Grandal, Team USA Win 2009 World Baseball Challenge
July 27, 2009
PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia – University of Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal and Team USA defeated Germany, 8-1, Sunday night in the championship game of the 2009 Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge at Prince George Citizen Field.
Starter Drew Pomeranz (Ole Miss) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Team USA pounded out 13 hits in the seven-run victory over Germany. Grandal led USA at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored.
Grandal, Pomeranz, Michael Choice (UT Arlington) and Gerrit Cole (UCLA) were named to the all-tournament team as top players at their positions.
Germany got on the board in the first inning on no hits. Pomeranz put two runners on board with a hit batsman and a walk before a sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third. Ludwig Glaser followed with an RBI groundout to second base for the 1-0 lead.
Blake Forsythe (Tennessee) tied the game in the bottom of the second with an RBI single and the U.S. took the lead in the bottom of the third inning when Rick Hague (Rice) hit an RBI single up the middle and Choice hit a solo home run over the left field fence.
Tyler Holt (Florida State) brought in Forsythe and Brad Miller (Clemson) with an RBI double to the right centerfield fence and Kolten Wong (Hawaii) hit an RBI single to score Holt for a 6-1 lead in the fourth. Grandal and Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee State) followed with back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 8-1.
Pomeranz took a no hitter into the seventh inning. With two outs in the seventh inning, Pomeranz lost the no hitter when Andreas Janzen hit a single up the middle. Pomeranz pitched seven innings and struck out 12 batters.
Nick Peptione (Tulane) and Chad Bettis (Texas Tech) closed out the game for the U.S.
Germany starting pitcher Marcus Winkler pitched three innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with no strikeouts. Rene Franke pitched one inning of relief giving up five runs.
Choice also collected the Home Run Hitting Award with three and Hague received the Best Hitter Award as he ended the tournament with a .474 batting average and two home runs.
The USA Baseball National Team (Collegiate) finished its summer with a 19-5 record.
