Posted at 6:41 a.m., Friday, November 9, 2007
Baseball: Italy tops United States in World Cup, 6-2
Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Italy took advantage of three errors by the United States to score five unearned runs in a 6-2 victory today at the 37th Baseball World Cup.Justin Ruggiano, an outfield prospect with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, was 2-for-2 with solo home run, a stolen base and two walks for the U.S.
Team USA, managed by Davey Johnson, did not allow a run while winning its first two games in Group A.
Philadelphia Phillies prospect Josh Outman extended the scoreless innings streak to 19 before giving up three runs in the second inning. With two outs and runners on first and third, U.S. shortstop Brian Bixler booted Leonardo Zileri's grounder to give Italy a 1-0 lead. Two singles later, it was 3-0.
The U.S. pulled to 3-2 in the third on Ruggiano's homer and an RBI double by Adam LaRoche.
Italy scored three times in the bottom of the fourth, helped by Bixler's second error of the game on a grounder up the middle and and an errant pickoff throw by reliever Jerry Belvins.
In other Group A action, Spain beat South Africa 7-4. In Group B games, Korea routed Thailand 18-2, and Australia beat Venezuela 7-4.
