Puerto Rico win, advance to Final with perfect record

World No. 10 Puerto Rico warmed up for the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 Final with a shut-out 3-0 win against No. 5 Venezuela on Friday. Puerto Rico has lost just one game (against Australia in the Opening Round) and will advance to the World Championship Final against No. 1 Japan with a perfect record in the Super Round.

Edrick Felix reached on a one-out single in the bottom of the first, recording Puerto Rico's first hit against right-hander Oswald Mori.

Puerto Rico scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the third. Jankel Ortiz led off with a double.He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a base hit by Osvaldo Torres. Harold Laracuente advanced on the play and scored the second run on a wild pitch.

Righty Luis Rodriguez kept Venezuela scoreless for three innings and left Puerto Rico's mound to left-hander Yediel Cuadrado.

The reliever walked Giovanny Rivero with one out and allowed a two-out single to Pedro Martinez, bringing Rivero to third. Rodriguez loaded the bases with the walk and left. Puerto Rico handed the ball to left-hander Omar Melenzdez, who got Alexander Pena to pop to shortstop for the third out.

Venezuela got the third out of the bottom of the fifth at the plate. Laracuente tried to score from second on a base hit by John Montes, but right fielder César Idrogo got him with a bullet throw.

Puerto Rico added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth against right-hander Wilker Palma, the third Venezuelan pitcher. Daniel Figueroa reached on an infield single, advanced to third on a double by Angel Guzman and scored on a passed ball.

Carlos Roses threw 15 pitches, eight for strikes, to work a perfect top of the seventh.