Correa has an epic Classic debut

Astros star homers, makes key plays at hot corner

March 11th, 2017

had quite the night for Puerto Rico in Friday's 11-0 victory over Venezuela.
The Astros' shortstop contributed with both his bat and his glove, making multiple highlight-reel plays and adding home run.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
"He did everything," Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "With any game, we have the kind of team that any given day, somebody has got to step up, and we saw that today."
Correa's solo shot in the sixth inning gave Puerto Rico a 3-0 lead and sparked a three-run rally as catcher soon followed with a two-run blast.
Playing for his native Puerto Rico and having an impact in its Classic opener was a moment of immense pride for the young Houston star.
"Today was probably the most proud moment of my baseball career, to be able to wear my Team Puerto Rico uniform for the first time," Correa said. "It meant so much to me. It's something I've always wanted to do since I got drafted, and it's finally here."

With the Indians' and the Cubs' also on the roster, Correa is playing out of position at third. It appears he hasn't missed a beat, however, as he shined defensively against Venezuela.
In the fifth, Correa robbed of a likely base hit with a diving catch. And in the very next inning, with his team nursing a two-run lead and runners at first and second, Correa impressed again by diving to his right to haul in a grounder along the third-base line. His throw across the diamond was just in time to secure the out and keep Venezuela off the board.
"I feel like it was the same as shortstop, just throwing from a different angle," Correa said. "I felt really comfortable. I've been working on it for the last week, and it felt natural."

The World Baseball Classic runs through March 22. In the U.S., games air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. The tournament is being distributed internationally across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com.