Call it mangu or plantain power, whatever, yesterday, Tuesday 19 March the Dominican Republic celebrated its first ever win of the World Baseball Classic. The best team won. The DR had failed to make it to the finals in the 2006 and 2009 championships, but was undefeated in its eight matches in 2013.
The Dominican Republic closed the World Baseball Classic against Puerto Rico 3-0 in a game where the staff of pitchers (Samuel Deduno, Octavio Dotel, Pedro Strop and Fernando Rodney) only allowed three hits. There were emotional moments at the end when the Puerto Rican and Dominican players embraced – it was a Caribbean grand finale. Robinson Cano was named the Most Valuable Player (.469 with two homeruns, four doubles and six RBIs).
Interestingly, despite representing the two smallest nations in the 16-team tournament, the game between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico drew a crowd of 35,703 at the 41,503-seater AT&T Park in San Francisco, California during a chilly evening with a rain forecast.
The San Francisco Chronicle summed up it:
“The Dominican bullpen ended this WBC by stringing together 25 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including four in the title game. Overall, the D.R. pitching staff allowed only 14 runs in winning all eight of its games.”
Japan won the two previous championships in 2006 and 2009. The next WBC will be played in 2017.
www.sfgate.com/sports/kroichick/article/Dominicans-top-Puerto-Rico-3-0-win-WBC-4368614.php#ixzz2O5xdPsax
www.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/sports/baseball/dominican-republic-wins-world-baseball-classic.html?_r=0
www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/03/20/dominican-republic-world-baseball-classic-wbc-puerto-rico/2001795/
www.sfgate.com/sports/jenkins/article/Dominicans-swept-up-in-sea-of-pride-4368761.php