U.S. advances to face Puerto Rico in WBC final

Ian Kinsler staked the U.S.to a 2-0 lead in Wednesday’s championship game with a home run, but Stroman stole the show with a dominant performance, taking a no-hitter into the seventh and leaving the game to a standing ovation in the Americans’ 8-0 win over Puerto Rico.

Stroman will get the chance to win it all for the US, which has gotten as far as the WBC semifinals only once (in 2009) in the 9 p.m. championship game in Dodger Stadium (MLB Network and streaming online at MLB.com). No more politics, just one game to win, and so Manager Jim Leyland allowed himself a smile as he opened a pregame news conference.

Wladimir Balentien had three hits for the Netherlands, including a two-run home run. Colon is yet to allow a run in five innings (four relief appearances) in this year’s World Classic.

We’ve been over this before, but shorter doesn’t mean better.

The Stars and Stripes are looking to knock off the undefeated Puerto Ricans, and avenge a 6-5 loss at Petco Park in San Diego last Friday. The players got a chance to play for our country, but you know what?

“A flight booked and a parade planned and that didn’t sit well with us”.

Stroman’s brilliance was a continuation of dominant pitching for Team USA throughout tournament play.

Angel Pagan broke up the no-no with a double down the left field line to leadoff the top of the seventh.

Curt Smith grounded into a bases-loaded, inning-ending double play for the Netherlands in the 11th, which began with runners on first and second for both teams under tournament rules. “I love the atmosphere”. “I thought he made some big pitches (Monday) night”.

It’s one game to settle everything tonight.

“I was confident. I was locked in”. And I think that I have a day of rest because (Tuesday) we’re off. It certainly seems that the WBC title was decided when Stroman made a decision to pitch for Team USA.

Basketball, NBA: Two-times reigning Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are headed to China for two pre-season games against the Minnesota Timberwolves in October. However, Adlin Auffant is Puerto Rican.

“Added a little fuel to the fire”. If we’re being honest, probably not too much.

The victory ends years of frustration for the United States of America on their home soil in the tournament, which has been going since 2006.

More and more Puerto Rican men are going go blond in support of their baseball team, causing shortages of hair dye in shops on the island.

Puerto Rico finished a valiant runner-up. Let’s take a closer look at how these teams got to the semifinals. McCutchen tacked on the last run with an RBI single in the eighth. They were loud and we feed off that.