USA 11, Panama 0
US starter Drew Smyly (Tigers) pitched 6 shutout innings to earn the win over Panama in the Pan Am tournament on Friday afternoon. Smyly allowed just 4 hits and one walk, while striking out 4 batters. Reliever Matt Shoemaker (Angels) pitched the 7th inning, also scoreless, and allowed one hit and one walk.
The game lasted 7 innings because Team USA was leading by more than 10 runs after those 7 innings. Pirates’ SS Jordy Mercer contributed 3 hits and an RBI to the team effort, and scored 2 runs. The scoring began in the bottom of the 1st. With one out, Mercer started the rally with a single into center, and he moved to second base on a passed ball. An error at second base and a walk loaded the bases. DH Matt Clark (Padres) also walked, forcing in Mercer, then RF Brett Carroll (Red Sox) also worked a walk, forcing in the second run of the inning (the first was earned, the second was unearned).
The US batters went down in order in the 2nd and 3rd innings, but they exploded for 6 runs in the 4th. Carroll led off with a solo homer. 3B Tommy Mendonca (Rangers) was hit by a pitch, and a wild pitch put him on second base. C Tuffy Gosewisch (Phillies) singled in Mendonca. Walks to LF AJ Pollock (Diamondbacks) and Mercer loaded the bases. 2B Joe Thurston (Marlins) brought in Gosewisch with a single grounded into right field, and an RBI grounder brought in Pollock. Clark walked, loading the bases again. A wild pitch let Mercer score from third base, and Carroll scored Thurston for the 6th run of the inning, giving the US an 8-0 lead.
CF Jordan Danks (White Sox) tripled in the 5th inning, and scored on Mercer’s RBI single. Mendonca added 2 more runs in the 6th, when he homered after Carroll’s single. Mercer singled again in that inning, loading the bases, but a ground out ended the inning.
Team USA’s next game is scheduled for 8 pm on Saturday.
