Trea Turner remains red-hot as Team USA advances into WBC Finals with win over Cuba
Trea Turner is Captain America.
A night after hitting a go-ahead grand slam in the quarterfinals, the 29-year-old smashed two more homers on Sunday night as Team USA dismantled Cuba 14-2 in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla.
Turner was 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI as the Americans will now wait on the winner of Monday semifinal between Mexico and Japan.
41-year-old Adam Wainwright started Team USA’s biggest game yet and the veteran answered the call. After working into a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the first inning, Wainwright got out of the frame allowing just one run and limiting the damage to keep his club in the game.
The right-hander tossed four innings allowing one run while recording one strikeout in what was likely his last career WBC appearance.
Wainwright wasn’t the only Cardinal having an impact on the game. Redbird sluggers Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado broke out the big lumber for Mark DeRosa’s squad.
Goldschmidt’s two-run home run in the bottom of the first gave the Americans a 2-1 lead and they never looked back. The 36-year-old first baseman continued his strong tournament with a 2-for-4, 4 RBI performance. The 2022 NL MVP is slashing .350/.536/.550 for the red, white and blue.
Arenado was also 2-for-3 with an RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, the third baseman was removed from the game in the bottom of the fifth after being hit by a pitch on his right hand.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Cardinal fans can take a deep breath as X-rays were negative.
Players such as Edwin Diaz — who is out for the season with a torn patella tendon — and Jose Altuve — who will be out until at least May with a broken thumb — experienced injuries during the WBC which has led to controversy about the tournament in general and a debate about player safety.
Now the United States will await the winner of Mexico and Japan on Monday night. The Americans fell to Mexico in Pool C play on March 12 and Shohei Ohtani leads a talented Japanese squad.
Either way, the Americans’ task to repeat as champions will only get taller.
The championship game of the tournament will be held on Tuesday night at loanDepot Park. Diamondbacks’ veteran Merrill Kelly figures to be one of the available arms for DeRosa. Kelly tossed three innings of two-run baseball against Colombia on March 15 his last time out.
