TAINAN, Taiwan - Team USA scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth, but could not overcome a five-run deficit as it fell to Venezuela, 7-6, in the second game of the 2019 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup, on Friday, at ASPAC B Stadium in Tainan, Taiwan.

Team USA's starting pitcher Lucas Tinajero (Corpus Christi, Texas) suffered the loss on the mound after allowing two runs in two innings and striking out three. Venezuela's Jean Blanco earned the win after giving up two runs and striking out a batter in four innings on the mound.

Tinajero led the U.S. offensively after recording two hits and an RBI in the contest. Josiah Hartshorn (Anaheim, Calif.) and Jaiden Lo Re (Phoenix, Ariz.) added a double each for Team USA. Venezuela's Leonel Dominguez hit his tournament-leading fourth home run in the top of the second inning, while Kennew Blanco recorded three hits on the day.

Key Moments

• Team USA jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first after Noah Meza (Chino Hills, Calif.) drew a walk to lead off the game and reached third via a stolen base and a fly out from Lucas Tinajero (Corpus Christi, Texas).
• Jack Ruckert (Baton Rouge, La.) hit a groundout to second base to plate Meza in the next at-bat, giving the U.S. a 1-0 advantage.
• Venezuela responded with a pair of runs on four hits in the top of the second, before extending the lead to 6-1 with four runs in the top of the fourth.
• Team USA cut the lead to four in the bottom of the fourth as Josiah Hartshorn (Anaheim, Calif.) led off the inning with a double to left field, before scoring two batters later on an RBI-single by Rashad Hayes (Oakland, Calif.).
• Venezuela scored a run in the top of the fifth to push the lead to 7-2.
• Down to its last three outs in the bottom of the sixth, Team USA immediately put runners on first and second after Gavin Fien (Temecula, Calif.) and Hayes led off the inning with a hit by pitch and an error by Venezuela's shortstop, respectively.
• Jaiden Lo Re (Phoenix, Ariz.) drove a 2-1 fastball to the gap in right-center to bring home Fien with a stand-up double. Hayes scored in the next at-bat thanks to Venezuela's second error of the inning that was hit by Jayden Stroman (Medford, N.Y.).
• Lo Re would then score on a groundout from Brenden Lewis (Santee, Calif.) before Lucas Tinajero cut the lead to one with a two-out single that bounced through the left side of the infield.
• Venezuela earned the win after forcing a groundout in the next at-bat.

• Team USA falls to 1-1 at the 2019 WBSC U-12 World Cup, while Venezuela moves to 2-0.
• Lucas Tinajero (0-1) suffered the loss on the mound for Team USA after allowing two runs in the first two innings. Venezuela's starting pitcher Jean Blanco earned the win after pitching four innings and allowing two runs.
• Tinajero led the red, white and blue offensively, picking up two hits and driving in a run in the game.
   

On Deck

• Team USA will continue the opening round of the WBSC U-12 World Cup on Sunday, July 28 against Korea. Sunday's matchup is slated to begin at 2 a.m. ET at ASPAC Youth Stadium. The schedule for the remaining opening round games can be found below.
• vs. Italy (July 29)
• vs. Mexico (July 30)
   

Social

• Stay tuned to @USABaseball12U on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 12U National Team.