by RENALDO DORSETT
Eight of Mexico’s nine starters are currently on MLB clubs – Alexis Wilson is the only one that is not.
Among the stars, Wilson was the hero at the plate and delivered both RBIs in Mexico’s 2-1 win over Great Britain Tuesday night at the World Baseball Classic.
Chavez Young was again a bright spot for Great Britain, both at the plate and in the field. He tied the WBC record for steals in a tournament with five.
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ prospects’ record setting steal came in the sixth inning and he eventually scored the game tying run on BJ Murray’s infield single.
Defensively, Young also had a spectacular play in the fourth inning displaying the arm strength that has been measured as one of the strongest in the tournament thus far. Jonathan Aranda singled to right field and tried to stretch it into a double, but Young quickly fielded the ball and fired a laser to throw out Aranda sliding into second.
This play came a day after Young’s throw in the seventh inning against Colombia was measured at 95.6 mph, the fastest in the tournament.
In a game where runs were tough to manufacture, Mexico scored the go ahead run in the bottom of the seventh.
Tahnaj Thomas finally made his first pitching appearance of the tournament and entered the game, tied 1-1. He surrendered a walk to Alan Trejo but got Jarren Duran to pop out for the first out. A wild pitch sent Trejo to third and Wilson followed with a line drive single to left field to put Mexico ahead 2-1.
Young finished 1-4, with a stolen base, Murray was 1-3 with an RBI, and Anfernee Seymour went 1-3.
Taijuan Walker was dominant on the mound with eight strikeouts, one hit, and one walk through four innings.
Walker began the game by retiring the side in order in the first inning, including a pair of strikeouts. Mexico managed a pair of baserunners in their first appearance but also came up scoreless.
Harry Ford got GB’s first hit of the game when he doubled to leadoff the second inning, but only advanced as far as third base on a Matt Koperniack ground out. Walker struck out two of the next four batters he faced in the inning
Mexico got on the scoreboard in the third. Isaac Paredes singled to start the inning and Trejo drew a walk to place runners at first and second. Both runners advanced to on a wild pitch, and Wilson came through with an RBI single for the game’s first run.
Walker again struck out the side on just 16 pitches and left GB without a baserunner in the third. With two out, Tellez doubled to right field, but GB escaped another run when Seymour tracked a pop fly to shallow left field to record the third out.
In the fourth, Ford drew Walker’s only walk of the game, but the Mets starter again struck out two batters in the inning to bring his total to eight before he exited.
After a scoreless fifth Young opened the sixth with a standup double to right field and went on to steal third. Ford drew a walk to place runners at the corners with two out and Murray came through with an RBI single to score Young.
GB had its best late game scoring opportunity in the seventh. Darnell Sweeney opened with a walk, but Jaden Rudd hit into a double play. Seymour followed with a single up the middle but was eventually picked off on first base.
GB finished the tournament 1-3 in Pool D and will need some help to earn automatic qualification into the 2026 WBC.
If the USA defeats Mexico, GB finishes fourth in the pool and will qualify for 2026, but if Colombia wins, GB will finish fifth and will be relegated to requalification.
