With their team playing the US in a frenzied atmosphere at the World Baseball Classic, Dominican Republic supporters spent much of the game on their feet honking horns, pounding drums and rattling noisemakers.
Eventually they rattled the US team.
Nelson Cruz hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Andrew Miller in the eighth inning and Starling Marte added a solo shot off the All-Star reliever as the defending champions overcame a five-run deficit to beat the US 7-5 on Saturday.
Photo: AFP
“If you didn’t feel the emotions of this game, either you were dead or need to be checked out,” Cruz said.
The comeback delighted a clamorous crowd of 37,446, the largest for baseball in the five-year history of Marlins Park.
“The fans were incredible,” Miller said. “It was a different atmosphere from anything we’re used to — different from the playoffs or World Series games. It was a blast to be a part of it. I just would have liked to have gone in there and done my job, and made them quiet. I didn’t do that.”
The US fell to 1-1 and were in jeopardy of being eliminated in the first round.
The Dominican Republic improved to 10-0 in the past two classics, including 2-0 this year.
The US were on the verge of clinching a berth in the second round when Miller took the mound with a 5-3 lead in the eighth inning. He hit Jose Bautista on a foot with a breaking ball starting the inning, Carlos Santana followed with an infield single and Cruz pulled an 0-2 slider just inside the foul pole.
Miller yanked off his cap in dismay, while Cruz began gleefully pumping his fists even before he reached first base.
“In Little League you get emotional when you hit one like that,” Cruz said. “Only in a movie or dream you can describe what occurred.”
One batter later, Marte also homered.
“They did a good job, whether it was me getting a little too much of the plate or them knowing what was coming,” Miller said. “They made me pay.”
Manny Machado began the comeback with a solo homer in the sixth against Tanner Roark.
The Dominican Republic’s three homers gave them five in the first two games, but the raucous sellout crowd was the night’s biggest star — and a rare sight at Marlins Park, with even the upper deck packed. US fans were far outnumbered in the stands.
Starter Marcus Stroman threw 4-2/3 scoreless innings for the US, but his replacement, Roark, gave up Machado’s homer and Santana’s two-run single.
Brandon Crawford had a pair of two-out, run-scoring hits for the US, while the Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich each delivered an RBI hit.
The Dominican Republic’s Edinson Volquez allowed three runs — one earned — in 3-2/3 innings. Jeurys Familia needed only 11 pitches to earn the save with a perfect ninth.
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