Roman Anthony shouldn’t even be playing in this year’s World Baseball Classic. But when Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll broke his right hamate bone, Anthony got the call, less than a year after receiving a call-up to the majors from the Boston Red Sox.
The 21-year-old Anthony was fully integrated into Team USA’s lineup as they defeated the San Francisco Giants 15-1 in an exhibition game at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona on Tuesday. In the sixth inning, he hit a two-run home run off the right field wall. Two innings earlier, his former Red Sox teammate and three-time All-Star Alex Bregman hit a solo shot to center.
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They are part of a star-studded roster for Team USA, which is motivated to follow in Team USA’s footsteps at a record-setting Winter Olympics.
Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, gave a preview of what to expect on the mound with four strikeouts and no hits in three innings pitched.
After the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams won gold in Italy and three years ago the WBC’s U.S. team lost to Japan in the championship game, the U.S. team on the diamond was desperate for redemption.
The journey officially begins on Friday when the U.S. takes on Brazil in Group B. But three days ago, Team USA showed off its potential against the Giants, who even offered some minor leaguers as backups to don the stars and stripes in an exhibition game that included a 10th-inning bonus.
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Here is the lineup listed by Team USA coach Mark DeRosa:
U.S. captain Aaron Judge fittingly got the U.S. on the board with a two-run single to center. Judge’s hit came on the heels of Harper’s double and Witt’s first single.
Giants shortstop Willy Adames hit a double against Skenes in the bottom half of the first and scored late in the game, giving Skenes his only earned run of the afternoon.
That’s all San Francisco did against Team USA.
Bregman’s home run gave Team USA a 3-1 lead. Harper then hit a two-run single to right to make it 5-1 in the fifth inning.
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An inning later, Anthony got a tattoo on Brad Tidwell’s pitch. The long ball traveled 394 feet.
In the seventh inning, Team USA got assists from several Giants minor leaguers. Charlie Szykowny doubled and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored. Dakota Jordan and Gavin Killen each had RBI singles to extend the lead to 10-1.
A double by Gunnar Henderson and PCA in the same inning, plus a single by “Big Pitcher” Carl Rowley in the ninth inning, added to the U.S. score.
The Americans enjoyed plenty of runs on Tuesday. While their talented pitching staff has drawn attention ahead of this year’s WBC tournament, they may need to keep up the firepower with their bats over the next two weeks if they want to win the tournament.