Venezuela Advances To World Baseball Classic Final

For the first time since 2009, Venezuela has advanced to the World Baseball Classic final as they defeated Francisco Cervelli and Italy by a final score of 4-2.

Detroit Tigers starter Keider Montero took the mound for Venezuela, but on a restriction of three innings, 50 pitches. After a scoreless first inning, Montero ran into some trouble in the second, surrendering a base hit to Zach Dezenzo, walking Jac Caglianone, and Andrew Fischer to load the bases. Montero walked his third straight hitter, J.J. D'Orazio, allowing the first run of the game to score. Venezuela manager Omar Lopez then took out his starter and opted for Ricardo Sanchez, who induced an RBI groundout from Dante Nori, making it 2-0.

For the Italians, manager Francisco Cervelli had originally announced Michael Lorenzen as the starting pitcher, but on the morning of the game, Daniel Alvarez Montes of El Extrabase reported that Aaron Nola would instead be starting the game, with Michael Lorenzen possibly following him.

Cervelli said that it was a gut decision, feeling like Nola would be his best option that day in a win-or-go-home game. In four innings of work, the longtime Phillies pitcher surrendered one run on four hits (one home run), one walk, and struck out three. The lone run came on a Eugenio Suarez solo homer in the top of the fourth inning, making it a 2-1 game.

As expected, Lorenzen followed Nola, and that’s where the struggles for Italy arose. In the top of the seventh inning, Lorenzen walked Gleyber Torres, but followed it up with back-to-back strikeouts of Wilyer Abreu and William Contreras. A Jackson Chourio single moved Torres to third, and that is when three straight RBI would give Venezuela a 4-2 lead, one they never looked back on.

Italy was presented with multiple chances to put up some runs, but they finished the game going 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

The championship matchup is now set. The United States will play "host" to Venezuela on Wednesday at 8:00 pm. This will mark the second championship appearance for Venezuela, first since 2009, while for Team USA, it will be their second straight appearance in the final. These two teams matched up in the last WBC, in the semifinal round, with the United States coming out on top thanks to Trea Turner.

Kevin Barral is on-site in Miami covering the World Baseball Classic for DiamondCentric.