OLYMPICS NEWS - Team USA Baseball

---

USA OLYMPIC BASEBALL TEAM SCHEDULE
All times ET

Aug. 8	Workout at Wukesong Stadium, 1:30-3:30 a.m.
Aug. 8	Workout at Wukesong Stadium, 9-10:30 p.m.
Aug. 9	Opening Ceremonies, National Stadium, 8 a.m.
Aug. 10-11	Workout at Wukesong Stadium, 11:15-1:15 a.m.
Aug. 12	Workout at Wukesong Stadium, 6-8 a.m.
Aug. 13	Workout at Wukesong Stadium, 5:20-6:50 a.m.
Aug. 25	Closing Ceremonies, National Stadium, 8 a.m.
All times ET.

Aug. 13	vs. Korea	LOST, 7-8
Aug. 13	vs. Netherlands	WON, 7-0
Aug. 14	vs. Cuba	LOST, 4-5
Aug. 15	vs. Canada	WON, 5-4
Aug. 18	vs. China	WON, 9-1
Aug. 19	vs. Chinese Taipei	WON, 4-2
Aug. 20	vs. Japan	WON, 4-2
Aug. 22	Olympic Semifinals
Aug. 22	Olympic Medal Round
Aug. 22	vs. Cuba	LOST, 2-10
Aug. 22	vs. Japan - US WON BRONZE	WON, 8-4

August 2, 2008
Canada edges out Team USA, 4-3
Team USA and Canada continue exhibition play on Saturday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park

Recap | Box | Log | Cumulative Stats


CARY, N.C. -- Scott Thorman's two-out double in the top of the 10th inning lifted Canada to a 4-3 win over Team USA on Friday evening at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. Friday evening's contest marked the first game for Team USA with the Red, White & Blue and Canada set to play three more exhibition contests before heading to Beijing, China for the Olympic Games.

With the game deadlocked at 3-3 in the 10th inning, Canada's Stubby Clapp reached base on a one-out walk and would then get into scoring position on a stolen base. With two outs and Clapp still on second base, Thorman knocked a double down the right field line to put the Canadians on top by a run. Right-handed reliever David Davidson entered for Canada in the bottom of the 10th inning and set down all three U.S. batters to close out the game.

Canada reliever Steve Green earned the win after hurling two innings and allowing one run on one hit while striking out three batters. USA reliever Jeff Stevens (Berkeley, Calif.) suffered the loss after 1.2 innings of work. He allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts and two walks.

Things looked good for Team USA early behind starting pitcher Brett Anderson (Midland, Texas). The left-hander looked good on the mound with four scoreless innings of work and allowed just three hits while striking out four and walking only one batter.

The U.S. would go ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning on a two-out RBI double courtesy of Terry Tiffee (North Little Rock, Ark.). The Red, White & Blue got things started with one out as Dexter Fowler (Atlanta, Ga.) reached on an infield single. With Fowler on second base, Tiffee roped a two base hit down the right field line that scored Fowler to give the U.S. a one-run cushion.

The lead increased to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning as Matt LaPorta (Port Charlotte, Fla.) launched a solo homer to left center off of Canadian reliever Rheal Cormier. LaPorta turned on 3-1 pitch from Cormier for his first home run of the summer for Team USA.

With the U.S. holding a two-run lead, the Canadians mounted a rally on the back of three consecutive one-out hits against U.S. reliever Mike Koplove (Philadelphia, Pa.). After a leadoff walk to Emerson Frostad, the Canadians put runners on second and third base on a double from Adam Stern. Canada would then score its first run of the game with a base hit up the middle by Stubby Clapp and took its first lead of the game then on a two-run double from Mike Saunders.

The lead would be short-lived though for Canada as the U.S. tied the game on a solo homer off the bat of Brian Barden (Templeton, Calif.). Barden welcomed Canada reliever Steve Green to the ball game with a solo homer off a 2-2 pitch from the right-hander evening the game at 3-3.

Canada finished with an 8-6 advantage in hits including two apiece from Stern, Clapp and Thorman.

Both teams meet in the second exhibition game of the series on Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Note
Philadelphia Phillies General Manager Pat Gillick will be attending Saturday's game between Team USA and Canada at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Gillick will arrive in Cary, N.C., on Saturday morning and have lunch with all members with the Philadelphia Phillies organization (U.S. Olympic Team players Jason Donald and Lou Marson as well as Auxiliary Coach Roly DeArmas and Team Canada players R.J. Swindle and Steve Green).

August 2, 2008
Team USA downs Canada, 7-2
Third game of exhibition series set for Sunday at 5 p.m.

Recap | Box | Log
Cumulative Stats

CARY, N.C. -- Matt Brown (Bellevue, Wash.) went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBI and starting pitcher Trevor Cahill (Oceanside, Calif.) worked four scoreless innings as Team USA defeated Canada, 7-2, on Saturday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The U.S. and Canada will meet in game three of exhibition play on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 pm at DBAP.

For the second straight day, the U.S. received a quality start, as Cahill allowed just one hit in four innings to pick up the win in a predetermined split. Cahill struck out three and walked one. Canada starter Brooks McNiven suffered the loss after six innings of work allowing six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and one walk.

Team USA wasted no time getting on the scoreboard touching McNiven for two runs in the top of the first inning. Dexter Fowler (Atlanta, Ga.) led off the game with a triple to right center and after a one-out walk to John Gall (Stanford, Calif.) would score on a RBI from Brown. On the play, Canada second baseman Stubby Clapp could not come up clean with the grounder giving the U.S. runners on first and third base. Gall would score Team USA's second run of the inning then off a sacrifice fly to left field from Mike Hessman (Fountain Valley, Calif.).

Brown would factor in the next three runs of the game as he knocked in a run with a two-out RBI single in the third inning that scored Brian Barden (Templeton, Calif.) and followed that up with a two-out RBI triple in the fifth inning that plated both Barden and Gall as the U.S. built a five-run cushion.

The U.S. increased its lead to 6-0 in the top of the sixth inning as Nate Schierholtz (Danville, Calif.) launched a towering solo homer to right field off of McNiven. He would score the U.S.' seventh run of the game in the seventh inning as Matt LaPorta (Port Charlotte, Fla.) doubled to left field that brought Schierholtz home all the way from first base.

The Canadians broke the shutout in the eighth inning as Jimmy VanOstrand knocked a solo homer to left field. They would add a second run then as Emerson Frostad tallied a RBI double to cut the deficit to 7-2.

Despite the two runs in the eighth inning, Team USA received a solid outing out of the bullpen from right-hander Jimmy Cummings (Charleston, W.V.) as he went four innings and allowed just two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks. U.S. reliever Casey Weathers (Elk Grove, Calif.) worked a perfect ninth inning to close out the game and a victory for the U.S.

Team USA finished with a 9-4 hit advantage with Brown and Barden leading the way with two apiece.

August 3, 2008
Team USA crushes Canada, 9-1
Schierholtz's grand slam highlights U.S. power surge

Recap | Box | Log
Cumulative Stats

DURHAM, N.C. -- Behind five shutout innings from Brandon Knight and four home runs, Team USA knocked off Canada, 9-1, in the third game of the Road to Beijing Series.

Knight (Oxnard, Calif.) got off to a quick start with a nine-pitch first inning. By the time he exited after the fifth, he had recorded 10 strikeouts, yielding only two hits and one walk.

Sunday marked the first time Knight has pitched since last Saturday for the New York Mets. The righty gave up four earned runs over five innings in a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals. Knight was called up only days after being named to the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team, and following his start in Shea, rejoined Team USA.

The U.S. struck first with a three-run second inning. Matt LaPorta (Port Charlotte, Fla.) put Team USA on the board with a solo shot over the centerfield fence. It was the Cleveland Indians prospect's second home run of the series, his first coming in the 4-3 Game 1 loss in Cary, N.C. on Friday.

After a Nate Schierholtz (Reno, Nev.) single, Mike Hessman (Fountain Valley, Calif.) followed with a two-run blast to center. Upon leaving the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, the third baseman was among the Minor League leaders in home runs with 32.

The power surge continued in the third when Terry Tiffee (North Little Rock, Ark.) hit a solo home run off the right field foul pole. Team USA's bats were quiet over the next four frames, but in the eighth, a run-scoring single from Matt Brown (Bellevue, Wash.) opened the flood gates.

After Brown's single, the U.S. loaded the bases and, with a towering blast to right-center, Schierholtz cleared them. The grand slam was his second home run in as many nights for Team USA, and for the game, the right-fielder was 3-4 with two runs scored and four RBI.

Team Canada starter Chris Begg went six innings, giving up four runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Second baseman Stubby Clapp went 1-3 with a run scored. In total, five Canadians had one hit in the game.

The Canadians' run came in the sixth, when Clapp was pushed across following an error by U.S. shortstop Brian Barden (Templeton, Calif.). They threatened again in the eighth, but an attempted tag from third by Ryan Radmanovich was thwarted by a strong throw home from LaPorta.

Team USA pitchers combined for the five-hitter, striking out 15 batters and allowing just the one unearned run.

Notes
Knight recorded six strikeouts in a row at one point, over the second through fourth innings...The Bound for Beijing series finale is tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park...Team USA will leave for Beijing on Tuesday morning (EST) and will land in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon (CST)...Team USA signed autographs for fans before Sunday's game.

August 4, 2008
Team USA throttles Canada in finale
17-5 win gives Olympic Team 3-1 series victory

Recap | Box | Log
Cumulative Stats
• Aug. 4: USA 17, Canada 5 (7 inn.) video Time 3 hr 35 min

DURHAM, N.C. -- Mike Hessman hit two more home runs, and in a seven-inning, 10-run-rule-shortened game, Team USA dismantled Team Canada, 17-5, on Monday evening in the final of a four-game exhibition series.

Hessman's (Fountain Valley, Calif.) second and third home runs of the series came in the fifth and sixth innings of the U.S. rout, pushing the power-hitting club to a 3-1 series win. Team USA registered at least one run in each of the seven innings.

The U.S. sent its final two starters to the mound on Monday night, with Baltimore Oriole prospect Jake Arrieta (Farmington, Mo.) throwing the opening three frames and San Diego State phenom Stephen Strasburg (San Diego, Calif.) hurling the following three innings.

In the top of the first, Terry Tiffee (North Little Rock, Ark.) hit a solo shot that just cleared the fence in right-center. The Los Angeles Dodgers farmhand finished the series as the leading hitter for Team USA with a .500 (6-12) average.

In the second, Matt LaPorta (Port Charlotte, Fla.) sent a towering drive over the Durham Bulls Athletic Park's Blue Monster that ricocheted off the side of an office building in deep left for the circuit.

Tiffee continued his hot hitting in the third with a two-run double that fell just out of the reach of a diving Mike Saunders.

Arrieta gave up no hits over his first two innings but came unraveled in the third. After he gave up a walk, sacrifice bunt and a single, Saunders laced a ball to left-center for a two-run double. The Canadian right fielder scored three pitches later on a Scott Thorman single that dropped right in front of LaPorta.

Philadelphia Phillies farmhand Lou Marson (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had an RBI double in the fourth.

Strasburg entered in the bottom-half of the inning to a home crowd that cheered him on only a few weeks earlier when he starred for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. The tall righty wasn't as sharp out of the gate, however, giving up one run on three hits in his opening frame.

Canada's run in the fourth came on a softly hit ball just in front home plate by Emmanuel Garcia. Stubby Clapp scored from third while Garcia was called out at first. The call brought both U.S. and Canada's Managers Davey Johnson and Terry Puhl out of the dugout. Puhl was eventually thrown out of the game, as was Canada's first base coach, Steve Green.

Team USA answered in the top of the fifth, when John Gall (Stanford, Calif.) slapped a two-run single up the right-field line. Gall scored one batter later on Hessman's two-run shot, which nearly hit the famed Durham Bull sign in left.

Marson, Taylor Teagarden (Dallas, Tex.) and Brian Barden (Templeton, Calif.) loaded the bases following Hessman's bomb, and the two catchers scored after Team Canada first baseman Scott Thorman dropped a Tiffee pop fly. Nate Schierholtz (Reno, Nev.) continued his hot hitting, sending a Jonathan Lockwood offering past a diving Thorman, scoring both Barden and Tiffee. Schierholtz was pushed home four pitches later on a LaPorta single to left.

Hessman's home run to left-center was the only Team USA run in the sixth.

Gall ripped an RBI single down the left-field line, scoring Schierholtz in the seventh. LaPorta later scored on a wild pitch after a fielding error by Canadian David Davidson put him aboard.

Garcia led off the Canada half of the seventh with a solo home run to deep right, but Team USA reliever Blaine Neal settled down and retired the side, bringing an end to the game at 17-5 in a 10-run-rule-shortened seven innings.

The U.S. outscored Canada 36-12 over the four-game series, highlighted by 11 Team USA home runs.

Notes: Following the seventh inning, the U.S. and Canada played one exhibition inning so that all pitchers could get work in before leaving the country...Team USA will leave for Beijing on Tuesday morning (EST) and will land in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon in China...Monday's attendance was announced at 2,853.

Men's Preliminaries - Game 3
-
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

KOR 8 - 7 USA

Official

Rewind
Match score
Play by play

------------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. return to Olympics spoiled by Korea
Posted Wednesday, August 13, 2008 6:54 AM ET

BEIJING (AP) -- Lee Jong-wook hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly with one out and South Korea answered the Americans' ninth-inning rally with one of its own, beating the United States 8-7 on Wednesday night in a thrilling Olympic baseball opener.

Lee Taek-keun's slide home easily beat the throw for the winning run, and he celebrated on his knees for a long while before joining hi jubilant teammates. The South Koreans then tipped their caps to all the enthusiastic fans from their homeland. The supporters were on their feet in the bleachers all night.

The Americans had seemed poised for the comeback victory after Matt Brown hit a go-ahead two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth, but South Korea rallied against closer Jeff Stevens in the bottom half.

The stunned U.S. players quickly moved through the mixed zone without stopping for interviews, despite nearly two dozen reporters calling for them. The Americans had a quick turnaround to face the Netherlands on Thursday morning.

Pinch-hitter Jeong Keun-woo doubled to start the bottom of the ninth for South Korea, which battered U.S. starter Brandon Knight and pulled off the biggest upset on the first day of the eight-team, round-robin tournament.

South Korea tied it when second baseman Jayson Nix's throw home on Lee's grounder was wide and allowed Jeong to score.

Mike Hessman homered leading off the ninth against Han Ki-Joo, who then allowed a single to Taylor Teagarden and Brian Barden's double for his third hit of the game.

South Korean manager Kim Kyung-moon then turned to Yoon Suk-Min and the Americans lifted Teagarden at third for speedy pinch-runner Dexter Fowler. Yoon struck out John Gall and got Nix to popup before Terry Tiffee's walk loaded the bases for Brown - and his sharp single found the gap in left-center.

Nate Schierholtz also had a solo homer for the U.S. team after hitting four during six exhibition games. The Americans are a medal hopeful after missing out on a bid to the 2004 Athens Games. The U.S. team won gold in Sydney in 2000.

About a dozen pro scouts turned out before heading next door to see to Japanese pitching prospect Yu Darvish against Cuba.

Lee Dae-ho - South Korea's burly and imposing designated hitter - hit a two-run homer and nearly connected again in the fifth with a drive that center fielder Schierholtz caught at the wall. He then hit one just outside the right-field foul pole in the eighth.

The U.S. team, which led 1-0 after the first following Brown's RBI single, left a baserunner on third in the eighth.

Neither manager would announce his starter leading up to the first preliminary game of this eight-team, round-robin tournament - baseball's last before coming off the Olympic program for the 2012 London Games.

When U.S. skipper Davey Johnson and Kim met at home plate minutes before first pitch, they didn't make eye contact until the very last moment for a polite handshake and tip of the cap.

Johnson went with an experienced lineup and started Knight, the oldest player on the American roster at 32. The right-hander was tagged for six runs on eight hits in 4 1-3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.

It was Knight who last month made an emergency start for the New York Mets while Pedro Martinez was gone for his father's funeral in the Dominican Republic.

New York then designated Knight for assignment the next day, allowing him to stay on the Olympic team because he was off the Mets' roster.

South Korea's fans were out in force and overmatched the U.S. fans - waving flags, cheering loudly and banging noisemakers. They even had their own version of scantily clad cheerleaders. A giant inflatable panda mascot danced outside along the baselines before the game.

In earlier games Wednesday, Canada beat China 10-0 in eight innings to spoil the Chinese team's Olympic debut and Taiwan defeated the Netherlands 5-0.

Strasburg allows one hit in debut
USA BEATS THE NETHERLANDS 7-0
Posted Thursday, August 14, 2008 2:14 AM ET

BEIJING (AP) -- Not even a downpour or a protest could spoil the Olympic debut of the lone college kid on the U.S. baseball team - even if he had to wait 6½ hours to finally get the win.

Stephen Strasburg carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and struck out 11 Thursday, helping the Americans to a 7-0, rain-shortened victory over the Netherlands. This was a welcome result for a U.S. team coming off a tough opening loss.

Strasburg, who pitches for San Diego State, said this was the longest he's had to wait for a victory.

"I just tried to go out and make quality pitches, that's it," he said. "I didn't really think about, 'Oh, I have a no hitter.'"

The game was called after eight innings following a second rain delay, the warning tracks looking more like wading pools and the outfield too soggy to continue. The Dutch protested the decision because they had loaded the bases in the ninth inning with no outs. But the protest was denied by baseball's international federation.

The players waited in their dugouts and eventually shook hands afterward. The Dutch chose to not to appeal the ruling, but had three hours to change their mind.

In the other morning game, the China-South Korea matchup was suspended with no score in the bottom of the sixth and will resume Sunday.

Next up for the United States is defending Olympic champion Cuba on Friday in a matchup of medal contenders.

"I'm glad they called it when they did," U.S. manager Davey Johnson said. "We've got Cuba tomorrow. It was the right decision. Normally we shouldn't have started (again) when we did because the mound was unpitchable and my guy got into some trouble and he was slipping and sliding. It wasn't a good situation. In the States, they wouldn't have waited over 40 minutes on the second call."

The Dutch (0-2) are managed by Robert Eenhoorn, an infielder who played briefly for the New York Yankees in the 1990s. The Netherlands is still looking for its first run of these games after a 5-0 loss to Taiwan on Wednesday.

"Looking at the whole game, the U.S. deserved to win," Eenhoorn said. "It's just the way the game finished was kind of weird."

Strasburg retired the first 13 batters and didn't surrender a hit until Sharnol Adriana singled sharply to right with one out in the seventh. Strasburg's manager is already comparing the right-hander to Dwight Gooden. His catcher, Lou Marson, compares him to Mark Prior.

"He had very good stuff," Adriana said.

Strasburg was backed by Matt LaPorta's three-run homer and a solo shot by Matt Brown. Jason Donald had an RBI double as the U.S. (1-1) got back on track after losing 8-7 to South Korea on a ninth-inning rally - a game that ended 13 hours before the Americans were due back on the field.

Strasburg figures to be the probable No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft. A large contingent of scouts was in the stands to see him. Strasburg, 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, struck out 23 batters for San Diego State during an April game.

"Oooh, he's special," Eenhoorn said. "If it wasn't for the first rain delay, he'd probably still be out there. We never really had a chance. He overpowered our guys."

His strikeout total Thursday was the sixth most in Olympic baseball history and the third-best performance by an American. B.J. Wallace of the U.S. has the Olympic record - 14 in 1992 and Jon Rauch had 13 in 2000, during the Americans' gold-medal run.

Strasburg walked Sidney de Jong with one out in the fifth for his first baserunner.

The game was played in an eerie darkness for a morning game, though a breeze that blew the country flags high above the center-field fence provided respite from the stifling heat and humidity. It rained fiercely starting in the top of the eighth and the umpire finally called for a delay as thunder roared.

Strasburg didn't come back out after throwing 94 pitches, and Johnson wasn't going to use him in the eighth even if he had a no-hitter going.

Several kids in ponchos leaned over the railing above the U.S. dugout throughout the storm holding an American flag along the fence.

The Americans, who had pushed another run across in the seventh when Terry Tiffee scored on Pim Walsma's wild pitch, retreated to their dugout to watch the prodigious downpour. The grounds crew scurried to get the tarp down, the fans cheering them madly all the while.

At the moment we're in 5th place. The top 4 qualify for the medal round. Still a lot of baseball to be played though.

Neil Blane was pitching the 9th and had a hard time with HARD RAIN AND MUD. He slipped an fell one time pitching and I kept hoping they would stop the game, otherwise he was sure to get injured! Thank God it started lightening and they HAD to stop the game. I watched the last 2 innings live, online.

catbox_9 wrote:

At the moment we're in 5th place. The top 4 qualify for the medal round. Still a lot of baseball to be played though.

Yep, 5 more games - Cuba, Canada, China, ChineseTaipei and Japan.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

At the moment we're in 5th place. The top 4 qualify for the medal round. Still a lot of baseball to be played though.

Yep, 5 more games -... Chinese Taipei....

You mean Republic of China? Don't let the People's Republic of China (China) tell you what to call the Republic of China (AKA Taiwan) :haha:

They have a democratically elected President there.

catbox_9 wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

At the moment we're in 5th place. The top 4 qualify for the medal round. Still a lot of baseball to be played though.

Yep, 5 more games -... Chinese Taipei....

You mean Republic of China? Don't let the People's Republic of China (China) tell you what to call the Republic of China (AKA Taiwan) :haha:

They have a democratically elected President there.

Yea, China even is playing with Taiwan's name for the Olympics!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Yea, China even is playing with Taiwan's name for the Olympics!

Not just the Olympics - every sporting event China forces The Republic of China (Taiwan) to be called Chinese Taipei. The other nations, being wimps, give in

Free Tibet

08/14/2008 5:21 AM ET
U.S. pitcher flirts with no-hitter in win
Americans rebound from opening loss with rout of Netherlands
By Mark Newman / MLB.com

BEIJING -- Stephen Strasburg flirted with a no-hitter and pitched seven scoreless innings, Matt LaPorta hit a three-run homer, and the United States rebounded with a 7-0 rout of The Netherlands on Thursday in an Olympic contest that featured an ending that literally could mean a medal or not.

Rain plagued the game at Wukesong Field 2 after Strasburg left a one-hit masterpiece following the seventh. There were two rain delays each lasting at least 90 minutes, and the game was called off after eight innings following the second wait.

The Dutch protested the decision because they had loaded the bases in the ninth inning with no outs against reliever Blaine Neal. They had lost their opener against Chinese Taipei, 10-0, and desperately needed to put up some runs. The protest was denied by baseball's international federation.

Run differential could be vitally important, because that is a tiebreaker criteria when it comes time to narrow the field from eight teams to four for the semifinals. Teams will be ranked by won-lost record, and the first tiebreaker, if needed, would be head-to-head. If there is at least a three-way tie, the criteria would be run differential, so it is crucial for teams to score as many runs as possible and hold its opponents to as few as possible.

The Americans, who lost a thrilling opener against Korea on Wednesday night, will face traditional powerhouse and reigning gold medalist Cuba in the main field at 11:30 a.m. local time on Friday.

Strasburg, a junior-to-be at San Diego State and a projected high pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, is the only member of the U.S. roster who is not with a Major League organization. If there was any doubt that he is a prime candidate to be the No. 1 overall selection next year, it was removed as he dominated on the international stage.

The right-hander made a statement right away by striking out the side in the top of the first. Then in the second, following a groundout by Sharnol Adriana, Strasburg got Sidney de Jong and Raily Legito to make it five of the first six Netherlands batters to be retired by strikeout.

Meanwhile, Strasburg got the support he needed from Matt Brown. Brown led off the second with a rocket shot over the left field wall, one that rolled all the way to shortstop on the adjacent practice field, stopping about 500 feet away.

Strasburg cruised through the third, retiring Bryan Engelhardt on a groundout to third, striking out Roel Koolen and inducing Danny Rombley into a comebacker. Strasburg struck out two more in the fourth, but the perfect game was lost with one out in the fifth, when Strasburg walked deJong. He proceeded to get Legito looking, and then Engelhardt flied out to keep the no-hitter intact.

It survived until there were two out in the seventh, when Adriana broke through by slapping a clean single to right just as heavy storm clouds rolled in. Strasburg responded by whiffing deJong to end the inning and his outing.

"I went out and tried to locate my fastball down, and move it inside and outside and set up my slider. I was able to do that effectively. I just went out there and tried to compete and keep my team in the ballgame," said Strasburg, whose next start could be on Tuesday night against Chinese Taipei -- depending on how he feels, according to manager Davey Johnson.

The 11 strikeouts were the third-most by a U.S. pitcher in Olympic history. B.J. Wallace had 14 in 1992 and Jon Rauch struck out 13 in 2000, the year the Americans won the gold.

"It was a long day out there," Johnson said. "My guys really played good after a late night. We came back and played real well. Mr. Strasburg did an outstanding job. We were able to get him a lead and allow him to work."

LaPorta, the key player acquired by the Indians in last month's CC Sabathia deal with Milwaukee, provided the comfort zone by clubbing a three-run homer in the fourth. That made it 4-0, and John Gall -- 0-for-5 the night before -- doubled and scored an out later on a double by Jason Donald, the Phillies' Triple-A shortstop.

"The last day has been a roller-coaster ride," LaPorta said. "Against Korea we played a great game, didn't come out on top against them, and we knew The Netherlands would be playing us well. The way Steve was really dealing out there, we knew if we could get runs for him early it would be a benefit."

The U.S. team has not lacked for offense. One slight concern might be at the top of the order, where the leadoff spot is a combined 0-for-10. Gall and Dexter Fowler each went 0-for-5 in that spot, though Fowler did drive in a run with an eighth-inning groundout. And since Jayson Nix's leadoff double in the first game, the No. 2 hole is 0-for-9.

Murray Cook, field operations manager for these Games and MLB's head groundskeeping consultant, said during the second wait that 90 minutes was the "guideline" before a delay would turn into a final. Robert Eenhoorn, The Netherlands manager and infielder on the 1996 world champion Yankees, explained afterward that the International Baseball Federation technical committee never had made that point known in advance, and so he pushed the matter as far as possible.

"Strasburg threw a tremendous game," he said. "We really didn't have a chance -- he had command over all of his pitches. He got the excitement out of the game for us. It felt like there wasn't much to get today.

"Overall, the USA deserved to win. It's just a strange end to the game. That's the only thing I don't feel great about."

The baseball competition will run until the Aug. 22 semifinals followed by the medal games the following day. The Closing Ceremony will be on Aug. 24.

Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

catbox_9 wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Yea, China even is playing with Taiwan's name for the Olympics!

Not just the Olympics - every sporting event China forces The Republic of China (Taiwan) to be called Chinese Taipei. The other nations, being wimps, give in

Free Tibet

BOYCOTT THE GAMES

08/14/2008 10:00 AM ET
U.S. ready to face off against Cuba
A's prospect Cahill to start against defending gold medalists
By Mark Newman / MLB.com

BEIJING -- It's a long way from Midland, Texas, where Trevor Cahill was spending much of his summer in the Double-A Texas League, to the right-hander's next start, which will occur at 11:30 a.m. local time (11:30 p.m. ET) on Friday when the United States takes on Cuba in a much-anticipated matchup featuring the last two Olympic gold medalists.

"I know that a lot of places picked them to win these Olympics," Cahill said of the always-respected Cubans. "Getting that challenge to start against them shows they have confidence in me. I have the best matchups, I guess. We'll go over the scouting report and then it's just a matter of me making my pitches."

Cuba has won three of the four gold medals in Olympics history, including the 2004 Games in Athens. The U.S. won the other medal in Sydney in 2000. Both are among the favorites in Beijing, and Cuba made an especially strong first showing with a 4-2 victory over Japan on Wednesday.

That game was a rematch of the 2006 World Baseball Classic final, won by Japan, and this time Cuba was facing the "next Daisuke Matsuzaka" in Japanese ace Yu Darvish. Undaunted, the Cubans touched him for a run in the second and third innings. Alexei Bell tripled and scored on Alfredo Despaigne's single in the second, and then it was a pair of familiar names in the third when Yuliesky Gurriel led off with a double, moved to third on an Alexander Malleta groundout and then scored on Frederich Cepeda's single.

Cepeda and Gurriel were two of the top hitters in the World Baseball Classic. Cuba has little turnover on its national team, so opponents are often familiar with it. That knowledge, however, seems to be of little help.

On Thursday, the U.S. players were leaving the rain-soaked field where they had just beaten the Netherlands, 7-0, while many of the Cuban players, including pitcher Pedro Luis Lazo, were kicked back with their eyes closed, following their late-night victory over Japan, as they awaited their night game against so-far-impressive Canada.

"I remember watching the World Baseball Classic and Cuba," said Cahill. "I was in high school then [in Vista, Calif.], but I was not thinking at the time that I was going to pitch against them one day."

Cahill started once since the U.S. team got together at the beginning of August -- the team's 7-2 victory over Canada in their four-game exhibition series in North Carolina -- before embarking on the Olympic trip. He said Taylor Teagarden, who was up with the Texas Rangers before the U.S. team was assembled, will be his catcher. Cahill was throwing "105 or 110" pitches per start in Double-A and said, "here, hopefully more."

Cahill is 11-5 with a 2.61 ERA this season, starting with Class A Stockton and then dominating the Texas League. He is 6-1 with a 2.19 ERA for Midland, and in one victory over Arkansas on the Fourth of July he was like fireworks to watch, striking out 10 and allowing no earned runs over eight innings.

Under normal circumstances, Cahill would be all about working his way up the A's chain and trying to make a name for himself in the pros. Right now, it is all about the stars and stripes, he said -- and trying to contain that vaunted Cuba lineup, which featured Girobis Duvergel in the leadoff spot against Japan's righty. The U.S. will face Cuba on the Wukesong Main Field, after playing two games on Field 2.

"I just come into something like this thinking that you win as a team," Cahill said, when asked what it's been like to deviate from the intense focus of trying to be a Major Leaguer. "We're not playing for anything else other than winning. I could care less if it's an error or a hit on an individual play, little things. Our objective is to win. There are so many games in the Minors, everyone's going to lose some days. Here, you almost have to win every day, or at least it feels that way."

Cahill said he has seen the U.S. "kind of come together as a team," and especially after what happened in the opener here on Wednesday, when the Americans rallied to take a lead against Korea in the top of the ninth and then lost the game, 8-7, on a miscommunication play and subsequent walk-off sacrifice fly.

"It's good we came out strong against the Netherlands," Cahill said. "Now we need to beat Cuba."

Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

gs78 wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Yea, China even is playing with Taiwan's name for the Olympics!

Not just the Olympics - every sporting event China forces The Republic of China (Taiwan) to be called Chinese Taipei. The other nations, being wimps, give in

Free Tibet

BOYCOTT THE GAMES

Or Free Tibet.

No.
Heck no.

Free Tibet, watch the Simpsons!

cdurbfan22 wrote:

Free Tibet, watch the Simpsons!

Speaking of those two concepts. Richard Gere once guest starred on the show playing a Buddhist (he is Buddhist) and mentioned to Lisa that his dream is for a Free Tibet - that guarantees that episode will never be seen in China :haha:

catbox_9 wrote:

cdurbfan22 wrote:

Free Tibet, watch the Simpsons!

Speaking of those two concepts. Richard Gere once guest starred on the show playing a Buddhist (he is Buddhist) and mentioned to Lisa that his dream is for a Free Tibet - that guarantees that episode will never be seen in China :haha:

That's funny.

Cuba beats the US in 11 using that retarded extra inning rule

We're 1-2. We need to get winning if we're going to medal.

08/15/2008 5:15 AM ET
USA falls to Cuba in 11 innings
Americans drop to 1-2 in preliminary action with loss
By Mark Newman / MLB.com

BEIJING -- Davey Johnson hopes to see Cuba again.

"Oh yeah," he said. "I'd like to see them in the finals."

Those are fightin' words, but the big question now is whether the Americans will even have a shot at getting out of the preliminary round.

The United States baseball team is in early jeopardy with a 1-2 record after losing a 5-4 thriller to Cuba in 11 innings, top Rockies prospect Jayson Nix is lost indefinitely after being hospitalized due to a foul tip that struck his face while bunting off Pedro Luis Lazo, and Johnson accused Cuba of throwing at his guy's face.

Oh, and by the way: The new Extra Innings Rule had to be used for the first time, and the Americans pretty much hate it. Terry Tiffee, the Dodgers' Triple-A first baseman probably headed for The Show shortly, called it "bogus."

"I don't like the way this ended," Johnson said. "I respect the way baseball is played in Cuba, but I don't like it played that way. I've lost one player already (Mike Hessman has a sore heel), and now I may have just lost one for the entire series today.

"I believe in hard-nosed baseball, that's how I played it in my career. But in my wildest imagination, I didn't think they'd throw it right at my player's coconut."

Responded Cuban manager Antonio Pacheco, after assuming the interview room following Johnson's stern remarks: "It's a lack of respect. We respect the game and we respect our opponents. We are incapable of doing that to someone."

Lazo was incredulous and seemed floored by Johnson's comments, and said, "He squared around. It hit the fat part of his bat first, and then it hit his face."

Nix, the team's second baseman who likely would be due for a call-up to Colorado when Major League rosters expand on Sept. 1, was rushed to a nearby hospital after squaring around to bunt off Lazo as Johnson's designated leadoff man, utilizing the new Extra Innings Rule implemented by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF).

Lazo's pitch was inside and it skipped off Nix's bat and appeared to hit him flush on the face between the eyes. He was down for a long time, and was then helped off the field with ice on his face.

"Mr. Nix sustained a laceration to the left upper eyebrow," said Dr. William Kuprevich, Chief Medical Officer of the U.S. Olympic Team. "His injury was evaluated with a CAT scan and a detailed eye exam. The laceration was repaired and he was treated with eye drops and rest. He will not return to play during the Games."

The Americans' next game is at 10:30 AM local time on Saturday against Canada, and not having that key player would be significant for a team that faces a very real threat of not making the cutdown from eight to four semifinal teams.

Japan still awaits as each team plays each other once, and that means that if the Americans lose to Japan (which won the World Baseball Classic), at best they would be 4-3, which is hardly a lock for advancing. They are in must-win mode all the way now.

Without Nix.

"The doctor said there was a lot of blood -- in the eye and outside the eye," Johnson said. When asked if stitches are needed, Johnson said he had "no idea."

Nix had hit the solo homer in the bottom of the eighth that wound up forcing extra innings, answering a mammoth (430-foot) solo homer by Alredo Despaigne off Jeremy Cummings (after 2 1/3 perfect relief innings) in the top of that inning.

Both Nix and Despaigne had been involved in an incident at the end of the fifth, when Nix took a flip from shortstop Jason Donald to force Despaigne at second -- and then turned and had words with Despaigne after seeing spikes fly high toward him after the tag already had been made. It was that kind of intensity all day between the last two Olympic champions (U.S. in 2000, Cuba in 2004).

U.S. starting pitcher Trevor Cahill had said he never had imagined pitching against Cuba one day while he was watching them meet Japan in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Back then, he was a high school student in Vista, Calif. Now he was on the mound facing the country that won three of the previous four Olympics, and in the first inning it didn't look like he was going to be around very long to enjoy it.

Giorbis Duvergel led off the game with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Michel Enriquez's double to right-center. Tiffee made the first of many key plays by scooping Matt Brown's throw to first on a groundout by Yuliesky Gurriel, and then Alexander Malleta singled Enriquez over to third. Cahill proceeded to hit Frederich Cepeda with a pitch to load the bases with one out, and that's when this was on the verge of getting way out of hand for the Americans.

Two hits, two walks, one hit batter, one wild pitch, one errant pickoff throw . . . a nightmare start for Cahill.

Despaigne then smoked a comebacker, and if Cahill handles it cleanly it's a routine 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. He bobbles it and gets the lead out at home. Two out, still loaded, Ariel Pestona up. Cahill struck him out.

The next inning was 1-2-3 for Cahill, a relief to his teammates, who were mostly baffled early on by the Fleetwood Mac pitching of Luis Rodriguez. He was living in the 70s and 80s -- he never topped 87 mph, mystifyingly effective.

Tiffee, the first baseman in the Dodgers organization who has been mainly behind Nomar Garciaparra in that chain, was the one U.S. player who was on fire. He played a huge role against Cuba. Tiffee doubled in the first inning and was safe at second with a textbook hook slide, but was stranded there. Then he doubled again to start the fourth. At that point, Tiffee had stroked five doubles in his last six at-bats going back to the previous 7-0 victory against The Netherlands. This time, his leadoff double in the fourth counted.

After a foul pop to third by Brown, Nate Schierholtz doubled to right-center and cut Cuba's lead to 2-1. Matt La Porta, having one of those classic good days/bad days moments, followed up his three-homer performance against The Netherlands by being rung up for one of his four strikeouts against Cuba. That brought up John Gall, and after a wild pitch moved Schierholtz over to third, Gall lofted a shallow fly down the left field line and it dropped in front of the slow-footed Cepeda for a double.

Suddenly it was 2-2 on a day when it looked like it could be really bad news for the Americans.

"Cahill struggled a little out of the gate, but he did well with damage control," Tiffee said. "I just go out and play the game hard. The first baseman's supposed to pick the ball up, that's what you're supposed to do. The little things."

The score stayed at 2-2 until the eighth, when Despaigne and Nix traded their homers. Neither team scored in the 10th, and the new rule specifies that for the 11th inning, each manager must "re-start" his lineup. That entails putting runners on first and second, and the leadoff man must be the person in the lineup who follows whomever the manager puts on first.

Cuba did it effectively, making regular leadoff man Duvergel its first batter in the 11th. He immediately moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt to third, and then Enriquez powered a two-run double to right for a 5-3 Cuba lead. After a walk to Gourriel, U.S. reliever Jeff Stevens escaped further damage with a 4-6-3 double play.

Johnson chose to put Donald on second and Fowler on first, sending Nix up to bat.

"I'm not a big fan of it, because in extra inning games you have to earn the victory," said Donald, the Phillies' Triple-A shortstop. "It takes all the work out of it. Mistakes happen, you get base hits, you have a good chance of winning normally. It was strange running out there to second to start an inning. I've never done it in my life. I probably never will after this."

Johnson had Nix bunt, and although Johnson mentioned in the news conference that Cuba had run a "wheel play" -- where the third baseman charges in and the shortstop runs to third in hopes of getting the force out there -- another member of his coaching staff said later that it actually was a normal bunt defense by Cuba. The third baseman only committed partially toward home.

Making the Extra Inning Rule even more bizarre, after Nix was injured, Brian Barden had to assume Nix's at-bat as a pinch-hitter. Barden laid down a perfect sacrifice, and now the U.S. had runners on second and third with one out, just as Cuba had done. Even the P.A. announcer was confused by the whole affair, having to correct a mistake after first saying that Barden was batting for Tiffee. Then Tiffee came to the plate, and continued his brilliant afternoon by hitting a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center, making it 5-4. About another 8 or 10 feet, and it would have been a walk-off winner.

Brown then popped out with a foul behind the plate, and the Cubans celebrated.

"I've never been a proponent of the new rule, but everybody's gotta play with it," Johnson said.

What does he really think of it?

"I'm a dinosaur. I'm a purist. I'm not really a fan of putting guys on base and then trying to defend."

Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

10:30p - 1:30a (8/16)

Rewind


Baseball: United States 5, Canada 4
The United States remain in control of their own destiny in regards to making the medal round after defeating Canada.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

08/16/2008 3:57 AM ET
Team USA rallies to beat Canada
By Mark Newman / MLB.com

BEIJING -- Sunday is a rest day for the baseball competition at the Summer Olympics, a chance to unwind around the Village, see some sights with family or friends, maybe watch the women's marathon or another event.

In the case of the United States team, it also is a chance to breathe a lot easier.

The U.S. improved to 2-2 in the preliminary round Saturday after wiping out a harrowing 4-0 deficit against Canada and leaving Wukesong Field 2 with a 5-4 victory. Play will resume for the U.S. on Monday night when right-hander Jake Arietta starts against China, and that will begin three straight games followed by the semifinal cutdown.

Canada dropped to 1-3, and all three losses have been heartbreaking, one-run games. There is such a fine line in this tournament between the top and bottom of the standings, and such is the nature of international ball. One minute you are fuming over a loss to Cuba in 11 innings that cost you a key player, and the next minute you are calculating whether you might see a Korea or a Japan in the semis -- so that in a perfect world you could get that rematch against Cuba in a gold medal game.

"We needed every game," said Cardinals Triple-A infielder Brian Barden, who replaced injured Rockies prospect Jayson Nix at second base on Saturday and scored two key runs. "You don't know how it's going to turn out. All you can control is going out there and played good baseball. (Monday) we'll come back out here with the same gameplan."

Many people can take credit for this comeback victory, and by all accounts you can put Davey Johnson's coaches right at the top of the list. After starter Brett Anderson bailed himself out by starting a 1-6-3 double play to end the top of the fourth, there was considerable shouting in the U.S. dugout during the changeover. Those were coaches trying to fire up the highly prized offensive prodigies in this lineup.

Marcel Lachemann, for one, said what a lot of people were thinking.

And he said it very loudly.

"You heard me out there, huh?" said the U.S. pitching coach, who managed the Angels from 1994-96 and has been around the big leagues a long time. "I didn't think people could hear me. Just don't quote me on what I said."

To paraphrase, it was a swift verbal kick in the white-knit butts of the home team, which would have to rally from 4-0 at that point. All the U.S. had managed to that point was a single by designated hitter John Gall. Matt LaPorta -- maybe the biggest name on this team as the key player sent to Cleveland in the CC Sabathia deal -- hit that huge three-run homer to back Stephen Strasburg against The Netherlands but was otherwise putting the "O" in "Olympics" by going 0-for-13 with a streak going of five straight strikeouts.

Lachemann knows a pivotal moment when he sees one, and turning that big double play into a turning point was one.

"It's kind of tough," Lachemann said. "You play day games here when you're used to night games mainly, and these really are morning games. They think they're grinding, and sometimes you gotta get on them and push harder."

Barden began the turnaround immediately by hitting a home run off James Avery to start the fourth.

"We came here and started out hitting in the cages," Barden said. "We all knew we needed this game, had sort of a fire in our bellies. Our coaches yelled at us to pull things together, so we were like, 'Let's wake up. Let's go out there and make some solid swings and get guys in.'"

Terry Tiffee and Matt Brown each hit Avery hard after Barden but had deep flyouts, and then Nate Schierholtz raked a double to right.

LaPorta was hit by a pitch. Then Gall singled to load the bases to score Schierholtz, and it was 4-2. Robert Swindell came on to replace Avery, and struck out catcher Lou Marson to end the threat, but cutting the deficit in half was at least the start of something.

"I still felt confident at 4-0," Johnson said. "I was really happy that Rick (Eckstein) and Lach yelled out at that time. If I do that, no one hears me. I need a loudspeaker. It did pick us up, no doubt about it."

That pattern continued through the game, as the U.S. chipped away at the damage that had been done with Anderson struggling early.

"I was rushing myself a little bit," Anderson explained. "I had to keep myself balanced. I had to trust my stuff. My stuff is good enough to get them out."

Dexter Fowler was driven in by yet another double by Tiffee. That run made it 4-3, and in the seventh, the U.S. manufactured a run as Marson walked, was bunted to second by Jason Donald and scored on Barden's double.

Finally, the score was tied. Then Tiffee did it again, doubling to the gap in left-center to score Barden with the eventual game-winner. That one came off lefty Rheal Cormier, the reliever who made 683 appearances in the Majors from 1991-2007 but is unsigned this year.

"(Cormier) made a couple of good pitches ahead of that one," Tiffee said. "He got ahead of me. I decided to be patient and wait for a good one.

"We can't come out dead again," he added. "That just can't happen anymore."

Not lost in this game was the dazzling performance by Brian Duensing, the Twins' Triple-A starter who is working out of the bullpen here. Johnson has little lefty availability on this roster, and, against the predominantly lefty-hitting Canadian lineup he used two on Saturday in Anderson and Duensing. The switch happened in the sixth, when Canada put runners on first and second with two out and still protecting a 4-3 lead at the time.

Adam Stern, who had driven in Canada's fourth run in his previous at-bat, was caught looking in a huge out for the U.S.

"It was a pretty tough situation," said Duensing. "I am not accustomed to relieving. Coming in, Stern is a pretty fast guy and a lot of their lefties were taking some pitches to left field. We were pitching them out a lot and I was just trying to keep him off balance by throwing a slider and something hard outside. Fortunately on that last pitch, I froze him with that slider."

"(Duensing) did a phenomenal job backing me up," Anderson said. "Hopefully, I will get to pitch in the medal round."

That will be on Aug. 23. The field will be reduced from eight to four after all clubs have played seven games (one against each other), and that will happen by ranking them by won-lost standings and then a tiebreaker of head-to-head if needed. Should there be a three-way tie, run differential will be used as a tiebreaker.

But first, Johnson has some plans.

After being all riled up about Cuba's late victory over his team and the injury to Nix, after managing another comeback thriller, he's outta here Sunday.

"I'm going to the Great Wall," Johnson said. "We'll deal with China the next day. My guys do need the day off, so I'm going to give it to them."

The guys could use the rest. It has been a tournament of electricity, virtually every game a thriller. The U.S. and Canada each could be 4-0, just as Cuba is now. One-run games have been common, probably a sign of drama to come this next week.

"This is a good example of what international baseball can be," Canada manager and former Astros regular Terry Puhl said. "This is why the Olympics should consider bringing baseball back in 2016. Have you not seen better ballgames day in and day out? This is competitive baseball because of the structure of how you get here. There is no reason why baseball should not be reinstated."

Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

08/16/2008 2:10 AM ET
Rockies' Nix out for rest of Olympics
Second baseman hit in the face by pitch after attempting bunt
By Mark Newman / MLB.com

BEIJING -- Rockies prospect Jayson Nix is out for the rest of the Summer Olympics, after being hit in the face while trying to bunt during the USA's 5-4 loss to Cuba on Friday.

He was recovering at the Olympic Village during the United States' game against Canada and seems likely to progress back to 100 percent.

Nix has a 1 1/2-inch gash just above his left eyebrow, penetrating to his skull, and required interior and exterior stitching. There is heavy swelling and he was forced to sleep at a 45-degree angle in his bed, eyes bandaged, as doctors wanted to be careful about blood that had massed behind his left eye.

"Jayson is resting comfortably at the Village under doctor's supervision," said John Blundell, team spokesman for USA Baseball. "It's possible he will be able to rejoin the team in the dugout in the next two or three days."

Blundell said the second baseman called his father -- who was watching the Cuba game on television back in Texas -- to ease concern as much as possible. Dan O'Dowd, the Rockies' general manager, also spoke by phone after the incident with USA Baseball GM Bob Watson, and was given the medical report.

It was expected that Nix would be recalled by his parent team when rosters expand on Sept. 1, and it is too early to speculate on whether this injury would affect that possibility. He is on the Rockies' 40-man organizational roster and was playing for Triple-A Colorado Springs at the time of the U.S. roster formation. Dexter Fowler, who was batting at leadoff immediately ahead of Nix in the lineup, is also here representing the Rockies organization and has been a Sky Sox teammate.

Sunday is a rest day for the baseball competition, following four consecutive days of baseball at the Wukesong Sports Complex. Play resumes Monday, with three consecutive days of games. Monday is a 7 p.m. game against China local time, instead of midday contest, so that could be an opportunity to be around fellow players if Nix feels up to it.

Nix's presence in the dugout, if only for support, could mean a lot. And vice-versa.

He had hit the solo homer off Pedro Luis Lazo in the eighth inning that forced extras against Cuba, and he was chosen by manager Davey Johnson to lead off when the new Extra Innings Rule was required for the 11th inning. With men automatically on first and second to start the inning, Nix squared around to bunt, and Lazo's pitch skimmed off his bat and struck him square on the face.

Lazo actually went to the plate to check on Nix while the hitter was down. There was a mild controversy afterward when Johnson accused Cuba of throwing at his hitter's head, but even other members of the U.S. team the following day cast doubt on that, suggesting it was merely heat-of-the-moment comments. Replays clearly showed that Nix was squared around and that it was a part-of-the-game injury -- albeit a bad one.

Amid heavy bleeding, Nix had an icepack applied to his face and was then rushed through the dugout and taken on a two-hospital Olympic trip. The first was to the PLH, where a CAT scan and surgery was required. He was then taken to Chinese-Japanese Friendship Hospital, and was observed by an eye doctor.

Nix was 2-for-9 in the Olympics, including the team's first hit of the tournament, a double, in the first inning against Korea in the opener -- and also including the homer on his last official at-bat. Nix had to be replaced by Brian Barden during his fateful 11th-inning at-bat. Barden was able to drop a sacrifice bunt, but the lone U.S. run was not enough and the team faced the rest of this tournament without one of its best players.

Nix's involvement here was memorable, as the 25-year-old got a chance to meet with President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Nix, who lives in Dallas, attended high school in Midland, Texas, where the First Lady is from. He said that meeting with the Bushes was his highlight of the Opening Ceremony. Nix also said that he and the president chatted at length behind the batting cage during the Bushes' visit last Monday.

It seems probable, although unknown as of yet, that Nix would be able to travel back to the States with his teammates. Each team has to play each other once for a total of seven preliminary games, and then the field will be reduced from eight to four for the Aug. 22 semifinal games. The medal games are Aug. 23.

Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Recap Box Log Cumulative Stats

Bean ball: U.S. hit five times, wins
A win Tuesday will clinch a medal round spot for the Americans
Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 7:45 AM ET

BEIJING (AP) -- Another American player took a pitch to the head, and the U.S. baseball team experienced a drama-filled game yet again during these Olympics in its victory over China.

Matthew LaPorta was taken to the hospital for a precautionary CAT scan Monday night with dizziness only three days after Jayson Nix fouled a ball off his left eye and needed microsurgery. LaPorta has a mild concussion and will be monitored daily, according to the USOC.

Jake Arrieta struck out seven in six shutout innings, Taylor Teagarden and Nate Schierholtz each hit two-run doubles and the U.S. team beat China 9-1 in a game that turned ugly and featured three ejections.

If tempers had been this testy back home, the U.S. players figure benches might have cleared.

China's top player, catcher Wang Wei of the Seattle Mariners organization, was knocked out of the game with a left knee injury following a collision at the plate with LaPorta in the fifth.

After Schierholtz made a hard slide home against backup catcher Yang Yang on a sacrifice fly in the sixth -- and Yang had to be held back from Schierholtz by teammates -- China manager Jim Lefebvre was ejected for arguing about the rough play. Chinese reliever Chen Kun and pitching coach Steven Ontiveros were tossed soon after when Chen plunked LaPorta in the head to start the seventh.

That came after U.S. skipper Davey Johnson and Ontiveros were called out for a discussion about the situation and warned by the umpiring crew.

Johnson, angrily pointing at Chen, and his staff rushed out to check on LaPorta, who was down for several minutes before getting up and leaving the game.

"I think we not only lost the game but lost our catcher possibly for the rest of the games," Lefebvre said. "The umpire should have ejected (Schierholtz). That's when the game got out of hand. We do not throw to hit people. We do not teach that in China or in the U.S."

Yang homered with one out in the ninth for China's lone run and raised his right arm in the air the entire way around the bases. After the final out was made, the teams finally came together and shook hands.

John Gall added an RBI double in the Americans' three-run fifth and Terry Tiffee hit his sixth double of the Olympics that inning, tying a U.S. Olympic record set by Brent Abernathy during the 2000 Sydney Games.

Matt Brown also doubled for the U.S. team (3-2) on a night when fans from many nations came together to do the wave through all the stands, even in the outfield bleachers. Things didn't stay as friendly once the game got physical.

"We were focused on winning the ballgame and not getting into any kind of conflict," Arrieta said. "We know what we're here for."

Teagarden's double to the warning track in right scored Gall and LaPorta, who was called safe following a face-first dive into home and the collision with Wang. Ted Heid of the Mariners hurried down to check on Wang.

Lefebvre first came out to argue after Wang got hurt, then was livid when Schierholtz clobbered Yang to make it 5-0.

"It was a close game, 4-0 at the time. The outfielder was really shallow and I knew it would be a close play," Schierholtz said. "It was a heat-of-the-moment thing. I did what I had to do to score the run."

A Class-A pitcher in Baltimore's farm system, Arrieta consistently was clocked in the low-90s on the radar gun and his first five strikeouts were called before he retired Zhang Yufeng swinging leading off the fourth.

The hard-throwing right-hander, who pitched a scoreless inning in last month's Futures Game during the All-Star festivities at Yankee Stadium, allowed two hits and walked two with two hit batters.

Johnson shook up his lineup and batting order and his team took a quick lead. Brian Barden singled to start the bottom of the first and reached third on the play when right fielder Feng Fei booted the ball for a two-base error.

Schierholtz singled him home moments later against China starter Li Chenhao, who pitched 5 1-3 scoreless innings with three hits against South Korea earlier in the tournament.

Schierholtz and Brown drew back-to-back walks to start the third but Li worked out of the jam.

China (1-4), managed by former major leaguer Lefebvre, won its first ever Olympic baseball game, 8-7 over Taiwan in 12 innings Friday. But the Chinese had to play South Korea during Sunday's scheduled rest day to make up their game that was suspended Thursday because of a downpour. China lost the game 1-0 in the 11th inning Sunday.

Earlier Monday, South Korea (5-0) seemed to be in command of its wild 9-8 victory over Taiwan after scoring seven runs and batting around in the first inning, then making it 8-0 in the second. But Taiwan rallied and the game was tied at 8 heading into the seventh before KANG Min-ho hit a go-ahead single.

South Korea will play Tuesday against fellow unbeaten Cuba (5-0), a 14-3 winner over the Netherlands in eight innings Monday night.

Atsunori Inaba homered to lead medal favorite Japan past Canada 1-0 in the other early game.

USA beat the Republic of China and improves to 4-2. They qualify for the semis.

Recap
Box
Log
Cumulative Stats


08/19/2008 11:40 AM ET
U.S. clinches berth in medal round
Fowler leads Americans to victory over Chinese Taipei
By Mark Newman / MLB.com

BEIJING -- Despite some tense moments along the way, the four favorites advanced from the original field of eight and will meet in Friday's semifinal games at the Summer Olympics on Friday: Korea, Cuba, the United States and Japan.

The U.S. clinched a place in the medal round Tuesday by rallying for a 4-2 victory over a Chinese Taipei team that personified the intense competition from top to bottom at the Games. All that remains are the exact matchups, which will be determined when all four teams play their seventh and final games of the preliminaries on Wednesday, including the U.S. vs. Japan at 7 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET) at the Wukesong Main Field.

"We came halfway around the world to get to the medal round, and like I said early on, this is the best competition I've been involved in with the Olympics," said U.S. general manager Bob Watson. "You're going to have someone get into the semifinals with three losses. We've only got half of our work done. We've got some games to play against some tough clubs, and we'll have to play our A-game.

"I've heard a lot of people say they want to see us play Cuba for the gold medal. The way I look at it, we've got to play them all anyway. I just want to be there. I don't care who we play, as long as we've done our part to be there."

Korea beat Cuba on Tuesday to remain the only unbeaten team at 6-0. Cuba is 5-1. The U.S. and Japan are each 4-2. Korea will be the No. 1 seed, Cuba will be No. 2, and the other two clubs will decide their order of seeding with Wednesday's game. No. 1 will play No. 4 at 10:30 a.m. local time on Friday, and No. 2 will play No. 3 at 6 p.m. that day. The losers will play for the bronze medal at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, and the winners will meet at 6 p.m. that day to decide the gold and silver.

"This game was huge for us, because it alleviates some of the pressure going into [the Japan game], even though we're not just going to show up against them," said shortstop Jason Donald, who showed the representative emotion after getting to first base with an RBI single in the eighth that produced the final run. "The goal is to get in. Obviously we're not satisfied with the worst-case scenario of a bronze medal or no medal. We're going for the gold medal. That's why we're here."

Chinese Taipei struck first, when Chih-Sheng Lee led off the fifth inning with a double, was bunted over to third and scored on an error by first baseman Matt Brown. But the U.S. team answered immediately in the bottom of the inning, getting a run of its own on a leadoff triple by Dexter Fowler and an RBI double by Brian Barden.

The U.S. played this game without outfielder Matt LaPorta -- who will be unavailable against Japan because of the mild concussion he sustained when he was beaned Monday night against China. Yet the U.S., also missing second baseman Jayson Nix -- who expects to play in the medal round after being hit in the face by a pitch last Friday -- once again made up for a key absence, particularly in the outfield.

Nate Schierholtz threw out Chin-Feng Chen at home with a perfect peg from right to preserve a 1-1 score through the top of the sixth. Fowler was on base all four times, hitting a triple, double and single and drawing a walk. John Gall led off the sixth with a homer and the eighth with a double and run.

The sixth inning was decisive. After Schierholtz's big play in right, Gall led off the bottom of that inning with a homer over the wall in left-center. The U.S. never trailed again. Lou Marson walked, Donald sacrificed him over to second -- "I haven't had a sac bunt the whole year in Double-A and now I've had three here," Donald said -- and then Fowler slashed a double to left while hitting from the left side. That gave the U.S. a 3-1 lead and made an eventual winner out of Brandon Knight (1-0).

"Everybody on our team feels like we've earned it, because we battled in the trenches the last several days," Gall said. "It's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the way this crowd is up every night, the competition being this top-notch. It has been intense. Every team we play is gunning for us. It's really amazing the talent across the world, and that was a great baseball team we just beat tonight."

In his second start of the Olympics, Knight was effective early, striking out five of the first seven batters he faced. Although he did not record a strikeout after the second inning, he was able to battle and keep Taipei from no more than two runs in the game.

"[Chinese Taipei] was what we expected and I was just very impressed [with them]," Knight said. "I think it is something that I have been through having played in Asia. They really do a good job of making adjustments. Their scouting is second to none and they really pay attention to what is going on.

"The first time through the order I was able to make some good pitches and get some swings and misses. But they made the adjustment. They started taking some good pitches and taking some good swings on others. I was impressed but I also wasn't surprised."

Chinese Taipei cut the U.S. lead to 3-2 when Chih-Sheng Lin answered Gall's leadoff homer with a leadoff clout of his own in the seventh. Knight stayed on to retire one more batter, and then Mike Koplove came in from the bullpen induced two groundouts to end the inning. He threw a 1-2-3 eighth to extend his Olympic perfection to 4 1/3 hitless innings. Kevin Jepsen got the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

There were some tense moments early in this tournament, as the U.S. started 1-2 with tough losses to Korea and then Cuba sandwiched around a 9-0 win over the Netherlands. Some people might even have had a sudden doubt about whether the Americans were going to make it past the semifinal cut.

"There was never a doubt in my mind," Donald said. "There was not one guy who pushed the panic button here. We had to persevere. And we're in the medal round."

Now the baseball team has a chance to add to the U.S. overall lead in the medals standings. It will be gold, silver, bronze or zip. All of that remains to be seen, but the first objective has been accomplished.

Mark Newman is enterprise editor of MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Now let's win a medal, preferably gold! We won't be playing teams like The Republic of China and the People's Republic of China in the medal round! We need to beat real teams!