USA runner-up to Venezuela in Pool 2

Americans' next matchup will take place on Sunday night

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

In his first start at first in the Classic, Adam Dunn made two errors on Wednesday. (Doug Benc/Getty)

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MIAMI -- Team USA came close, but it couldn't complete a second successive dramatic comeback.

The Americans gave it a shot, but Venezuela had too much firepower.

Despite getting a two-run homer and three RBIs from Mark DeRosa, Team USA couldn't keep pace with Venezuela, which claimed Pool 2 of Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic with a 10-6 victory in front of 16,575 at Dolphin Stadium on Wednesday.

Max Ramirez belted a three-run homer, while Miguel Cabrera had three hits and two RBIs to help trigger Venezuela's third win in as many games in Miami. Both teams will advance to the semifinals this weekend at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, but Team USA goes in as the runner-up, and it will play on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

Team USA was riding high after scoring three in the ninth on Tuesday to eliminate Puerto Rico, 6-5.

"We're fine," said DeRosa, who had three hits. "After last night, I mean, anything was going to be a letdown. That was one of the great moments in a lot of guys' careers, and it was a special moment rushing out on the field with all your teammates and advancing."

After falling behind by five runs in the second inning, the United States narrowed its deficit to 7-6 in the top of the sixth inning. But Venezuela responded with a three-run homer by Ramirez, who connected off reliever LaTroy Hawkins with two outs.

There was plenty of offense, as the teams combined for 16 runs and 27 hits.

Curtis Granderson, Brian Roberts, Derek Jeter and Chris Iannetta each had two hits.

The start of the game was delayed one hour and two minutes by rain, and the conditions were not ideal.

"The conditions weren't good, to be honest with you," DeRosa said. "I don't know. You sit there and wonder had the game been started [on time]. It was fine. There were no guys slipping. The grounds crew did a great job of coming in and make sure the pitchers' footing was fine."

And Team USA also had to deal with an injury to first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who has a left ankle problem and is out of the tournament. Adam Dunn filled in at first base, after he had been playing right field.

The adjustment was a struggle, and Dunn made two errors.

"That's one of the problems," manager Davey Johnson said. "We really don't have a first baseman to go to, and that creates a problem. I've got to play some guys out of positions that they're not used to playing, and that is an issue, a concern."

Dunn's first miscue played a factor in Venezuela's six-run second inning. Trying to toss out Carlos Guillen at home, the ball sailed past catcher Iannetta. Dunn cleanly fielded a chopper off the bat of Gerardo Parra, and he had plenty of time to get out Guillen, who, in fact, stopped before reaching home, ready to get in a rundown.

After that error, Team USA starter Jeremy Guthrie threw 27 of his 52 total pitches. Of the six runs he yielded in 1 2/3 innings, two were earned. Venezuela sent 10 men to the plate in the second and had six hits. Henry Blanco had a two-run double and Cesar Izturis added an RBI single. Jose Lopez and Cabrera each had RBI doubles.

Cabrera added a two-out RBI single in the fourth, padding Venezuela's lead to 7-3.

Venezuela's big second inning put Team USA in a bind, but it did rally to make it a one-run game in the sixth. Roberts singled and Jeter's double put the tying run on second with no outs. Yet, the lone run it manufactured came on a groundout by David Wright, making it 7-6.

A nervous moment for an already-ailing United States squad came in Wright's first at-bat. In the first inning, the Mets' All-Star fouled a pitch off his left foot. He tumbled to the ground and took a few seconds to shake it off. He stayed in the game, but he was clearly not moving as smoothly as normal.

Wright cracked the nail on his big toe, and he had an X-ray taken after the game for precautionary reasons. The results came back negative, which was the best news for Team USA on the night.

"I was trying to wrap it as tight as I could to keep the swelling down a bit and go back out there," Wright said.

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.