Randy Arozarena’s big-game legacy grows despite Mexico’s WBC elimination

MIAMI — If anybody can outmatch the vitality and ambiance of the World Baseball Classic, it’s Randy Arozarena.

The left fielder, with a home-run theft, two extra well timed catches and a double to attain the go-ahead run as well, did his greatest to assist Mexico towards Japan in Monday’s semifinal. Ultimately, Mexico fell brief when Japan walked it off in the ninth inning and superior to Tuesday’s remaining towards Team USA (7 p.m. ET, FS1). But Arozarena supplied loads of expertise and leisure earlier than getting knocked out of the match.

“Randy was unbelievable right now,” Team Mexico supervisor Benji Gil mentioned. 

Arozarena, also referred to as probably the most assured man on a baseball subject from his postseason exploits with the Tampa Bay Rays, was the antithesis of Japan’s momentum in Monday evening’s semifinal at loanDepot Park. The Arozarena present started within the fifth inning when, with Mexico main 3-0, he robbed first baseman Kazuma Okamoto of a leadoff house run. Tracking the fly ball past the warning monitor and all the best way to the left-field wall, Arozarena leaped and caught his glove above the railing, just for the ball to land instantly in his mitt. 

As if the momentum-halting catch wasn’t sufficient, Arozorena additionally deked the gang and several other gamers into questioning the place the ball went. With the ball in his glove and 35,933 followers shedding their minds round him, Arozarena crossed his arms and stared straight forward, carrying a impartial expression. The crowd continued to roar, and Arozarena simply blinked. The catch and the pose need to be seen to be believed. 

Moments later, throughout a pitching change, Arozarena retreated to the wall and began signing autographs for the overcrowded fan part in left subject. And when he wasn’t interacting with the gang, he was making extra game-altering performs. 

Mexico’s Randy Arozarena robs Japan of a house run within the fifth inning

Japan managed to load the bases with two outs within the fifth inning, however just for Arozarena to finish the body with one other catch towards the left-field wall. Then, once more within the sixth inning, Arozarena ended Japan’s second bases-loaded risk with a working catch towards the third-base line. That time, he allowed himself to smile and take it in as he jogged again into Mexico’s dugout.

Japan got here again within the seventh inning on Masataka Yoshida’s game-tying three-run house run to make it a complete new ballgame. But within the prime of the eighth, Arozarena once more zapped the vitality from Japan’s dugout with a one-out double forward of Alex Verdugo‘s double that put Mexico again in entrance, 4-3. 

Randy Arozarena was the participant of the WBC, however his story is even higher

Over six WBC video games, Arozarena produced seven extra-base hits, 9 RBIs and a .450/.607/.900 slash line. Even although his exceptional effort wasn’t rewarded with a victory Monday, it is likely to be solely a matter of time earlier than Arozarena’s statue — clad with a sombrero and cowboy boots — is erected in Mexico.

“He gave us the chance to return again to the sport after a house run that many groups dealing with this sort of staff with so many stars, they might have given up,” Gil mentioned of Arozarena. “But, no. He began this rally. We fought. Again, we took the lead. They are warriors, ?”

Deesha Thosar is an MLB author for FOX Sports. She beforehand lined the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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