Miami Marlins games might be infamous for its low attendance and former art features in center field, but the crowd at loanDepot Park always delivers at the World Baseball Classic.
The latest showcase for the spirit of baseball in South Florida came off the bat of Ozzie Albies, the Atlanta Braves’ All-Star second baseman who delivered a three-run walkoff home run for the Netherlands’ 4-3 win over a stunned Nicaragua team managed by Dusty Baker.
The game was tied 1-1 in the fifth inning, when a balk was not called despite Dutch pitcher Kevin Kelly throwing intentional balls rather than issuing an automatic walk, as per MLB rules. A balk would have brought Chase Dawson in from third to score, but he came around anyway after a bases-loaded walk to Cheslor Cuthbert.
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Jeter Downs, who played high school ball at Monsignor Pace about 14 miles northwest of the stadium in Miami Gardens, just missed a home run in the seventh inning for Nicaragua. He delivered in his next at-bat blasting a 1-0 sinker from Lars Huijer over the left-centerfield wall for a two-run home run to make it 3-1 in the eighth inning.
The 2017 first-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds thought he had given Nicaragua its first ever win in the WBC. But in the bottom of the ninth, Ceddanne Rafaela of the Boston Red Sox started a two-out rally against Melvin Novoa with a single to right-center. The Padres’ Xander Bogaerts then sent a double to left field, setting the stage for Albies.
On the first pitch, the three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner crushed a fastball 411 feet into the right-field seats, sending his Netherlands teammates and the crowd in Miami into a fit of hysteria.
The Netherlands improved to 1-1 in Pool D, while Nicaragua fell to 0-2. Albies and company next play at noon Sunday, March 8 against the group-favorite Dominican Republic. Nicaragua faces Israel at 7 p.m. March 8.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Ozzie Albies thrills Miami crowd with walkoff home run in WBC
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
