Team USA going for the gold!

Netherlands 0 at USA 5

WP: Wright (2-0) LP: Bergman (1-1)
HR: USA: Colby Rasmus

While Team USA was the favorite in this semi-final game, it should be noted that it wasn't until the 8th inning the Americans blew the game open.

Leadoff man Colby Rasmus (St Louis) hit a home run in the first inning to give Team USA the early lead, but David Bergman settled down the Dutchman, going 7 inning.

Rasmus played 53 games for the FSL Palm Beach Cardinals in 2006, spending 2007 with the Double A Springfield Cardinals of the Texas League.

The bottom of the 8th started out with Brian Bixler (Pittsbugh) taking a walk, followed by Rasmus and Jayson Nix (Colorado) with back-to-back singles to bring him in. Bergman would be lifted from the mound in favor of Dorotheus Drajer, who issued an intentional walk to Andy LaRoche (LA Dodgers) to load the bases. Steve Pierce (Pittsbugh) would single to bring in Rasmus and Nix and a sac-fly by Justin Ruggiano (Tampa Bay) would bring in LaRoche to make it 5-0.

Matt Wright (Kansas City) worked 6 innings for Team USA, allowing 4 hits and walking 2 while striking out 6. Neal Musser (Kansas City) and Lee Gronkieweicz (Toronto) eached worked an inning of relief, and Chris Booker (Washington) handled the 9th, striking out 2 to finish up the game.

Predicatabley, Team USA will face off against Team Cuba for the gold Sunday at Tien-Mou Stadium. Team Netherlands will face Team Japan for the bronze medal round. Cuba topped Japan 5-3 in the other Semi-Final game played Saturday.

Boxscore
Log
Team USA*

* Not updated as of this writing.

Australia 7 at Mexico 1

WP: Blackley, A. (1-0) LP: Cardenas Cortez (1-1)
HR: Aus: Williams

Team Australia used a big 3rd inning to get on top and kept Team Mexico quiet through most of the game to pick up a 7-1 win in one of the minor round consolation games on Saturday.

Glenn Williams (Minnesota) went yard at the top of the 2nd inning to put the Boys from Down Under up by one.

Justin Huber (Kansas City) singled to start of the top of the 3rd, and Ben Risinger (San Diego) drew a walk to advance the runner. Brett Roneberg (Pittsburgh) doubled Huber in. Jose Jimenez would take over the mound for the Mexican's at that point, replacing Humberto Cardenas. Williams drew a walk to greet the new pitcher then Tom Brice (Independant) doubled to bring in two. Mathew Kent (Boston/2006) would hit a triple to give the Aussies 2 more runs, making it 6-0 for Team Australia.

Team Mexico would turn to Gabriel Alvarez to get 3 outs, which he did, all on gounders.

Brice would single and Kent would be hit by a pitch putting Brice on 2nd. He's be singled in by Brad Harman (Philadelphia) to make it 7-0 Aussies.

Adam Blackley (Boston) pitched six innings for Team Australia, allowing 4 hits and walking 5. He'd be on the mound in the fifth, issuing back to back walks to Humberto Sosa and Jose Felix, and a follow up double to Alejandro Ahumada to give the Mexican's their one run of the game with 1 out. He'd get Octavio Sandoval to fly out and then issued a walk to Lorenzo Buelna, who he then picked off at 1st base to finish the frame.

Josh Hill (Minnesota) would come into the game at the top of the 7th, but last only through only 1 batter, Sosa, who he hit with a pitch. This would earn him an ejection, when the home plate umpire ruled that he'd intentionally thrown at the batter, and Richard Thompson (Indepentant) came in for the remainder of the inning.

Thompson would work 2 innings for Team Australia, and Tristan Crawford (Minnesota) mopped up in the 9th to finish off the game.

Trent Oeltjen (Minnesota) would go 2-for-5 at the plate, Williams finish up 2-for-4 and Luke Hughes (Minnesota) was 1-for-5.

Boxscore
Log
Baseball Australia
Aussie Play-by-play

A note on Hill's ejection from Sandlot Swashbucklers: Tempers flared in the 7th inning, when Trent Oeltjen (Twins) was hit by a pitch, and the usually-mild-mannered Oeltjen had a few words to say to the Mexican pitcher. After two pick-off attempts at first, Oeltjen stole second base, and the Mexican team had a few words too. Then Oeltjen was picked off second base, and everyone had words for everyone else. Oeltjen also “reminded” the Mexican players of the score, pointing to the scoreboard, as he walked off the field. Both benches emptied, and those who can read lips can see some non-family-friendly words flying back and forth on the video. No one was ejected, at least not until the bottom of the inning, when Australian pitcher Josh Hill hit the first Mexican batter with a pitch and was immediately ejected.