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PHOENIX Beware the Mensch on the Bench.

Could the first game of the World Baseball Classic become the events biggest upset?

Team Israels 2-1, 10-inning victory over host South Korea at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul in the wee hours U.S. time Monday is the early the leader in the clubhouse.

Israel was considered a long shot to become one of the two teams to advance to the semifinals from Pool A, but the odds got a lot shorter when Scott Burchams two-strike, two-out infield single drove in pinch-runner Mike Meyers with the winning run in the top of the 10th.

Right-hander Josh Zeid as in retired the side stuck out Dae-Ho Lee to end the game.

What an incredible game. Still cant catch my breath, tweeted Zeid, who thew three innings of scoreless relief for the victory.

With commissioner Rob Manfred in attendance and a bearded plush doll complete with tallit and fedora the Mensch on the Bench, a version of the elf on a shelf providing support from the dugout, Israel took a mighty step forward in a pool that includes South Korea and the Netherlands, who were generally considered shoo-ins to make the WBC semifinals.

With a victory over Chinese Taipei on Tuesday in Korea, Israel could take another large step toward an appearance in the second round. Teams play three games in pool play, and the two with the best record advance to the semifinals in Tokyo. The first tie-breaker is the a ratio of runs allowed per innings played, which already gives Israel a leg up.

Who knew?

Right-hander Jason Marquis, who started and threw three scoreless innings, is one of the few former major leagues on Team Israel. Another long-time major leaguer, right-hander Scott Feldman, is in Israels designated pitcher pool and could join the staff if it moves on to Tokyo.

Israels starting pitcher Jason Marquis throws against South Korea during the second inning of their first round game of the World Baseball Classic at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

First baseman Ike Davis is the teams most experienced hitter, with 81 major league homers, but he played only eight games with the Yankees last season. Outfielder Sam Fuld, best known for his speed and defense, has played 599 games in an eight-year career. Ty Kelly and Cody Decker also have experience, but the team is nowhere near as stacked as WBC favorites the U.S., Japan and the defending-champion Dominican Republic.

What a reminder of how fun baseball is. Now if I only could sleep, tweeted Fuld, who had two of Israels eight hits.

Israel took a 1-0 lead when Tyler Krueger drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk in the second inning, which featured a double by Zach Borenstein. South Korea tied the game on Geonchang Seos RBI single in the fifth. Israel loaded the bases three more times before breaking through in the 10th.

Israel may be short on experience, but it is long on determination and chutzpah.It has not taken an easy path to its first WBC.

The team had to win a four-team qualifier in Brooklyn in September just to get this far, and it is considered one of the lowest seeds in the 16-team field. Most of the top pros Ryan Braun, Ian Kinsler, Joc Pederson who might have signed on had Israel been placed in the Western Hemisphere chose to remain in spring training with their major league teams.

Not that it mattered in Game 1.

Israel manager Jerry Weinsteins masterful use of his pitching staff also could provide an advantage moving forward. WBC rules mandate that a pitcher who throws at least 50 pitches in a game must sit out for four days.

Since Marquis, who has 124 victories in 15 major league seasons, threw only 45, he is eligible to return as early as Wednesday, when Israel plays the Netherlands in its final pool game. Weinstein also could choose to hold Marquis for a potential tie-breaker game Friday, depending how the rest of the week plays out. Zeid threw 49 pitches.

To come out here and show the world what were capable of, I think, this mattered to me a lot, Zeid told reporters.

Visit link:
Israel opens World Baseball Classic with big upset victory - FanRag Sports (blog)