Ryan Vogelsong a winner in critical game đại hiệp truyện at World Baseball Classic

Ryan Vogelsong a winner in critical game đại hiệp truyện at World Baseball Classic

For all of the big-name Giants who went to the World Baseball Classic, the first Giant to advance was catcher Tyler LaTorre, a 29-year-old minor-leaguer from Santa Cruz who will go to the second round with Italy.

Italy’s ticket to Miami was punched Saturday afternoon when Canada crushed Mexico 10-3 at Chase Field in a game đại hiệp truyện blackened by a hellacious ninth-inning brawl that brought Sergio Romo onto the field, but not into the heart of the action.

Who would have guessed, then, that Saturday’s nightcap between Italy and the United States, with Ryan Vogelsong starting for the red, white and blue, would prove to be more critical for the Americans than the Italians?

The United States got the win it needed, 6-2. David Wright broke a 2-2 tie with a fifht-inning grand slam against Nats minor-leaguer Matt Torra that made a winner of Vogelsong, who threw 60 pitches over four-plus innings.

The U.S. win created a Sunday showdown against Canada. The winner moves to the second round in Miami. The loser is out.

Underdog Italy already got there by shocking Mexico with a two-run ninth against Romo on Thursday night then pounding Canada 14-4 Friday night.

“I told you not to sleep on us,” LaTorre said. “We expected it. Playing that first game đại hiệp truyện and beating Sergio was a huge thing for us. We knew we had the bats. We knew we had the arms. It was just a matter of going out and showing it.”

The Italians were on Vogelsong as he allowed single runs in the first and second innings. LaTorre, who has caught Vogelsong several times in the bullpen and at Fresno, started the latter rally with a two-out single.

Vogelsong was a different pitcher after coach Greg Maddux’s mound visit with a run in and two on in the second. Vogelsong threw one curveball and got a Chris Denorfia groundball to end the inning and launch a run of seven straight outs, the final four of them strikeouts.

After Vogelsong allowed a leadoff single in the fifth, teammate Jeremy Affeldt relieved him and retired major-leaguers Nick Punto, Chris Denorfia and Tony Rizzo in order.

Mexico was eliminated, which means the Giants will get Romo back in the next day or so.

A few hours after Italy advanced to Miami, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic joined them. Puerto Rico eliminated Venezuela with a 6-3 win in San Juan, which means Pablo Sandoval and Marco Scutaro will return to Giants camp while Angel Pagan and Santiago Casilla stay in the classic.

The brawl in the afternoon gave this tournament a black eye. It occurred after Canada’s Chris Robinson bunted for a base hit with a six-run lead in the ninth – not a big sin in a tournament that uses run differential as a tiebreaker.

Mexico pitcher Arnold Leon then drilled Rene Tosoni to start the fight after third baseman Luis Cruz a Los Angeles Dodger, appeared to signal to his pitcher to put one in Tosoni’s ribs.

Punches were thrown and landed, and seven players were ejected. Romo appeared to be on the periphery, wearing a hoodie and an intense expression on his face as the players were pulled apart.