United States 9, Great Britain 1
HOUSTON (Mar. 7) — A fifth-inning surge rallied the United States to a decisive 9–1 victory over Great Britain in Pool B of the World Baseball Classic Saturday night at Daikin Park. Kyle Schwarber sent a towering blast to the upper deck in right to break a 1–1 tie and give the United States the lead for good.
United States – Great Britain Game Summary
Great Britain took a 1–0 lead when Nate Eaton launched the first pitch of the game for a homer, victimizing Tarik Skubal. Eaton initially had a double; however, replay showed that the ball struck the rail above the yellow line in left-center. In the bottom of the second, Will Smith ripped a liner to right that appeared destined to tie the game. But Trayce Thompson, sprinting full speed, made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Smith as he crashed into the padding. Thompson’s highlight‑reel play drew a loud ovation from the crowd.
The United States extended the inning with back-to-back two-out singles. Ernie Clement ripped a hot grounder toward the hole on the left side, a ball that once again looked destined to tie the game. But third baseman Ivan Johnson, diving to his left, gloved it and fired to first to nab the hustling Clement on a close play.
Not So Fast…
The score held into the bottom of the fifth, long enough that comparisons to the “USA 1, England 0” shocker from Belo Horizonte at the 1950 FIFA World Cup were starting to feel uncomfortably plausible. Non‑soccer writers were finally figuring out how to spell “Joe Gaetjens” when a wild pitch from Great Britain reliever Andre Scrubb allowed Clement to score the tying run from third. Two pitches later, Kyle Schwarber launched a hanging cutter into the upper deck for a moonshot of a two‑run homer. The United States jumped ahead 3–1, and whatever hopes the small visiting‑fan contingent had of a Great Britain upset evaporated on contact. Later in that same half-inning, two more runs came across on a two-out bases-loaded double by Gunnar Henderson. This made the score 5–1.
More scoring came in the bottom of the sixth. The first run came on a sacrifice fly to right by Alex Bregman. A single by Aaron Judge to left — one hit so hard that it knocked a score panel out of the manual scoreboard inside the high wall — brought in a second run. The third run came in on another sacrifice fly, this time by Will Smith. This ended the sixth with the score 8–1. It became 9–1 in the bottom of the seventh on another Bregman sac fly, ending the scoring.
What Went Right for the United States
One Crack Opened the Floodgates
Once the United States finally broke through in the fifth, the entire offensive tone of the night shifted. The tying run came not on a big swing but on a mistake — a wild pitch that allowed Clement to score from third. Clement himself reached on an error. The Schwarber blast came two pitches later. Gunnar Henderson’s bases‑loaded double later in the inning widened the gap and effectively put the game out of reach.
After the First Batter, All Was Calm
Tarik Skubal’s night opened with a shock when Nate Eaton ambushed the first pitch for a homer, but the pitching staff stabilized from that point forward. Great Britain never mounted another sustained threat, and the score remained 1–0 until the fifth. Once the United States surged ahead, the relief unit protected the lead without turbulence.
What Went Wrong for the United States
Fell Behind on the Very First Pitch
Eaton’s leadoff blast created an immediate deficit and forced the United States to chase the game for four innings. It didn’t derail the United States, but it created early tension and kept the crowd uneasy until the fifth‑inning surge.
Runners Left in Scoring Position
Before the offense broke through, the United States had multiple scoring chances erased by Great Britain’s defense. Will Smith’s liner to right in the second appeared destined to tie the game, but Trayce Thompson made a full‑speed leap at the wall and hauled it in as he crashed into the padding. Moments later, Ernie Clement’s sharp grounder toward the hole looked like another RBI, but Ivan Johnson’s diving stop and strong throw cut him down. Those missed opportunities kept the United States scoreless until the fifth.
What Went Right for Great Britain
Aggressive from the Get-go
Great Britain opened the game with intent. Eaton’s first‑pitch homer set an immediate tone and energized the visiting supporters. That swing gave Great Britain an early spark and briefly created the possibility of a tense, low‑scoring battle.
Highlight-reel Defense
Two defensive gems kept Great Britain in the game far longer than the final score suggests. Thompson’s robbery of Will Smith was one of the standout plays of the entire tournament thus far. Johnson’s diving stop to end the second inning was almost as impressive. Those plays prevented early United States runs and maintained the 1–0 Great Britain lead through four innings.
What Went Wrong for Great Britain
Relief Corps Couldn’t Finish the Job
Starting pitcher Tyler Viza tossed three scoreless innings, yielding two hits in the second before Johnson’s slick play. But once Viza left the game, Great Britain had trouble keeping the United States hitters from doing damage.
Looking Ahead
Clay Holmes earned the win for the United States as Andre Scrubb took the loss for Great Britain. Both were in relief.
The United States is off on Sunday and will resume play Monday in a tough game against rival Mexico. First pitch will be at 7 pm Central. Great Britain will face Italy Sunday in the early game, with first pitch at Noon Central.
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