Team U.S.A. used seven pitchers total in their 2-1 win over Japan last night in LA in the World Baseball Classic, but manager Jim Leyland singled one out for praise in his post-game press conference.
“They got one run and it was a solo homer, so I'd have to say that was an excellent job, but the key tonight, without question, was Tanner Roark,” Leyland said.
“There is no question about that. We needed some innings from him, and he gave us those innings. We stayed right in the plan with the Nationals and Tanner, but had he come out tonight and gotten off to a rocky start, we could have been in trouble.