Seth Lugo took the mound for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic final against the United States on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, looking to put his team in position for its first Classic title after falling just short in 2013.
The 27-year-old Mets right-hander struggled to keep the U.S. bats in check, however, going four-plus innings, giving up four runs on five hits, while walking four and striking out seven in Puerto Rico's 8-0 loss.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
"Not the results we wanted but what an incredible experience to represent PR! Something that I'm very proud of and will never forget!" tweeted Lugo after the game.
Lugo worked around a Christian Yelich double in the first inning and a leadoff walk by Eric Hosmer in the second, holding the U.S. scoreless through the first two frames. With Yelich at second and two outs in the first, Lugo struck out Nolan Arenado on a 95-mph four-seam fastball, per Statcast™. Lugo threw 148 four-seamers in 2016, just 10 of which were clocked higher than that pitch to Arenado.
But Lugo ran into trouble in the third. After allowing a Jonathan Lucroy single to open the frame, Ian Kinsler smashed a 91-mph four-seamer over the wall in left-center field for a two-run homer to give the U.S. an early 2-0 lead.

Lugo settled back down in the fourth, retiring the side in order on nine pitches. But in the fifth, he surrendered a Kinsler single to open the inning, and then walked Adam Jones before Yelich lined an RBI single to right to chase Lugo from the game.
Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez went to the mound after the first two batters of the inning reached, but the skipper decided to leave Lugo in to face Yelich. Yelich had been 1-for-6 with a home run in his career against Lugo prior to the game.
"We were very aware that we were facing an All-Star team from the United States, and they won in all the areas of the game," Rodriguez said. "The pitching was better than us, the batting was better than us. So, obviously, they won. So I believe that the best two teams of the tournament were out there, and the United States beat us."
Overall, Lugo posted a 4.20 ERA in three Classic starts (15 innings). Going into the final, his ERA was 2.45, with a 0.64 WHIP.