Feeling vibes from home fans, Puerto Rico rides 5-run 5th to shutout of Colombia

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – You could hear the crowd in the parking lot of Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

You could see the traffic backed up on the highway from the second deck.

You could feel the energy as Puerto Rican icons Carlos Delgado, Pudge Rodriguez, Roberto Alomar, Carlos Beltrán and Edgar Martinez participated in first-pitch ceremonies.

But then Friday’s game started, and Team Rubio had not even a hit through four innings. And then, in the fifth, they had five, and scored five runs to ultimately win its first game at Pool A of the World Baseball Classic, 5-0.

Seth Lugo, who playfully calls himself “Quarter-Rican,” pitched excellently for his grandfather’s homeland – giving up just three hits while striking out three over four scoreless innings. He matched Colombia’s Jose Quintana, who went three scoreless, and Adrian Almeida, who went one scoreless.

“That was awesome,” Lugo said postgame. “Every inning you could feel the fans. Go out there and get the W. It was really special for me, something I won't forget.”

In the fifth inning. Almeida ran into some trouble.

After being stifled for four frames, Puerto Rico broke through with five hits and five runs in a huge fifth inning, firing up the home crowd. Eddie Rosario’s RBI single and Willi Castro's RBI double were the key hits as Puerto Rico began pool play with an impressive victory.

Athletics teammates Carlos Cortes and Darell Hernaiz began the top of the fifth with Puerto Rico’s first two hits before an error on Colombia third baseman Gio Urshela brought in the game’s first run. Rosario came up big with a hard-hit single into right field to score another run, pumping up the crowd on his way out of the batter’s box. Castro’s RBI double followed a run-scoring single from veteran catcher Martín Maldonado, and a sacrifice fly to the warning track from Heliot Ramos capped the big inning.

“To me, it was a privilege to be here,” Castro said after the win. “To be here with the guys, to have a chance to be in this great event. It's something that I'm never going to forget.”

Five Puerto Rico relievers combined for four scoreless innings after Lugo and then, in the ninth there was a familiar, yet welcome sign. Edwin Díaz trotting out to Timmy Trumpet and closing things out by striking out the side. A great moment for everyone to see after the terrible knee injury in 2023.

“It’s a great moment,” manager Yadier Molina said postgame. “Not only for him, but for his family too. I’m so happy for him.”

Colombia’s next game is at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday against Canada (0-0 in pool play) on FS2, while Puerto Rico will face Panama (0-1) at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.