US Trounces Venezuela

"This line-up should just bludgeon the opposition, and it's not terribly likely that Galarraga will be able to stop them." - Me, from the first inning of the US-Venezuela game.

US - 15, Ven. - 6.

Galarraga pitched pretty well, but the US was able to put an 8-spot up against the Venezuelan pen in the 6th inning and kept adding on. That's why you don't sac bunt in the first inning.

Apparently, Ven. manager Luis Sojo used Felix Hernandez (easily their best pitcher) yesterday in relief against Italy (Ven. won 7-0). That was an incredibly stupid move, as Felix should have been saved to face the much better US line-up. That would have given Venezuela a chance.

Other random notes:

A's reliever and groundball machine Brad Ziegler set the ML record for most scoreless innings to start a career last year, so naturally he gave up a home run to the first batter he faced in the WBC.

Baseball hater Adam Dunn hit a homer for the second game in a row (and it was an absolute bomb). Who would want that jerk on their team?

And I feel I should mention Melvin Mora and the inexplicable things he does on the baseball field. First he unnecessarily bare-hands a bouncer to third, even though he threw the guy out by about 20 feet anyway. Then he hits a grounder to third that Chipper Jones has to dive for, and dives into first base. He was out, but would have beaten the throw if he had just run through the bag. I love Melvin, but he can do some infuriating stuff (despite meaning well).