Venezuela defeats Italy, sets up WBC final against US
Al Jazeera
Venezuela is through to its first World Baseball Classic final and will play the host nation for the title in Florida.
Maikel Garcia hit a tie-breaking single in the seventh inning for Venezuela, which advanced to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) championship game by beating Italy 4-2 on Monday in Miami.
Venezuela, which pieced together four straight two-out hits in a three-run seventh, will play the United States for the title on Tuesday night in Miami. The US beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 on Sunday in the first semifinal.
Venezuela is seeking its first championship, while the US is aiming for its second crown. Both teams went 3-1 in pool play before winning their first two games in the knockout rounds.
The loss was the first of the WBC for Italy, which made a Cinderella run to the semifinals by going 4-0 in pool B play before beating Puerto Rico 8-6 in a quarterfinal at Houston on Saturday.
Italy, which took a 2-0 lead in the second when JJ D’Orazio drew a bases-loaded walk, and Dante Nori hit into a run-scoring groundout, was eight outs away from another upset when Venezuela rallied against losing pitcher Michael Lorenzen.
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