2013 Futures Game

From BR Bullpen

The 2013 Futures Game was played on July 14th at Citi Field, site of the 2013 All-Star Game. The United States team defeated the World team, 4-2, in a game where hard-throwing U.S. pitchers put on a dominating performance. Six of the U.S. pitchers pitched a hitless inning, beginning with starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who was matched up against fellow New York Mets prospect Rafael Montero. World batters drew seven walks, but managed only three hits, the last in the 4th inning. It was the fourth straight win for the U.S. team. The U.S. team was managed by former Met Mookie Wilson, while another former Mets star, Edgardo Alfonzo, managed the World team.

In spite of the strong pitching, it was a hitter, 3B Matt Davidson, who won the Larry Doby Award as the game's Most Valuable Player on the strength of a two-run homer in the bottom of the 4th. In the top of the inning, the World team had threatened to break open the game by scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead and putting two more runners on, but Jesse Biddle struck out Maikel Franco, who in normal days was his teammate with the AA Reading Phillies, to end the frame. For their part, the World pitchers only issued one walk while striking out eight, but gave up 4 runs on 9 hits. The World team's batters did not help their cause by grounding into three double plays.

The United States drew first blood when Christian Yelich hit a run-scoring single off Enny Romero with two outs in the 2nd. The World team replied against Anthony Ranaudo in the 4th, as he allowed two hits and two walks. One of the hits was a solo homer by Arismendy Alcantara, a second run scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Lennerton. That's when Biddle relieved Ranaudo and got the key strikeout of Franco, on a big curveball. Michael Ynoa came on to pitch the bottom of the inning for the World team and gave up a one-out single to C.J. Cron; Davidson then hammered a pitch to left-center for the key blow of the game. Biddle stayed to pitch another inning - the longest stint on the mound by anyone on the game - and was rewarded with the win for his effort. The World team did not register a single hit after that, while the U.S. added an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th, when Garin Cecchini drove in Billy Hamilton, who had reentered the game as a pinch-runner, with a single. A.J. Cole recorded the last two outs of the game to pick up the save. For the World team, Xander Bogaerts had two of the three hits.

Rosters[edit]

USA[edit]

World[edit]