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Despite loss, Australia keeps it close

Offense absent again, but pitching makes statement

Friday, 10 March 2006 3:00:00 PM
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com

• Box score

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- It wasn't supposed to be this close, and if ever there was a moral victory, this probably was it.

Although Venezuela prevailed on Thursday over Australia, 2-0, the losing club made this contest much more competitive than anyone could have expected.

To review: on the first day of competition, the Australians lost in blowout fashion to team Italy, a club that was barely competitive in either of its games with the Dominican Republic or Venezuela.

So that the matchup between the meek Australians and the mighty Venezuelans was not a complete blowout comes as somewhat of a surprise. Granted, Australia has yet to score in the World Baseball Classic. But its game with the Venezuelans was interesting, and it wasn't supposed to be. You have to give the Aussies credit for that.

Australia's pitching was good in the sense that it allowed only two runs to cross the plate. But control was an issue. The staff combined to walk 13 batters, including a free pass to Omar Vizquel that forced in Venezuela's second run.

Knuckleballer Phil Brassington walked the first batter of the game, and the sellout crowd at Disney's Wide World of Sports likely had thoughts of the run mercy rule going into effect. But Brassington held Venezuela at bay, allowing just two hits and a run over four frames.

The loss effectively ends Australia's run in the World Baseball Classic. Australia will play the Dominican Republic on Friday night, but the game will bear no meaning in the Classic standings. The Dominicans advance to Round 2 no matter the outcome, but Australia, with two losses and no wins, will not.

Alyson Footer is a reporter for MLB.com.