The United States soared into the championship game of the World Baseball Classic with a 14-2 victory over Cuba on Sunday night in Miami, a victory fueled in large part by big outings from several Cardinals.
Paul Goldschmidt blasted a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Americans a 2-1 lead, then Cards teammate Nolan Arenado tripled in Goldschmidt in the fourth and scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-1. Arenado left the game in the fifth inning after being hit by a pitch on his right hand. Reports said an X-ray did not show a fracture.