Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, Brice Turang had three hits and four RBIs, and the United States easily defeated Brazil 15-5 in its World Baseball Classic opener Friday night.
In the first inning, with one out and a runner on base, Judge, the first player to sign with the team last April, hit a home run against Bo Takahashi at Daikin Park in Houston.
Lucas Ramirez, in the presence of his father, Manny Ramirez, a 12-time All-Star, hit two home runs for Brazil. He cut the lead to 2-1 with an early home run, and his eighth-inning solo homer brought Brazil to within 8-5.
At 20 years and 49 days old, he became the youngest player in World Baseball Classic history to hit two or more home runs.
Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning, increasing the Americans’ lead to 4-1. Two pitches later, Turang emptied the bases with a double to left field, making it 7-1.
Brazil is participating in the World Baseball Classic for only the second time, and the first since 2013. The team is 0-4 in this competition after losses to Japan, Cuba and China in 2013.
Another highlight for Brazil came when 17-year-old Joseph Contreras forced Judge into a double play with the bases loaded, ending the second inning.
Contreras, the youngest player in the tournament this year, is the son of pitcher José Contreras, who played 11 seasons in the majors.
Lucas Rojo hit a run-scoring single for Brazil in the seventh inning, before Victor Mascai’s two-run homer off Michael Wacha cut the lead to 7-4.
A run-scoring single from Bryce Harper got things started in the ninth inning, allowing the United States to add seven runs.
The Americans drew 17 walks and forced Brazil to throw 221 pitches.
