PANAMA CITY, 9 November 2003 — The US Olympic baseball team will be unable to defend its gold medal in Athens next year after losing 2-1 to Mexico in the quarterfinals of the nine-nation qualifying competition on Friday.
It was a shock result for the US team, which had won its first three games of the tournament by a combined 20-0 score. Previously winless Mexico had been outscored 18-7.
Mexico now faces Canada or Colombia in the semifinals today. The championship game is tomorrow, with the two finalists guaranteed Olympic berths.
The US, behind Milwaukee’s Ben Sheets and a mix of fringe major leaguers and top prospects, captured the gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Friday’s game was scoreless through three innings but Justin Leone homered off Mexico starter Rigo Beltran with two outs in the fourth.
Mexico knotted it in the fifth when first baseman Ray Martinez homered off US starter Jason Stanford. Luis Garcia then snapped the tie in the top of the ninth with a solo homer off reliever Brian Bruney.
Stanford, a Cleveland Indians prospect, allowed a run and three hits in five innings. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect John Van Benschoten followed with three scoreless innings before giving way to Bruney to start the ninth.
Beltran gave up one run and three hits in seven innings.
Red Sox Keep Pitcher
Lowe for Next Season
The Boston Red Sox have exercised a $5 million contract option on pitcher Derek Lowe for next season, the team said Friday.
“Derek is an integral part of the Boston Red Sox,” general manager Theo Epstein told reporters.
