WBC: Venezuela scores three in ninth to defeat Italy, 4-3

Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer and Rougned Odor had a long run-scoring single during a three-run ninth inning and Venezuela rallied to beat Italy, 4-3, on Monday night in Guadalajara to qualify for the second round of the World Baseball Classic.

Cabrera hit a shot to center field to tie it, 2-2, and Odor hit a single to put Venezuela ahead. Odor later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Alcides Escobar.

Venezuela will face the United States on Wednesday in San Diego.

The Venezuelans advanced despite giving up 35 runs in the first round, the third-highest mark in the history of the tournament. South Africa and China each gave up 38 in 2006.

Venezuela joined Puerto Rico as the two teams that moved on from Group D.

Italy got a solo homer from Alex Liddi in the bottom of the ninth, but Francisco Rodriguez got three groundouts for the save. Italy finished 1-3 in the tournament.

Netherlands 12, Israel 2: Didi Gregorius drove in five runs in Toyko and the Netherlands handed Israel its first loss of the WBC.

Gregorius doubled in a run in the third inning when the Netherlands scored four runs to take a 6-0 lead. The designated hitter hit a three-run home run in the fourth to make it 10-0.

Gregorius drove in a run in the eighth with a flyout when the Netherlands added two runs. The game was ended after eight innings because of the 10-run rule.

Israel beat the Netherlands, 4-2, in the first round in Seoul but saw a different team at Tokyo Dome. Jair Jurrjens picked up the win after striking out five batters and holding Israel to one run and five hits over six innings.

“We lost to Israel in the first round so we wanted to make sure we made no mistakes in today’s game with pitching, offense and defense,” Manager Hensley Meulens said. “J.J. did a great job holding them.”

The Netherlands and Israel are 1-1 in Pool E. Israel plays Japan on Wednesday and Cuba faces the Netherlands.