Defensive Indifference

The U.S. Olympic baseball team got off to an inauspicious start this morning, losing to South Korea 8-7. The U.S. scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th to go up 7-6, then reliever Jeff Stevens promptly gave away the game in the bottom of the 9th, allowing the winning run on a sac fly after committing an error.

Obviously the pitching was less than stellar for both teams, but the difference in the game was the U.S. not converting their scoring chances–they left seven runners on base throughout the course of the game, while S. Korea only left three. The would-be hero of the day for the U.S. was 26 year-old Angels minor leaguer Matt Brown, who drove in the tying and go-ahead run for the U.S. in the top of the 9th.

The U.S. still has six games to go, so there’s no need to panic. However, the U.S. will need to win tomorrow’s match-up against the Netherlands to avoid digging themselves a hole.