariel Pestano who on a 2-2 pitch popped a ball down the right field line and when Justin Ruggiano settled under it a sea of Red, White and Blue came pouring out of the dugout onto the field as Team USA mobbed each other behind the pitchers mound. The USA snapped Cuba’s invincibility at the World Cup as well as their winning streak of 9 straight World Cup gold medals. For the first time in 33 years the gold was theirs.
As Team USA took the podium to accept their flower bouquets, World Cup trophy and most importantly their gold medals they turned to look at the American flag flying on the video screen as the Star Spangled Banner was played over the PA far away from home in Taipei City, Taiwan.
BIG FIRSTS: Entering today’s game Team USA had scored 11 first inning runs in their last six games, and homered in the first inning in five of the six games. Andy LaRoche is 5-8 with a walk in the first inning during this tournament.
NOTES: USA second baseman Jayson Nix went 2-4 with a HR, 2RBI, R, BB in the finals and was named tournament Most Outstanding Player; Jason Jaramillo was 2-4 with 2 RBI, 1 run scored. Jeff Stevens appeared in 5 World Cup games with yielding a run. Team USA and all other 2007 IBAF World Cup action can be seen live online at www.stadeo.tv.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS:
(1) USA 5 – (3) Netherlands 0
(1) Cuba 5 – (3) Japan 3
QUARTER FINAL RESULTS:
(1) USA 3 – (4) Korea 1
(3) Japan 3 – (2) Australia 0
(3) Netherlands 6 – Chinese Taipei 3, 11innings
(1) Cuba 6 – (4) Mexico 0
TEAM USA RESULTS
Game Date WP: LP SV
USA 3 – MEX 0 11/7 Karstens (1-0) Rodriguez (0-1) Booker (1)
USA 7 - PAN 0 11/8 Wright (1-0) Pinto (0-1) None
ITL 6 – USA 2 11/9 D’Angelo (1-0) Outman (0-1) None
USA 5 – JPN 1 11/10 Duensing (1-0) Kawasaki (0-1) None
USA 12 – ESP 2 11/11 Blevins (1-0) Rizo (0-1) None
USA 4 – RSA 2 11/13 Musser (1-0) Ekermans (0-3) Booker (2)
USA 10 – TPE 7 11/14 Gronkiewicz (1-0)Hsu (0-1) None
USA 3 – Korea 1 11/16 Karstens (2-0) Chang (1-1) Stevens (1)
USA 5 – NETH 0 11/17 Wright (2-0) Bergman (0-1) None
USA 3 –CUBA 3 11/18 Shell (1-0) Marti (1-1) Stevens (2)
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