Game Shaker: Abreu Puts on a Show by Swinging for the Yawp in Venezuela's Thrilling World Series Win!
Wilyer Abreu watched the ball leave the park and tossed his bat high in the air. The comeback was on, and the win over the reigning World Baseball Classic champion Japan was within reach. Japan, its 11-game WBC winning streak on the line, held a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning of Saturday's thrilling quarterfinal matchup in Miami when Abreu put his team ahead with the biggest swing of the game: a three-run shot off Hiromi Itoh that sent the loanDepot Park crowd into a passionate roar and helped clinch Venezuela's 8-5 win and first WBC semifinal appearance in 17 years.
MIAMI (AP) — Wilyer Abreu watched the ball leave the park and tossed his bat high in the air. His Venezuela teammates streamed out of the dugout in celebration. The comeback was on, and the win over the reigning World Baseball Classic champion Japan was within reach.
Japan, its 11-game WBC winning streak on the line, held a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning of Saturday's thrilling quarterfinal matchup in Miami when Abreu put his team ahead with the biggest swing of the game: a three-run shot off Hiromi Itoh that sent the loanDepot Park crowd into a passionate roar and helped clinch Venezuela's 8-5 win and first WBC semifinal appearance in 17 years. “That was an exciting moment," Abreu said in a postgame television interview. "I tried to at least tie the game with a sac fly.
He gave me a really good pitch to hit. I made good contact. I'm very excited for this win.
Now in the semifinals I hope I can do the same thing I did today. ” Venezuela fell behind 5-2 when Maikel Garcia sparked a comeback with a two-run homer in the fifth. Abreu followed with his first homer of the tournament, a 409-foot drive to right that put his team ahead for good.