Matt Wright tossed six spectacular innings to lead Team USA to a 5-0 semi-final victory over the Netherlands on Saturday to clinch a berth in the World Cup championship game. The Americans will battle Cuba for the gold medals on Sunday in Taipei, Taiwan.

Wright, a Kansas City Royals farmhand, silenced the usually potent Dutch offense allowing only four hits and striking out six to register his second win of the tournament. The relief corps of Neal Musser, Lee Gronkiewicz, and Chris Booker each threw a scoreless frame to end the title hopes of the Netherlands.

The top of the Americans batting order, paced by lead-off man Colby Rasmus, accounted for all six of Team USA’s hits. The future St. Louis Cardinals center fielder went 2-for-3 with a solo home run while Jayson Nix, Andy LaRoche, Steve Pearce, and Evan Longoria chipped in one hit apiece.

Team USA struck quickly taking a 1-0 lead in the first on Longoria’s RBI double before Wright and Dutch starter David Bergman locked horns in a classic pitching duel. Bergman, who won 12 games this past season to help Corendon Kinheim with their second straight Dutch Major League trophy, pitched six strong innings before running out of gas in the seventh.

The Americans sealed the crucial win with a four-run eight inning, including Rasmus’s solo blast – to set the stage for a USA-Cuba finals that must have event organizers “giddy” with excitement.

Sharnol Adriana led skipper Robert Eenhoorn’s squad with two hits while Railey Legito, Vince Rooi, Dirk van’t Klooster, and Greg Halman added a hit each. The Dutch will now meet Japan on Sunday in a game to determine which team finishes in third and fourth place.

Tags: World Cup