Milwaukee prospect Alexander Palma hit a pair of RBI singles, the New York Yankees’ Robinson Chirinos hit a three-run homer and Venezuela routed the Netherlands 10-0 Friday at Puebla, Mexico, to advance to a one-game matchup against the Dominican Republic for the final berth in the Olympic baseball tournament.
Venezuela burst ahead against Jair Jurrjens, a 35-year-old right-hander whose last major league appearance was in 2014. He allowed six runs, five hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Henry Centeno, a 26-year-old right-hander, got the win by pitching a two-hitter with six strikeouts and a walk in a game shortened to seven innings under the tournament rout rule.
Luis Sardiñas added an RBI single in the third, and Engelb Vielma and Hernán Pérez hit two-run homers in the seventh.
The winner of Saturday’s game between Venezuela and the Dominican Republic joins host Japan, the United States, Israel, Mexico and South Korea at the Olympic tournament in Japan, to be played from July 28 to Aug. 7 in Fukushima and Yokohama.
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