'Just electric': Cora weighs in on Abreu's Classic homer, bat flip

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Perhaps the biggest moment thus far in the young career of Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu took place Saturday night.

Stepping to the plate with Team Venezuela trailing defending World Baseball Classic champs Japan by one in the top of the sixth inning of the quarterfinals in Miami, Abreu gave his team the lead, depositing a high fastball into the right-field stands for a three-run homer.

The lead was one that Venezuela did not relinquish, with Abreu playing hero for a club that is looking to claim a WBC title, sending them into the semifinals against Italy on Monday.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he was just turning the game on when his phone started buzzing again and again, with various messages inquiring if he had just seen what his two-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder had done with the bat.

“That was a great swing,” Cora said. “Fastball up in the zone. He [had] a good at-bat early on. He’s been playing great in left field. I know it’s one of those nights he’ll never forget.”

Of the big moment for the 26-year-old, who, after admiring his 409-foot blast for a spell, tossed his bat high in the air while turning to the Venezuela dugout in jubilance, Cora said, “Just electric. It’s fun to see them react that way. It’s Little League, but big leaguers. There’s a lot of Venezuelan fans there.”

Abreu, who hails from Maracaibo, Venezuela, is 5-for-17 (.294) at the plate through five WBC games, with six RBIs and three walks.

Cora also touched on the atmosphere in Miami, a city that has deep Latin roots, which made Saturday's game feel like a home game for Venezuela.

“It’s different when you play that tournament. It’s different,” Cora said. “There’s 45,000 Venezuelans there. It’s [Venezuelan baseball rivals Leones del Caracas versus Navegantes del Magallanes] in Miami, and they’re not going against each other. Everybody together. From the horns to the drums to the chants, it’s electric. They beat the defending champs. Good job by them. They have a great team.

“Happy for [Team Venezuela manager Omar López], too. I know he’s taken a lot of heat because of the lineups and what happened in the last one. For them to be in this position is super cool.”

One of the various storylines coming out of the tournament isn't just the quality of play from these superteams, but how they’re playing the game. The emotion is there for a game that has carried unwritten rules of a calm demeanor for decades. Players are wearing their hearts, and their flag, on their sleeves. Nearly every game has a high-intensity playoff feel.

And of course, the bat flips.

“There’s more. There’s more coming,” Cora said of the theatrics. “The way it’s lining up, tonight is going to be sensational. Tomorrow is going to be great. Italy is playing outstanding. And then the finals, obviously. We’ll see what happens. Tonight, I cannot wait to watch that game because I think for how ‘polite’ Team USA is, there’s going to be a lot of emotion tonight. I guarantee that.”

While Cora admitted it can be a challenge to manage and prepare a roster when you have as many players participating in the WBC as the Red Sox do, the juice is worth the squeeze.

“It’s hard and this and that, but look what they’re doing,” Cora said. “Look how they’re [performing]. I think they have gotten better the last 10 or 15 days.”

Take Brayan Bello for example. Having returned to camp following time with Team Dominican Republic to make sure he got his work in, Bello made the start Saturday night and tossed five scoreless innings against Atlanta, striking out seven.

Cora said Bello gained an edge from his time with one of the most stacked rosters in the tournament.

“He was different to be honest with you. It was a different guy on the mound,” Cora said. “That’s the beauty of the tournament. When you are hanging out with Hall of Famers -- nothing against the clubhouse -- but it’s different. It’s 30 countrymen playing for your flag for your county, but at the same time exchanging ideas and helping each other out.”

Bello is set to rejoin the Dominican Republic squad and be in the dugout when they take on Team USA in a highly anticipated semifinal matchup on Sunday night.