WATCH: Texas Rangers Ace Martin Perez Rocked by Team USA
Texas Rangers left-hander Martín Pérez, pitching for Venezuela, was rocked by Team USA in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals Saturday night at Loan Depot Park in Miami.
Pérez gave up five consecutive hits and three runs before being pulled with just one out in the first inning.
Team USA would go on to win 9-7 on a grand slam by Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner in the eight inning to advance to the WBC semifinals Sunday against Cuba. Mexico and Japan meet in the other semifinal Monday, with the championship Tuesday. All the remaining games are in Miami.
Venezuela manager Omar López said before the quarterfinals that starting Pérez had more to do with the Texas pitching schedule than strategy for the WBC. Since Pérez started the WBC opener March 11, it made sense to start him a week later.
WBC pitchers are on a strict limit of 65 pitches.
“They have a pitching rotation in their organizations,” López said of the Rangers. “And we used [Pérez] in the first round and we have to continue doing that. We didn't do anything special to manipulate things.”
Still, López liked Pérez matching up against Team USA lineup stacked with the likes of the Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts and St. Louis Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt.
“He has the experience, he has the time to work, and to me, is one of the best Venezuelan pitchers in the Majors,” López said of Pérez.
Team USA started former Rangers pitcher Lance Lynn.
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