Quite a few Kansas City Royals Baseball players did themselves proud recently, as they played well in the World Baseball Classic that wrapped up a week ago Tuesday in Miami. The World Baseball Classic is a World Championship Baseball Tournament that attracted teams from 20 different Countries from different parts of the World.

First of all, Royals third baseman, Maikel Garcia who played for Venezuela was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, as he had a batting average of .385 with 7 runs batted in, 2 doubles and a home run in the Classic. Secondly, Royals catcher, Salvador Perez, was the Captain of the Champion Venezuela team.

Salvy had a hit, and scored one of Venezuela’s 3 runs in the Championship tilt, but more importantly, he did a masterful job of calling the game behind the plate for 6 different Venenzuelan pitchers, who limited Team USA to only 2 runs on 3 hits in the final contest. Royals shortstop Bobby Witt walked, and scored one of only two runs for Team USA in the Championship game, and he collected 6 hits and 2 doubles in the Classic, along with drawing 6 walks and stealing 3 bases. Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino played for Italy, and he belted 3 home runs in a 9 to 1 win over Mexico, and set a World Baseball Classic record by becoming the first player to hit 3 round trippers in a single game. Finally, Royals second year outfielder-first baseman

Jac Caglianone who also played for Italy, blasted a home run in the game that they lost to Team USA, while former Royals reliever, Angel Zerpa, who was just traded this past off-season, pitched twothirds of a hitless inning for Venezuela in the Championship game Venezuela won their first Championship in this event, as they defeated Team USA 3 to 2 in the Title game. Venezuela took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, when Maikel Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Salvador Perez, who had singled, and they made it 2-0 in the sixth when Wilyer Abreu cranked a solo home run. Team USA tied the game at 2 apiece in the bottom of the eighth inning when Bobby Witt drew a two out walk, followed by a long 2 run home run by Bryce Harper. However, Venezuela responded quickly, as after Luis Arraez drew a leadoff walk, pinch runner Javier Sanoja stole second, and scored what proved to be the winning run, on a long double by Eugenio Suarez to make it 3-2 Venezuela. Relief pitcher, Daniel Palencia then retired Team USA in the ninth, as Venezuela claimed the World Title.