June 23, 2004
DURHAM, N.C. (www.USABaseball.com) -- Arizona State sophomore Travis Buck (So., Richland, Wash.) went 1-for-1 with three walks and two RBI to help lead the 2004 USA Baseball National Team to a 9-2 victory over Canada Wednesday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Second baseman Jed Lowrie (So., Stanford, Salem, Ore.) broke a 2-2 tie with a leadoff home run in the seventh inning to break open the game and give Team USA a victory to open the 2004 summer schedule.
The first game of the six-game Friendship series with Canada served as part of the trials week for the 2004 USA Baseball National Team. The current 36-player trials roster will be trimmed to 20 and announced on June 27 for the remainder of the summer season schedule. Buck is looking to become the 10th all-time Sun Devil to make the squad and keep a string alive of at least one ASU player on the National team since 2000.
Long Beach State left-handed pitcher Cesar Ramos (So., Pico Rivera, Calif.) was dominant out of the bullpen to pick up the win. Ramos, who was 12-4 with a 2.29 ERA for the Dirtbags, struck out six and gave up only two singles in five scoreless innings. Starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey (So., Wichita State, Wichita, Kan.) was solid in his first start of the summer, giving up a pair of unearned runs two hits in three innings. Loyola Marymount right-hander Stephen Kahn (So., Anaheim, Calif.) struck out two in the ninth inning to seal the win.
Canada reliever Rylan Pranger took the loss giving up the solo home run to Lowrie. Starting pitcher Brad Ashman scattered five hits and two runs in five innings of work while picking up the no-decision.
Seven of Team USA's starting position players recorded at least one hit, with third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (So., Virginia, Virginia Beach, Va.) leading the way going 2-for-5 with two RBI and a three-run home run. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (So., Long Beach State, Sunnyvale, Calif.) also notched two hits and scored two runs. Buck, who hit .373 (84-for-225) and was named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2004, went 1-for-1 with two walks and two RBI in the victory.
Team USA jumped out to the lead with a single tally in the bottom of the second inning. First baseman John Mayberry Jr. (So., Stanford, Kansas City, Kan.) and catcher Jeff Clement (So., Southern California, Marshalltown, Iowa) led off with back-to-back singles to start the rally. After a walk to Buck, right fielder Brad Corley (So., Mississippi State, Louisville, Ky.) gave USA the lead with a run-scoring ground out to plate Mayberry Jr.
The Canadians battled back with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead. Fielding errors by Mayberry and Lowrie led to a pair of unearned runs.
USA rallied with two outs in the fourth to pull even at 2-2. Tulowitzki doubled to the left field gap and scored on a sharp single to right field by Buck to bring home the equalizer.
Lowrie gave the Red, White and Blue the lead for good with his solo shot on a 2-1 offering from reliever Rylan Pranger. Lowrie hit .399 with 17 home runs and was the Pac-10 Player of the Year for the Stanford Cardinal in 2004.
With Ramos in cruise control, USA added six more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 9-2. Zimmerman's blast cleared the 30-foot wall in left-center field, estimated over 430 feet. Buck also drove in a run with a bases loaded walk and pinch-hitter Stephen Head (So., Ole Miss, Raymond, Miss.) also plated a run with a fielder's choice groundout.
Team USA and Canada continue the six-game Friendship Series Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Tennessee right-hander Luke Hochevar (So., Fowler, Colo.) is tentatively schedule as the starting pitcher for USA.
Game Notes: The start of the game was delayed an hour and a half as heavy rain storms passed through the Triangle Area... Team USA also endured weather problems in its Durham opener last summer against Japan. USA and Japan had a game halted after four innings on July 2 and played the remaining five innings and a seven-inning contest on July 3... Pelfrey threw 55 pitches (35 strikes) in his three inning start and threw in the mid 90's... the series is showdown between all-star collegiate teams from Canada and USA... OF/INF Trevor Crowe and INF Jason Donald from the University of Arizona arrived just before game after the Wildcats were eliminated from the College World Series on Tuesday... catcher Jonathan Higashi (Sr., Loyola Marymount) left Wednesday morning for Arizona as the fifth-year senior was signed as a free agent by the Texas Rangers... he will play in the Arizona Rookie League... four players (3 Texas, 1 Cal State Fullerton) on the National Team Trials Roster are still playing in the College World Series... Team USA is now 44-9 against Canada dating back to 1987.
Box score (NCAA)
2004 USA Baseball National Team
Canada at USA National Team
Jun 23, 2004 at Durham, N.C. (Durham Athletic Park)
Canada 2 (0-1)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Tobin rf............ 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0
Vince Ircandia 2b........ 4 1 0 0 0 1 3 5 1
M. Charbonneau cf........ 4 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1
Jake Elder c............. 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 0
Kyle Mace 1b............. 3 0 0 0 1 2 12 1 0
Adam Campbell lf......... 4 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 0
Dave Barr dh............. 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Mark Capone ph.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dustin Bissonnette ss.... 1 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 0
Matt Calcagni 3b......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 3
Steve Coates ph......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Brad Ashman p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Charlie Strandlund p.... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Rylan Pranger p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Scott Robinson p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Jesse Fulton p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 31 2 4 0 3 10 24 16 7
USA National Team 9 (1-0)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Jacoby Ellsbury cf....... 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Ryan Zimmerman 3b........ 5 1 2 3 0 0 0 3 0
Alex Gordon dh........... 5 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
John Mayberry Jr. 1b..... 3 2 1 0 1 0 10 3 0
Jeff Clement c........... 2 1 1 0 2 0 10 1 0
Troy Tulowitzki ss....... 3 2 2 0 1 0 1 2 0
Travis Buck lf/rf........ 1 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 0
Brad Corley rf........... 3 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 4
Stephen Head ph......... 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Clete Thomas pr/lf...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jed Lowrie 2b............ 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 4 2
Mike Pelfrey p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Cesar Ramos p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Stephen Kahn p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Totals................... 31 9 9 8 8 4 27 15 6
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Canada.............. 002 000 000 - 2 4 3
USA National Team... 010 100 16X - 9 9 2
-------------------------------------------
E - Ircandia 2(2); Ashman(1); Mayberry Jr.(1); Lowrie(1). DP - Canada 2;
Team USA 1. LOB - Canada 7; Team USA 6. 2B - Tulowitzki(1). HR -
Zimmerman(1); Lowrie(1). HBP - Tobin; Bissonnette. SB - Tobin(1). CS -
Bissonnette(1); Zimmerman(1).
Canada IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Brad Ashman......... 5.0 5 2 2 1 1 19 20 70
Charlie Strandlund.. 1.0 0 0 0 3 1 3 6 30
Rylan Pranger....... 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 4 4 12
Scott Robinson...... 0.2 1 5 2 4 0 3 7 37
Jesse Fulton........ 0.1 1 1 1 0 1 2 2 11
USA National Team IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Mike Pelfrey........ 3.0 2 2 0 2 2 12 14 55
Cesar Ramos......... 5.0 2 0 0 0 6 16 18 59
Stephen Kahn........ 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 21
Win - Ramos (1-0). Loss - Pranger (0-1). Save - None.
WP - Pelfrey(1). HBP - by Ramos (Bissonnette); by Ramos (Tobin). Inherited
runners/scored: Fulton 2/2. Pitches/strikes: Ashman 70/43; Strandlund 30/13;
Pranger 12/8; Robinson 37/18; Fulton 11/6; Pelfrey 55/35; Ramos 59/40; Kahn
21/12.
Umpires - HP: John Haggerty 1B: Reid Churchill 3B: Randy Dulin
Start: 8:13 PM Time: 2:56 Attendance: 1624
Game notes:
ID-261883
Start of game delayed one hour and 10 minutes due to rain.
Game: 04USA01
Play-by-Play
2004 USA Baseball National Team
Canada at USA National Team - Play-by-Play
Jun 23, 2004 at Durham, N.C. (Durham Athletic Park)
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Canada.............. 002 000 000 - 2 4 3
USA National Team... 010 100 16X - 9 9 2
-------------------------------------------
Canada starters: 6/rf Tobin; 41/2b Ircandia; 11/cf Charbonneau; 9/c Elder; 12/1b
Mace; 14/lf Campbell; 18/dh Barr; 20/ss Bissonnette; 35/3b Calcagni; 31/p Ashman;
USA National Team starters: 2/cf Ellsbury; 10/3b Zimmerman; 44/dh Gordon; 7/1b
Mayberry Jr.; 24/c Clement; 15/ss Tulowitzki; 4/lf Buck; 26/rf Corley; 6/2b Lowrie;
42/p Pelfrey;
Canada 1st - Tobin flied out to cf (0-0). Ircandia out at first 1b to p
(2-2). Charbonneau struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
USA National Team 1st - Ellsbury grounded out to p (2-1). Zimmerman grounded
out to ss (0-0). Gordon grounded out to 2b (3-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Canada 2nd - Elder grounded out to p (1-0). Mace walked (3-2). Campbell
singled through the right side (0-0); Mace advanced to second. Barr grounded out to
1b unassisted (0-0); Campbell advanced to second; Mace advanced to third.
Bissonnette walked (3-2). Calcagni grounded out to c (0-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 3 LOB.
USA National Team 2nd - Mayberry Jr. singled up the middle (2-2). Clement
singled through the left side (1-0); Mayberry Jr. advanced to second. Tulowitzki
reached on a fielder's choice to second base (1-2); Clement out at second 2b to ss;
Mayberry Jr. advanced to third. Buck walked (3-1); Tulowitzki advanced to second.
Corley grounded out to 2b, RBI (0-0); Buck advanced to second; Tulowitzki advanced
to third; Mayberry Jr. scored. Lowrie struck out swinging (0-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Canada 3rd - Tobin reached on a fielding error by 1b (1-0). Ircandia reached
on a fielding error by 2b (2-2); Tobin advanced to third. Ircandia advanced to
second on a wild pitch; Tobin scored on a wild pitch, unearned. Charbonneau singled
to right field (3-2); Ircandia advanced to third. Elder grounded into double play ss
to 2b to 1b (0-1); Charbonneau out on the play; Ircandia scored, unearned. Mace
struck out looking (1-2). 2 runs, 1 hit, 2 errors, 0 LOB.
USA National Team 3rd - Ellsbury reached on a throwing error by p (1-1).
Zimmerman reached on a fielder's choice to third base (1-2); Ellsbury out at second
3b to 2b. Gordon lined into double play rf to 1b (0-2); Zimmerman out on the play.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Canada 4th - Ramos to p for Pelfrey. Campbell grounded out to 2b (0-0). Barr
grounded out to 3b, bunt (2-1). Bissonnette hit by pitch (0-0). Bissonnette out at
second p to 1b to ss, caught stealing. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
USA National Team 4th - Mayberry Jr. flied out to lf (0-2). Clement grounded
out to 2b (1-0). Tulowitzki doubled to left center (1-2). Buck singled to right
field, RBI, advanced to second on the throw (3-2); Tulowitzki scored. Corley
grounded out to 1b unassisted (3-1). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Canada 5th - Calcagni grounded out to 2b (0-2). Tobin singled to center field
(1-1). Ircandia struck out swinging (1-2). Charbonneau struck out swinging (1-2).
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
USA National Team 5th - Lowrie popped up to 3b (2-1). Ellsbury grounded out
to 3b (1-1). Zimmerman singled up the middle (0-0). Zimmerman out at second p to 1b
to ss, caught stealing. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Canada 6th - Elder singled to third base (0-1). Mace struck out looking
(0-2). Campbell struck out swinging (3-2). Barr reached on a fielder's choice to
third base (0-0); Elder out at second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
USA National Team 6th - Strandlund to p for Ashman. Gordon struck out
swinging (3-2). Mayberry Jr. grounded out to 3b (2-2). Clement walked (3-2).
Tulowitzki walked (3-2); Clement advanced to second. Buck walked (3-2); Tulowitzki
advanced to second; Clement advanced to third. Corley grounded out to p (0-0). 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Canada 7th - Bissonnette struck out swinging (1-2). Calcagni struck out
swinging (2-2). Tobin hit by pitch (0-0). Tobin stole second. Ircandia grounded out
to ss (2-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
USA National Team 7th - Pranger to p for Strandlund. Lowrie homered to left
field, RBI (2-1). Ellsbury singled to right field (1-1). Zimmerman grounded into
double play ss to 2b to 1b (0-0); Ellsbury out on the play. Gordon struck out
swinging (1-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Canada 8th - Charbonneau grounded out to 2b (2-1). Elder flied out to rf
(1-0). Mace grounded out to 3b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
USA National Team 8th - Robinson to p for Pranger. Mayberry Jr. walked (3-2).
Clement walked (3-2); Mayberry Jr. advanced to second. Tulowitzki singled to
pitcher, bunt (0-0); Clement advanced to second; Mayberry Jr. advanced to third.
Buck walked, RBI (3-2); Tulowitzki advanced to second; Clement advanced to third;
Mayberry Jr. scored. Head pinch hit for Corley. Head reached on a fielder's choice
to second base, RBI (1-2); Buck out at second 2b unassisted; Tulowitzki advanced to
third, scored on a throwing error by 2b, unearned; Clement scored. Thomas pinch ran
for Head. Thomas out at first p to 1b, picked off. Lowrie walked (3-0). Ellsbury
reached on a fielding error by 2b (2-2); Lowrie advanced to second. Fulton to p for
Robinson. Zimmerman homered to left center, 3 RBI, team unearned (3-1); Ellsbury
scored, unearned; Lowrie scored, unearned. Gordon struck out swinging (2-2). 6
runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 0 LOB.
Canada 9th - Buck to rf. Thomas to lf. Kahn to p for Ramos. Campbell struck
out swinging (2-2). Capone pinch hit for Barr. Capone out at first 1b to p (1-1).
Bissonnette walked (3-0). Coates pinch hit for Calcagni. Coates struck out swinging
(2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Line score
USA National Team 9, Canada 2 (Jun 23, 2004 at Durham, N.C.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Canada.............. 002 000 000 - 2 4 3 (0-1) USA National Team... 010 100 16X - 9 9 2 (1-0) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Canada - Ashman; Strandlund(6); Pranger(7); Robinson(8); Fulton(8). USA National Team - Pelfrey; Ramos(4); Kahn(9). Win-Ramos(1-0) Loss-Pranger(0-1) T-2:56 A-1624 HR USA - Zimmerman (1); Lowrie (1).