(Tucson, AZ) In the nightcap game, two South American teams faced off. Team Brazil is hosted by Team Columbia.
Kino Stadium is hosting the 2025 World Baseball Classic with the winner of the tournament qualifying for the World Baseball Classic next year in 2026.
The stadium dementions are 340 feet down the lines, 405 feet to straightaway center field and 385 feet in the power alleys.
First Inning
Team Brazil went quickly as Lucas Ramirez got on base from a fielder’s choice but was rubbed out on an inning ending double play.
Columbia went out quickly as well with Michael Arroyo leading off with a solid single to center field but was erased on a double play and Reynaldo Rodriguez striking out swinging to end the inning.
Second Inning
Brazil went down in order with the top half of the inning ending with Victor Mascai caught looking for the third out.
Brazil’s Gio Urshela hit a drive down the right field line that just dropped in fair territory for a triple. Catcher Jair Camargo hit grounded to the second baseman but got the RBI to lead 1-0.
Third Inning
Brazil once again went down in order. They’ve yet to get a man on base.
With one out, Harold Ramirez grounded up the middle into center field for a single. That caused Brazil’s Skipper Daniel Yuichi Matsumoto to change pitchers to Tiago Da Silva. On the first pitch, Gio Urshela hit into an inning ending double play.
Fourth Inning
Brazil still looking for its first baserunner had two stikeouts and had a 1-2-3 inning.
After a leadoff strikeout, Columbia got things going with a Dillon Herrera double in the right center field power alley. Brayan Buelvas followed with an RBI single to left field. A hard hit ball to Dante Bichette Jr was dropped as he lost his footing in left field for an error. With runners on first and second bases, Francisco Acuña flies out to left field for the first out. The runners stayed put. Michael Arroyo sent a hard hit drive to deep center field where Gabriel Maciel made an acrobatic catch to end the inning, Columbia led 2-0.
Fifth Inning
Team Brazil thought it caught a break when Bichette Jr. smoked a drive to the right center field gap, but it was run down by Jesus Marriaga for the first out. Francisco Acuña hit a sinking line drive to the third baseman Gio Urshela who caught it at his shoestrings for the second out and Victor Masai ended the inning with a routing fly ball to left field.
Columbia kept being the aggressor making contact but had nothing to show for it and went down after a one out walk.
Sixth Inning
After a one out pop up to the shortstop, Brazil’s Victor Ito laid down a perfect drag bunt for a single. One the next batter, pitcher Julio Teheran picked off Ito at first to end the inning.
Buelvas got on and stoe second on an 0-1 count. Marriaga hit a gapper to right center for a double scoring Buelvas. Acuña followed with a double of his own to the left center power alley easily scoring Marriaga for the third run. Arroyo was intentionally walked to set up the double play which Harold Ramirez obliged to end the inning, but Team Columbia added to their lead now at 4-0.
Seventh Inning
Brazil had its work cut out for them up to now. With one out, Ramirez singled to left. Reginatto jumped on a fastball anbd sent it to right center field and Brazil had runners at second and third bases. Bichette hit a two bouncer to third with the lead runner going and easily threw him out at the plate for the second out. That took the wind out of Brazil’s sail as Rojo struck out swinging to end the threat leaving two runners stranded.
Team Columbia’s Jose Camargo hit a low line drive over the center fielder’s head for for a two out double. Herrera was intentionally walked to set up the double play. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance to second and third bases to stay out of the double play. Columbia loaded the bases, but a wild pitch from new Brazilian pitcher Arthur Tsujiguchi allowed another run to score and Columbia led 5-0 when the inning ended.
Eighth Inning
Brazil now down to their last six outs went down in order.
Team Columbia now in cruise control in the bottom of the inning had Acuña lead off with a walk. Arroyo send a pop up to shallow center field for the first out. Ramirez sent a sharp ground ball to the shortstop Ito who stepped on second and doubled up at first to end the inning.
Ninth Inning
Columbia reliever Pedro Garcia was sent in for mop up duty, he fielded a comebacker to mound and a short flip to first for the first out. Gomez fanned for the second out. Ramirez ended the game striking out.
Recap
Columbia’s pitcher Julio Teheran had his good stuff going tonight. He held Team Brazil hitless over half the game but it came at a price. Due to pitch count restrictions of 50 pitches he went a tad over at 59 which means an automatic four days rest. He will not be able to pitch the rest of the WBC Qualifier.
Team Columbia came in with a chip on their shoulder having to play in the Qualifier to gain a spot in next year’s WBC, will play Team China tomorrow at 6 p.m. The Chinese were hammered giving up 6 runs to Team Germany in the 7th inning and conceded the contest 12-2.
Click on Logo
