ITA 000 000 002 0 2 7 0 WAS 041 000 000 0 5 9 1
The Italian National Team played another exhibition game before the 2009 World Baseball Classic on Saturday. In Viera, Florida a selection of the Washington Nationals defeated the European squad 5-2 in a ten-inning unofficial scrimmage. It was their third loss in four such games against Major League clubs in Florida.
At their own Spring Training facilities the home team had the better start into the match, scoring four runs on five two-out hits in a row in the second frame against Italian starter Dan Serafini. One period later they added another run for a commanding 5-0 lead. Shortstop Freddie Bynum drove in two. Brad Eldred hit a solo homerun. Also in the lineup of the Nats were big league veterans Dmitri Young, Ryan Langerhans, Javier Valentin (2-2) and Alex Cintron.
Italy needed nine innings to get things going offensively, as Mario Chiarini and Giuseppe Mazzanti scored on RBIs by Alex Liddi and Joseph Mazzuca. Leonardo Zileri and Davide Dallospedale each had two hits in the game. Washington’s starter Josh Towers struck out four in two three-hit innings.
Serafini gave up six hits, five runs and a walk in three innings of work. Alex Maestri (2 IP), B.J. La Mura, Marc La Macchia, Tiago Da Silva, Kasey Olenberger and Luca Panerati gave up a combined three hits and two base on balls in the reminder of the game, striking out three.
Today Italy’s Major Leaguers in the World Baseball Classic will join the roster for the last preparation phase.