The victory sends the United States into Sunday’s semi-final clash against the Dominican Republic national baseball team. The American side had previously suffered an 8-6 defeat against Italy, a result that nearly ended their campaign.
Aaron Judge, the star player from the New York Yankees, said the team showed a renewed level of focus after the setback.
“Guys really locked in. We saw a different level of focus at our workout the other day and even pregame today. It felt like the boys were locked and ready to go,” Judge said.
The team and their manager Mark DeRosa had faced strong criticism following the loss to Italy, especially because DeRosa had confidently predicted the team would advance before that match.
Judge acknowledged the external criticism but said the players remained focused on their performance on the field.
“There’s a lot of noise that’s been going on with that. And I think it just speaks volumes to the players in this room, the manager we’ve got, everybody, that no matter what’s being said about us, what’s going on, we still got a job to do on the field,” he added.
First baseman Bryce Harper also dismissed outside criticism, saying public opinion does not affect the team’s mindset.
“People are going to have their opinion about us. I don’t think any of them are going to be sitting at our dinner table or our Thanksgiving dinner, so it doesn’t really matter what anybody says,” Harper said.
Pitcher Logan Webb, who delivered nearly five scoreless innings in the game, said the team felt renewed energy after getting another opportunity in the tournament.
Meanwhile, third baseman Alex Bregman praised his teammates for staying composed and focusing on the present rather than dwelling on earlier mistakes.
“They’re worried about that game, that moment, that pitch, the next pitch. And it was just a good response today,” Bregman said.
