It was planned for Team Israel’s 2023 World Baseball Classic opener against Nicaragua on Sunday to be easy before facing mighty opponents Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. Nonetheless, the Nicaraguan team had to lose from behind to be eliminated.
Dean Kremer, the first Israeli pitcher selected by an MLB team and the current starter for the Baltimore Orioles, produced a dominant four shutout innings while competing in front of a crowd of around 20,000 at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.
The single run for Nicaragua was scored in the fifth inning on the double.
Through eight, Israel was down 1-0. Matt Mervis grounded out, and Alex Dickerson singled. After a pitch struck Ryan Lavarnway, Alex Dickerson moved to second. Spencer Horwitz scored Jakob Goldfarb on a single (pinch running).
A few batters later, Garrett Stubbs, a third baseman for Team Israel and a Triple-A catcher and outfielder for the Phillies, hit a two-run ground-rule double to left field.
Israel just needed two runs from Horwitz and Noah Mendlinger to win 3-1 as reliever Robert Stock of the club retired three hitters in a row in the top of the ninth.
Left-handed Red Sox pitcher Richard Bleier, who struck out two batters in relief in the eighth, earned the victory.
On Monday at 7 p.m. versus Puerto Rico, lefty Colton Gordon of the Houston Astros farm system will start.
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