Aaron Judge, Brice Turang lead U.S. past Brazil 8-5 in WBC opener

Team USA captain Aaron Judge hit a first-inning two-run home run and Brice Turang drove in four runs as the United States beat Brazil 8-5 in its World Baseball Classic opener Friday at Houston’s Daikin Park, Fox News Digital reported.

Judge connected with one out and one on in the first off Bo Takahashi, Fox News Digital said. Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch in the fifth to push the Americans’ lead to 4-1, and two pitches later Turang cleared the bases with a double to left to make it 7-1, the outlet reported.

Lucas Ramirez homered twice for Brazil, cutting the lead to 2-1 with a leadoff shot in the first and making it 8-5 with a solo homer in the eighth, Fox News Digital reported. At 20 years, 49 days, Ramirez became the youngest player in WBC history with a multi-homer game, the report said, and his father, 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez, was in attendance.

Brazil, appearing in the WBC for the second time and first since 2013, fell to 0-4 all-time in the tournament after losses to Japan, Cuba and China in 2013, Fox News Digital said. Another highlight for Brazil came when 17-year-old high school senior Joseph Contreras — the youngest player in this year’s WBC and the son of former major leaguer José Contreras — induced Judge into a bases-loaded double play to end the second inning, the report added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: Original Article