Brazil beats favourites Panama 1-0 to qualify for the World Baseball Classic
Little known Brazilian baseball team stunned the World by defeating Panama 1-0 on Monday, November 19, 2012 at the Rod Carew National Stadium in Brazil to qualify for the World Baseball Classic.
Brazilian team’s only big name was Yan Gomes, who became the first person from Brazil to play in the Major League earlier in the year. The team was managed by Barry Larkin, the recently inducted Hall of Famer.
The only runs in the game were scored by Gomes in the second inning. The team managed ten hits against three by Panama’s batters.
The Brazilian trio of pitchers was amazing and only surrendered three hits during the night. Rafael Fernandes shut-out the Panamanian team in the first six innings and the rest was done by Murilo Gouvea and Vieira. The pitching unit during the three games
only gave away four runs in 27 innings.
Rafael was particularly good, mixing up his pitches against some of the well known Major League names who were representing the Panamanian team. He only gave away two hits and issued a walk during his time at the mound.
"I think some stars were born in this tournament," Larkin said. "I think his (Rafael’s) name is now in the books in Brazil for being the winning pitcher and leading us to this victory."
Gouvea pitched in over two innings without surrendering a hit and Vieira made his second save of the qualifiers to seal the World Baseball Classic berth for Brazil.
Roberto Kelly, the manager of the team from Panama, congratulated the Brazilians and praised their excellent work in the field.
"You've got to give credit where credit is due," Kelly said. "They've got good pitching. Both times they faced us, the pitching was outstanding." He also expressed disappointment on his team being unable to qualify.
Gomes was over the moon with the win and attributed the victory to the team’s tough efforts. "We were playing the top seed in this tournament [Panama] and we just came out and played the way you're supposed to play; we played with a lot of heart," he said.
This win will take the sport in Brazil to new heights. The football nation may soon be earning its name on the baseball field as well. The years of hard work by the Brazilian players has certainly paid off in beating the more illustrious adversaries in the
field of play and should push the game to new popularity in the country.
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