Posted at 7:26 a.m., Saturday, November 17, 2007
Baseball: U.S., Cuba in World Cup finals
Advertiser Staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Colby Rasmus homered leading off the bottom of the first inning, and the United States beat the Netherlands 5-0 today to advance to the final of the Baseball World Cup.The Americans will play tomorrow against Cuba, which defeated Japan 5-3.
Matt Wright (2-0) allowed four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two for the Americans. Neal Musser, Lee Gronkiewicz and Chris Booker followed with an inning each, completing a six-hitter that put the United States in the final for the first time since 2001.
Rasmus homered off David Bergman (1-1). The United States didn't score again until the eighth, when Brian Bixler walked leading off, Jayson Nix chased Bergman with an RBI single, Steve Pearce hit a two-run single and Justin Ruggiano added a sacrifice fly.
The Dutch are managed by former major leaguer Robert Eenhorn.
In the other game, Aroldis Chapman allowed three hits in eight innings for Cuba.
