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Rays' Alex Colome gets win as Dominicans beat U.S. at WBC

 
Published March 12, 2017

MIAMI — The Marlins Park crowd for Saturday's Dominican Republic-United States World Baseball Classic showdown was every bit as loud, lively and stadium-shaking as you could have imagined.

The game was pretty good, too.

The defending champ Dominicans, trailing 5-0 in the sixth, rallied to pin a staggering 7-5 defeat on a U.S. team that could have clinched a spot in the next round with a win before the raucous gathering of 37,446.

The game turned in the eighth, when Team USA manager Jim Leyland turned to Andrew Miller, who was so impressive for Cleveland in the postseason. But Miller hit Jose Bautista, allowed a single to Carlos Santana then gave up back-to-back homers, a three-run shot by Nelson Cruz and a solo blast by Starling Marte.

Two Rays relievers pitched for the Dominicans: Newly acquired Jumbo Diaz, clocking 97 mph, giving up a walk, a double and eventually two runs in the sixth; closer Alex Colome allowing just a leadoff walk in the eighth and getting the win.

Team USA now needs to beat Canada tonight to have a chance to advance.

Starter Marcus Stroman, facing a lineup that included Jays teammate Bautista, put the U.S. squad in position with a strong 42/3 innings.

"It was a good ballgame, one we felt we had in hand and pretty much let get away," Leyland said.

price update: Red Sox left-hander David Price took a first step in his recovery from a sore elbow ahead of schedule, throwing 25 easy tosses into a net in a batting cage. The former Rays ace is not close to pitching off a mound.

BLUE JAYS: Reliever T.J. House was released from Lakeland Regional Medical Center, a day after he was hit in the head by a line drive against the Tigers. "I'm doing a lot better than I thought,'' he said. Test results were normal.

PIRATES: Infielder Jung Ho Kang was placed on the restricted list while he is delayed in South Korea by visa issues related to a DUI charge.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.