TAICHUNG, Taiwan-Venezuela (2-0) scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take their first lead of the game and hung-on to defeat Canada (1-1) 7-5 earlier today at the 18U World Cup.
With one out in the top of the ninth, three consecutive singles off reliever Brodie Harkness (Bowmanville, ON) tied the score before a squeeze bunt gave Venezuela the lead.
Daniel Procopio (Toronto, ON) came out of the Canadian bullpen and balked in a run, with the runner from third breaking for home, to put the scrappy Venezuelans up by two.
Up until that point, Canada had built a 5-4 lead thanks in large part to a Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) three-run homer in the third inning and an RBI sing from Josh Naylor (Mississauga, ON) and a run scoring double from Lachlan Fontaine (Vancouver, BC) in the fifth.
Venezuela had tied the score with three runs in the top of the inning as starter Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, ON) allowed two singles that both scored on a double to left field.
After another single and a hit by pitch, Quantrill was removed from the game and Luke Manuel (Surrey, BC) came out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and nobody out.
Venezuela then tied the score on a sacrifice-fly to right field with the runner on third thought to have left early from third base, but an appeal at the bag was denied.
Manuel got a double play when Jake Lumley (Windsor, ON) stepped on third base with the bases loaded after a ground ball and fired to first for the third out of the inning.
After Canada took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth, the scrappy Venezuelans pulled back within one in the sixth coming on a two-out RBI single.
Manuel worked his way out of trouble in the seventh getting a strikeout with two out and runners on first and second, and Brodie Harkness came out for the eighth and tossed a scoreless inning.
Once again, Tyler O’Neill paced Canada’s offence with a pair of doubles to go along with his three-run homer.
The home run came on a 2-2 count and two out in the third inning with the ball leaving the stadium well beyond the left field wall.
Josh Naylor was 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI.
Canada will now face a quick turnaround as they will play host Chinese Taipei (1-1) this evening (6:30pm CST/6:30am ET) in front of what promises to be a hostile crowd at Intercontinental Stadium in Taichung.
Baltimore Orioles prospect Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, ON) is expected to get the start on the mound for Canada.
Box Score: Venezuela 7 Canada 5
Notes: You can watch the game against Chinese Taipei by visiting: http://www.fengyunzhibo.com/tv/380789_1361122244575-q314rs21.htm
For tournament information including schedule, rosters, stats and access to live scoring for all games, please visit: www.18ubaseballworldcup.org
You can follow the Junior National Team on their quest for gold throughout the IBAF 18U World Cup by visiting Baseball.ca or by following www.Baseball.ca on Twitter.
