Showing posts tagged “Italy”
Mike Potter ·
27 Sep 2009, 3:39 PM ·
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Maybe the Cuban baseball dynasty is beginning to crumble a little bit.
Lucas May blasted a three-run, second-inning homer and Team USA poured on six more runs in the seventh, topping the Cubans 10-5 to win the IBAF World Cup in Nettuno, Italy.
It was the 14th straight win for the Red, White and Blue, which had also beaten the Cubans on Thursday and lost just one of its 19 games after the group of top-level minor leaguers was assembled for the first time earlier this month.
The USA was the defending champion of the tournament, also defeating the Cubans in 2007. Team USA has won the World Cup four times, including its other back-to-back titles in 1973-74.
Tournament MVP Justin Smoak, former Durham Bull Jon Weber (pictured), Terry Tiffee and May all had RBI singles in the seventh-inning spree. Weber and Tiffee joined Smoak on the all-tournament team.
Brad Lincoln was the winning pitcher in relief of Cory Luebke.
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Brad Lincoln, Cory Luebke, Cuba, Italy, Jon Weber, Justin Smoak, Lucas May, Terry Tiffee
Mike Potter ·
26 Sep 2009, 12:38 AM ·
2 Comments
Team USA will go into the championship game of the IBAF World Cup on a 13-game winning streak.
Kasey Kiker (pictured) allowed just one hit in six innings while Buck Coats had three hits for three RBI on Friday as the Red, White and Blue topped The Netherlands 8-2 in their final game of pool play.
The defending champion Americans will play Cuba in the gold medal game on Sunday in Nettuno, Italy, with the game shown live on the MLB Network.
Ike Davis had his fourth homer of the competition for Team USA, while former Durham Bull Jon Weber added two hits with an RBI.
The big inning was the sixth, in which the Americans rallied for six runs after two were out.
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Buck Coats, Cuba, Ike Davis, Italy, Jon Weber, Kasey Kiker, The Netherlands
Mike Potter ·
24 Sep 2009, 12:02 AM ·
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Todd Redmond pitched 8 1/3 shutout innings while three teammates including former Durham Bull Jon Weber (pictured) homered, leading defending champion Team USA to a 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico in Florence, Italy and a berth in the title game of the IBAF World Cup.
Ike Davis had a solo homer to right in the second inning, while Buck Coats soloed to right in the fifth and Weber added a blast to center in the eighth.
Redmond (3-0) allowed just four hits and struck out four before former Bull Jason Childers came on to close and earn his first save of the tournament.
The USA will face Cuba on Thursday at 2 p.m. (EDT) in Nettuno in a game to be shown live on MLB Network. Team USA will then close out Round Three against The Netherlands on Friday before playing in Sunday’s 10 a.m. (EDT) title game which will also be shown live on MLB Network.
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Buck Coats, Cuba, Ike Davis, Italy, Jason Childers, Jon Weber, The Netherlands, Todd Redmond
Mike Potter ·
22 Sep 2009, 9:24 PM ·
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Team USA took advantage of a balanced offense, avenging its only loss of the IBAF World Cup with a 6-3 win over Venezuela in Florence, Italy.
The result clinched for the Red, White and Blue a spot in the tournament’s medal round this weekend.
Pedro Alvarez (pictured) ripped his fourth homer of the tournament for the Americans, while Tug Hulett was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs and veteran Terry Tiffee added two RBI.
Trevor Plouffe extended his hitting streak to 10 games in the win.
Brad Lincoln (2-0) pitched 6 2/3 innings in the victory while Team USA’s fourth pitcher of the night, Geno Espinelli, picked up his first save.
Team USA is 4-0 in Round 3 because of a 3-0 record against Pool G qualifying opponents, and held a 2 1/2-game lead over Australia, Canada and Chinese Taipei following the win.
The next game is against Puerto Rico on Wednesday at 2 p.m. (EDT) in Florence.
Baseball, USA Baseball Australia, Brad Lincoln, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Geno Espinelli, Italy, Pedro Alvarez, Puerto Rico, Terry Tiffee, Trevor Plouffe, Tug Hulett, Venezuela
Mike Potter ·
21 Sep 2009, 8:01 PM ·
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Trevor Plouffe’s walk-off homer made the difference as Team USA beat Australia 4-3 in the IBAF World Cup in Bologna, Italy, clinching the top seed in Group G for the Final Round.
After the Aussies took a 1-0 lead, Justin Smoak extended his team record with his ninth homer of the tournament to tie the game in the sixth. Former Durham Bull Jon Weber gave the Red, White and Blue the lead with an RBI grounder later in the inning.
Australia scored twice in the seventh, but Plouffe (pictured) tied the score again with an RBI grounder in the bottom of the frame to make it 3-3.
His two out homer to left in the ninth then ended the game.
Cory Luebke had a six-inning quality start in the no-decision. Former Durham Bull Jason Childers then added two innings of scoreless relief, striking out three, before Ehren Wasserman got the win in his first decision of the tournament.
The USA will take on Venezuela today at 2 p.m. (EDT) in Firenze, Italy. Venezuela defeated Team USA in its first game of the tournament, 13-9 in an extra-inning tiebreaker.
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Australia, Cory Luebke, Ehren Wasserman, Italy, Jason Childers, Jon Weber, Justin Smoak, Trevor Plouffe, Venezuela
Mike Potter ·
19 Sep 2009, 9:49 PM ·
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Solo homers from Daniel Descalso and Buck Coats led the way as Team USA topped Mexico 7-3 in Vicenza, Italy, earning the defending champions a spot in the final round of the IBAF World Cup.
Terry Tiffee (pictured) led the winners with a 4-for-5 day.
The USA got a run in the third on Lucas May’s double, and then made it 2-0 in the fourth when former Durham Bull Jon Weber reached on a fielder’s choice.
Descalso’s homer came in the fifth inning and Coats’ in the sixth.
Trevor Reckling (2-0) was the winning pitcher.
The USA will face Italy on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Turin. Kasey Kiker is the scheduled starter for the Red, White and Blue.
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Buck Coats, Daniel Descalso, Italy, Jon Weber, Kasey Kiker, Lucas May, Mexico, Terry Tiffee, Trevor Reckling
Mike Potter ·
18 Sep 2009, 6:26 PM ·
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The IBAF World Cup baseball game scheduled between Team USA and Australia in Piacenza, Italy, on Friday was rained out.
It will be made up a later date and time.
The USA (6-1), which is atop its second-round group, is scheduled to take on Mexico (5-3) on Saturday in Vicenza, Italy.
Trevor Reckling (1-0) is the scheduled starter for the Red, White and Blue.
Baseball, USA Baseball Australia, Italy, Mexico, Trevor Reckling
Mike Potter ·
18 Sep 2009, 9:39 AM ·
Comment
Pedro Alvarez’ team-record three home runs led the barrage as Team USA drubbed Chinese Taipei 14-3
in IBAF World Cup play Thursday in Turin, Italy.
The Red, White and Blue scored seven runs in the first inning of the contest, which was stopped after seven innings because of a 10-run mercy rule.
Former Durham Bull Jon Weber, Terry Tiffee and Lucas May each added home runs for the winners.
Todd Redmond (2-0) was the winning pitcher, striking out six while allowing three runs in six innings.
Alvarez (pictured) finished the game with six RBI. Weber went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored.
The USA’s next game is against Australia today at 2 p.m. (EDT) in Piacenza, Italy, with Trevor Reckling (1-0) the scheduled starter.
Baseball, USA Baseball Australia, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Jon Weber, Lucas May, Pedro Alvarez, Terry Tiffee, Todd Redmond, Trevor Reckling
Mike Potter ·
15 Sep 2009, 10:45 PM ·
Comment
Justin Smoak (pictured) and Terry Tiffee blasted back-to-back homers in the third inning, leading defending champion Team USA to a 4-2 win over Japan at the IBAF World Cup in Macerata, Italy.
Brad Lincoln pitched 7 1/3 innings in the victory before a sellout crowd at Stadio Comunale, while Nate Field collected the save.
The USA is 3-0 in the second round, while Japan is 1-1.
Trevor Plouffe’s seventh-inning double added an insurance run for the Red, White and Blue in the seventh.
Smoak’s homer was his sixth of the competition, tying the USA Baseball record for a single World Cup. Tino Martinez hit half a dozen in 1988.
Team USA’s next game is against Chinese Taipei on Thursday at 2 p.m. (EDT) in Turin. Todd Redmond (1-0) is the scheduled starter.
Baseball, USA Baseball Brad Lincoln, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Japan, Justin Smoak, Nate Field, Terry Tiffee, Tino Martinez, Todd Redmond, Trevor Plouffe
Mike Potter ·
14 Sep 2009, 9:11 PM ·
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Justin Smoak smacked a pair of homers, and Team USA had its best game so far in the IBAF World Cup in an 11-1 rout of the Netherlands Antilles in Verona, Italy.
Lucas May homered in the third inning while former Durham Bull Jon Weber (pictured) and Smoak each homered in the fourth to give the defending champion USA a 5-0 lead.
Smoak added a three-run homer in the seventh, sparking the Red, White and Blue to the 11-1 lead.
The game was stopped at the end of the seventh inning because of the IBAF’s 10-run rule.
Starter Kasey Kiker struck out seven batters in four innings for Team USA, while Lucas Harrell came on to strike out two batters over the last three innings for the win.
Weber and May each went 3-for-4 in the win.
The USA’s next game is against Japan today at 2 p.m. (EDT) in Macerata, Italy. Brad Lincoln is the Americans’ scheduled starter.
Baseball, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Brad Lincoln, Italy, Japan, Jon Weber, Justin Smoak, Kasey Kiker, Lucas Harrell, Lucas May, Netherlands Antilles
