Team USA – Germany 8-1
GER 100 000 000 1 1 0 USA 012 320 00X 8 13 1
Team USA has won the 2009 World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia with an 8-1 victory over Germany in the final on Sunday afternoon. Drew Pomeranz (W 2-0) allowed just one hit by Andy Janzen with two outs in the seventh to lead his team to a dominating win, getting some payback for the 3-6 loss during the preliminary phase.
However the lone European team in the tournament still can be happy about its performance, as they were able to beat each one of the five other squads and made quite an impression in Canada. The second place is kind of bitter sweet, as catcher/outfielder Simon Guehring fractured a bone in his left heel on Saturday and is going to miss the rest of the playoffs with the HEIDENHEIM HEIDEKOEPFE and probably the Baseball World Cup in September too.
On Sunday Pomeranz only struggled during the first frame, allowing Sascha Lutz to score on a RBI groundout by Ludwig Glaser for an early 1-0 lead by Germany. The only other time that a German base runner reached third base came in the top of the sixth. The Americans evened the score in the second on a RBI single by Blake Forsythe. During the following three innings Team USA blew the game wide open on solo homeruns by Michael Choice, Yasmani Grandal and Bryce Brentz, plus a two-run double by Tyler Holt.
Pomeranz pitched seven innings total, giving up just one hit, a run and two walks. He struck out twelve batters, including five in a row from the first to the third. After Germany had used its three best starting pitchers Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez, Tim Henkenjohann and Andre Hughes on Friday and Saturday, Markus Winkler (L 0-1) got the starting nod in the finals and was hit hard from the beginning. He gave up seven hits, three runs (2 ER) and one walk in three innings.
During the medal ceremony after the game, Tim Henkenjohann received the MVP award for the tournament, leading Germany to wins over Team USA last Monday and against British Columbia on Saturday with stellar starts. Guehring, catcher Chris Howard and second baseman Jendrick Speer were named to the all-star team. Michael Choice of Team USA received the trophies as the best first baseman, best hitter and for the most homeruns. His teammates Gerrit Cole and Pomeranz were named best pitchers, Grandal best designated hitter.
Final Standings World Baseball Challenge:
- USA
- Germany
- Canada
- British Columbia
- Prince George Axemen
- Bahamas
More info on www.worldbasebll.ca