Luis Urias broke a scoreless game between Japan and Mexico in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic on Monday with a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning at loanDepot Park in Miami.
The game had been a pitchers’ duel between Roki Sasaki and Patrick Sandoval until a few balls started to fall Mexico’s way in the fourth.
With two outs in the inning, Rowdy Tellez beat the shift with a soft ground ball that bounced into left field for a hit. Isaac Paredes followed with a blooper that fell in for a hit to put two on with two out.
That brought up Urias, who slugged a 0-1 hanging splitter to left field for a three-run home run.
That was a massive blow considering it went from scoreless to not just 1-0, but 3-0 in one swing.
Urias, 25, plays shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers when he’s not in the WBC. He hit 23 home runs in 2021 and 16 home runs last season, proving he has some pop when it’s called for.
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