Team USA vs. Puerto Rico Live Stats
Team USA Game Notes
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – After posting its second-straight victory Tuesday evening to clinch a spot in the Super Round of the 2021 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Baseball Americas Qualification Event (AOQ) for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020, the USA Baseball Professional National Team will wrap up Group play Thursday with an 11 a.m. (ET) contest against Puerto Rico at Clover Park.
RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) draws the starting mound assignment in Team USA's third outing of the tournament. After leading from start to finish in their opening game win over Nicaragua on Monday, Team USA had to battle back from a fifth-inning deficit to post an 8-6 victory over the Dominican Republic Tuesday night. Luke Williams came through with his second multi-hit effort in as many games, and Eddy Alvarez delivered a pair of doubles to help pace the U.S. attack.
Trailing by a run after the Dominican Republic rallied to wipe out a 4-1 deficit, Team USA scored four times in the sixth to turn the tide for good. Logan Forsythe's pinch-single plated the tying run, and Nick Allen put the U.S. in front to stay with a fielder's choice grounder to third.
Williams has logged five hits through the first two games of the AOQ to lead all players. His 0.700 on-base percentage also sits atop the tournament leaderboard, while Mark Kolozsvary's two home runs and 1.286 slugging percentage rank first at the event as well.
Puerto Rico enters the game 0-2 for the AOQ after dropping a 7-6 decision to Nicaragua Tuesday in 10 innings. After taking a 5-2 lead into the late innings, Puerto Rico saw that advantage evaporate, as Nicaragua plated three runs in the eighth before scoring two in the 10th to claim the victory.
The U.S. Professional National Team brings an 8-5 all-time series advantage over Puerto Rico into the matchup. After losing to Puerto Rico in Pool F play earlier in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Team USA got revenge and won the WBC Final, topping Puerto Rico, 8-0 on March 22 at Dodger Stadium. Puerto Rico starter Seth Lugo held the U.S. scoreless through two, but Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer in the third to open the scoring. Christian Yelich drove in a pair of runs two innings later, giving Team USA a four-run lead. Marcus Stroman tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to lower his tournament-ERA to 2.35.
Following the conclusion of Thursday's action, Team USA will move on to the Super Round, which will take place Friday (June 4) and Saturday (June 5). Each game throughout the AOQ will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Team USA has two more chances to qualify for Tokyo 2020, beginning with the Baseball Americas Qualifier. The U.S. has participated at the Olympic Games in 1988 (demonstration sport), 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2008, winning a gold medal in Seoul 1988 and Sydney 2000.
In order to qualify for the Olympic Games from the Baseball Americas Qualifier, the U.S. will need to win the tournament. If the U.S. does not qualify for the Olympic Games out of the Baseball Americas Qualifier, but finishes second or third, they will participate in the Final Qualifier that will take place in Puebla, Mexico from June 22-27.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will mark the first time baseball has been featured in the Games since 2008 in Beijing, where Team USA won the bronze medal.
Stay tuned to USABaseball.com for all of the latest news, previews and recaps from the WBSC AOQ.
