Team USA Wins 6-1 In first WBC Game

6-1 sounds a lot better in my head and looks better on paper than the game we all watched last night at Chase field in Arizona. Vance Worley of the I haven't pitched in the majors since the twenty teens Worley's confounded the US lineup for two innings with his repertoire of off speed breaking balls reminiscent of Eddie Harris in the movie Major League. I was actually getting nervous for a second and a half that this all star lineup forgot how to put bat to ball. Then the third inning happened.

But lets digress. Trayce Thompson took Adam Wainwright yard in the top of the first to give G.B it's first and only lead of the game 1-0. Then the old man (Wainwright) settled down and let his hitters catch up to the fact that a baseball game had started. This was the third inning. Godshmit reaches on an error and goes to second on a wild pitch by the aforementioned out of retirement Worley. Arenado brings him home on a double to left. Worley gets Kyle Schwarber to fly out then walks Trea Turner ending Mr Worleys second childhood.Jake Esch enters the game for GB. Kyle Tucker rips a liner to center scoring Arenado 2-1 good guys after three.

Moving on the Great Britain crew goes quietly in the fourth 1-2-3 with the big bats for Team USA coming up. Betts grounds out - Trout works himself a walk then steals second ( wow these bases are tiny ) - Goldschmidt gets hit by a pitch and Arenado pops up to third. Two outs two on and Kyle Schwarber comes to the plate. And Schwarbomb. USA up 5-1 and the game for all intents and purposes was done. Nolan Arenado would double again in the bottom of the sixth to score Goldschmitt to close out the scoring.

I have to say I was a bit let down. 6-1 was nice but this vaunted lineup managed just nine hits off old men and retread pitching. With exception of the first inning dinger Wainwright gave up the US pitching looked sharp facing the worst lineup in pool C. Betts was 1-5. Trout went 0-4 and as a team the guys in Red White and Blue left 12 men on base and were a meager 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position. That won't get it done with this staff and the teams they will be facing in the next rounds. Lets just hope a few guys were getting their WBC jitters out of the way.

As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207