LOS ANGELES – The United States routed Puerto Rico 8-0 to win its first World Baseball Classic in four tries on Wednesday night behind six hitless innings from Marcus Stroman.
The Americans planted their eagle statue mascot on the mound in celebration, a blue cap jauntily hanging from one of its large wings.
“It’s a different feeling when the USA is on your chest,” first baseman Eric Hosmer said. “We wanted to get the U.S. back on top of the baseball world, and we did that.”
For a sport known as America’s pastime, the U.S. had struggled since the WBC began in 2006. Twice, the U.S. team lost in the second round and they went out in the semifinals in 2009.
This time was different.
“These guys were here to do their best,” Team USA general manager Joe Torre said. “The thing I marveled at was how quickly they came together, and Jimmy (Leyland) deserves a lot of that credit. They’re just a great group who understood what this event is all about.”
Accepting the gleaming silver trophy from baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, manager Leyland told the crowd, “This is for the men and women who serve our country.”
After the final out, the U.S. athletes massed on the mound, hugging and high-fiving while fireworks exploded in center field. Some of them grabbed a U.S. flag and circled the warning track, waving it in celebration with fans in the stands.
“There was only one thing on our mind, was to win this thing and to do whatever we can to win,” left fielder Christian Yelich said. “That helped us come together.”
The U.S. pounded out 13 hits and finished with a 6-2 record while making the final for the first time in front of 51,565 at Dodger Stadium.
Puerto Rico’s fans saluted their team with a standing ovation and the players responded by clapping.
“The satisfaction is huge,” manager Edwin Rodríguez said. “It has filled our hearts.”
Puerto Rico lost for the first time in eight games after outscoring the opposition 55-26. The U.S. territory finished runner-up for the second time, having lost to the Dominican Republic in the 2013 final.
“They’re loaded with All-Star players. They outpitched us. They outscored us. They outhit us,” Rodríguez said. “We came here to win the championship, but with a record of 7-1, we feel satisfied, pleased with what we were able to achieve.”
Tournament MVP Stroman avenged his shakiness in the United States’ 6-5 loss to Puerto Rico during pool play. The right-hander from the Toronto Blue Jays gave up one hit in six-plus innings, struck out three and walked one on 73 pitches.
“I love pitching in these moments,” he said. “I love the atmosphere. I feel like the bigger the game, the more I’m able to get up, the more effective I am.”
Stroman allowed just three balls past the infield until Ángel Pagán’s double in the left-field corner leading off the seventh, when he departed to a standing ovation, having staked the Americans to a 7-0 lead with the help of Ian Kinsler’s two-run homer.
In 2013, Stroman tweeted that he was going to play for Puerto Rico, where his mother was born. Instead, he wore the red, white and blue of the U.S.
“It was an unbelievable experience,” he said, “and I’ll be back in four years to defend the title.”
For the tournament, Stroman allowed 12 hits and four runs in 15 1/3 innings, with a 2.35 ERA, nine strikeouts and two walks.
“Marcus set the tone right off the bat and just was dealing,” Yelich said, “and we kind of fed off that and we were just rolling ever since.”
Stroman walked Carlos Beltrán leading off the second, but the defense helped him out. Yadier Molina hit the ball to shortstop Brandon Crawford, who started a double play before Stroman struck out Javier Báez to end the inning.
Kinsler homered off an 0-1 pitch from Seth Lugo into left-center field in the third, scoring Jonathan Lucroy, who singled leading off.
Lugo of the New York Mets allowed four runs and five hits, struck out seven and walked four in four innings. The right-hander won his first two starts of the tournament, including in the second round against Stroman and the U.S. Stroman gave up six consecutive singles in a four-run first inning and took the loss against Puerto Rico last Friday in San Diego.
The U.S. team made it 4-0 in the fifth on RBI singles by Yelich and Andrew McCutchen.
Fans wore flags of both countries as capes and decorated their faces in team colors. Puerto Rico boosters pounded cowbells, tooted horns and blew whistles early on before their team fell behind 4-0.
Fans were on their feet chanting “U-S-A” when the Americans loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs. They were rewarded with Crawford’s two-run single that chased J.C. Romero, extending the lead to 6-0.
The U.S. tacked on another run on Giancarlo Stanton’s RBI single off Hiram Burgos past diving shortstop Francisco Lindor.
The Americans defeated two-time champion Japan, while Puerto Rico beat the Netherlands to reach the final.
The three games at Dodger Stadium drew 109,892.
BETH HARRIS
