Martín Pérez will open for Venezuela against the United States / Photo: WBC Press
Venezuela handed Martín Pérez the responsibility of starting the first game of the World Baseball Classic against the powerful Dominican Republic and he won. A week later, the lefty of the Texas Rangers will have to face another giant: the United States in the quarterfinals.
Although Venezuela’s manager, Omar López, had said Thursday that he was not ready to announce his starter against the United States and that the extra day of rest allowed him the possibility of “manipulating” his rotation order, Venezuela announced the morning of Friday in a press release that Pérez would start against the United States on Saturday at 7 pm at LoanDepot Park, reported Efraín Ruiz of LasMayores.com.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa named veteran right-hander Lance Lynn as his opening card for that elimination game.
Pérez’s previous work
Pérez worked 3.1 innings against the Dominican Republic, in which he allowed four hits and one earned run, with two strikeouts and four walks. He had runners on base for all four innings he started, but he always found a way to minimize the damage.
That day, when Venezuela triumphed 5-1, he was relieved by Luis García, who struck out seven in three scoreless innings.
Instead, rival Lynn, 35, started the United States’ third game Monday against Canada. She threw five acts, got two hits, allowed one run, didn’t walk and struck out six. The Stars and Stripes troupe defeated the Maple Leaf team 12-1.
Miami / Web Writing
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