TAICHUNG, Taiwan -- John Hochstatter (Danville, Calif.) came in to pitch with Team USA hanging on to a 7-5 lead in the top of the seventh and retired all seven batters he faced over the final 2 1/3 innings to lead the Americans to a 9-5 win over Mexico on Saturday night at Intercontinental Stadium.
Hochstatter picked up his first save after holding Mexico hitless while registering three strikeouts.
The U.S. grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Center fielder JoMarcos Woods (Orlando, Fla.) lined a one-out triple to right-center to start the inning. Left fielder Austin Cousino (Dublin, Ohio) then sent a sacrifice fly to center to score Woods. Shortstop Francisco Lindor (Clermont, Fla.) followed with a single up the middle. Second baseman Kevin Kramer (Turlock, Calif.) then laced a stand-up RBI triple to right-center to bring in Lindor. Catcher Evan Powell (Lake Charles, La.) capped the frame with a double off the left-field wall to drive in Kramer.
Woods and Cousino would hit back-to-back doubles to right-center to begin the bottom of the fifth, pushing the U.S. lead to 4-0 and knocking Mexico starter Carlos Rodriguez out of the game. Cousino then advanced to third on a groundout by Lindor. Two batters later, Powell dropped a stand-up RBI triple into the right-field corner to score Cousino and give the U.S. a 5-0 lead.
Mexico scored twice in the top of the sixth to make it a 5-2 ballgame. Third baseman Fernando Perez had a sacrifice fly and shortstop Manuel Del Paez added an RBI single in the inning.
Team USA added a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth to extend its lead to 7-2. Pitcher Parker French (Dripping Springs, Texas) drew a one-out walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Woods. Cousino would then reach on an error, moving French to third, before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Lindor then brought French and Cousino home with a two-run single through the right side.
Mexico would score three runs in the top of the seventh to cut the U.S. lead to 7-5. Center fielder Adolfo Lopez scored on a passed ball, pinch-hitter Alexandro Delgado had an RBI single and left fielder Javier Ruiz added a sacrifice fly in the inning.
The U.S. added a run in the bottom of the seventh to go ahead 8-5. Powell led off the inning with a double to center. Two batters later, third baseman C.J. Hinojosa singled through the right side to move Powell to third. Hinojosa would then break for second early and get caught in a rundown, allowing Powell to steal home.
Woods and Cousino drew consecutive one-out walks to begin the bottom of the eighth. With a hit-and-run on, Lindor singled through the right side to bring in Woods, extending the U.S. lead to 9-5.
French (2-0) earned the win after limiting Mexico to four runs on six hits in six innings of work. French fanned four in the victory.
Powell paced the U.S. at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, two RBIs and a run scored. Lindor went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored, Woods was 2-for-2 with a triple, a double and three runs scored, and Hinojosa finished 2-for-4. Cousino was 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, Kramer went 1-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored, and French scored a run.
Powell's two doubles tied the single-game 16U National Team record.
Rodriguez (1-1) took the loss for Mexico after surrendering five runs on seven hits in four innings pitched.
The U.S. will face Cuba on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. local time (6:30 a.m. EDT) at Intercontinental Stadium in the finals.
