2009 World Baseball Classic

In the opening game for Group B of the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Cuba easily bested South Africa 8-1. Cuba’s 13-hit attack included six home runs, a new WBC single-game record.

But let’s not get carried away.

Yes, the Cubans are incredible athletes with a passion for baseball. Yes, they combine well-honed skills with fiery determination. They have always been an international force in baseball. They are certainly favored to win Group B and move on to the second round in San Diego.

Venezuelan manager Luis Sojo must have known it would end like this. He must have realized that he has only three All-Star-quality pitchers on his staff. He must have known that American bats would not be quiet for long.

Yesterday in Toronto, Team USA guaranteed that they will play in the next round of the WBC with an awesome display of offense. A huge sixth inning broke the game open for the US, proving that once they got past starter Armando Galarraga, no one in the Venezuelan bullpen could shut them down.

Despite an uncharacteristically rocky start from Roy Oswalt, the United States gained passage to the next round of the World Baseball Classic with a 15-6 victory over Venezuela.

Oswalt went just 3.2 innings before running into the 70-pitch limit, giving up six hits, two walks, and three earned runs in the process. His counterpart, Armando Galarraga, fared a little better with a line of 5H, BB, 2ER in his four innings of work.

This game, however, was a testament to the importance of a solid bullpen.