(Day 4, Wed. Sept. 6)
USA ace Cody Gibbons pitched a gem, a complete game 2 hitter while striking out 13 and walking only one for a 2-1 victory over Argentina. Two Argentine pitchers, Mata and Reitober combined to limit the USA to 2 hits as well, combining for 10 strikeouts in the close contest.
The USA took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Ian Carlin, driving in Cody Gibbons who led off the inning with a walk.
USA pitcher Cody Gibbons made the 1-0 lead stand up through five innings, until Braden DuCharme scored an insurance run on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning. It proved to be the winning run, as Argentina scored a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth, when Pijtos reached on an infield error and advanced all the way to third when the throw went wide. Argentina’s Correa followed with an RBI triple to cut the lead to 2-1.
The USA caught a break though, when Correa was caught trying to come home on what initially appeared to be a wild pitch off of DuCharme’s shin guard. DuCharme recovered the ball in time to tag out Correa and end the inning.
The USA is now 3-0 in the tournament, with Colombia (0-3) and Canada (2-1) left on the schedule. Argentina fell to 2-1. Canada won their morning game over Peru and is also 2-1.