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There were no last-minute heroics needed this time.
No glorious comebacks.
Really, no suspense.
USA simply went out Sunday and methodically silenced Cuba, 14-2, advancing to the World Baseball Classic finals in front of a raucous, but largely peaceful, sellout crowd of 35,779 at loanDepot Park.
Team USA will play the winner of the Japan-Mexico game on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET on FOX) in a bid to repeat as WBC champions, while wondering if Trea Turner is the greatest No. 9 hitter in baseball history.
Turner, who had never started a game batting ninth in his order until this tournament, hit two more home runs with four RBI Sunday — just 24 hours after his game-winning grand slam on Saturday. His four homers are the most by a USA player in WBC history, with his 10 RBI equaling the tournament record.
Who knows, at some point, maybe Turner can actually convince someone he should be hitting a whole lot higher in the lineup.
“I would love to hit up in the order,’’ Turner says, “but this lineup’s ridiculous. It doesn’t matter if you’re batting first, second, third, ninth, there’s probably going to be guys on base in front of because the lineup’s just so good.
“You never know when it’s going to be your moment.’’
While Turner again stole the show on the field, heightened security inside and outside the ballpark made sure nothing could detract from the game. There were small, and quiet protests outside the ballpark, voicing their anger and resentment for Cuba playing it its first game in Miami, but no reported violence.
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Inside the ballpark, the game was briefly halted three times when protesters ran across the field. One protester, who interrupted the game in the sixth inning, held a banner that read in part: Libertad Para Los Cubanos (“Freedom for Cubans’’).
