On this date in USA Baseball history, Team USA defeated Korea 3-2 in the Olympic semifinal with a walk-off two-run home run by Doug Mientkiewicz. With the win, Team USA secures a spot in the gold-medal game and a rematch against the two-time defending champion Cuba.

Roy Oswalt was on the mound for Team USA in another bout with Korean pitcher Tae-Hyon Chong after opposing each other in their first contest in pool play. Throughout the first two innings, the game held a lot of similarity as neither pitcher allowed anything to get going at the plate.

However, Korea managed to break through first scoring two runs on two hits in the top of the third and taking the first lead of the game. Oswalt got out of the inning with a strikeout and a fly out and Team USA answered in the fourth.

Brad Wilkerson led off the inning with a double to right field and made his way to third on a ground out by Mike Neill. John Cotton, who had previously been in an 0-for-14 slump at the plate, doubled to the gap in left-center field, scoring Wilkerson and bringing the score to 2-1.

Until the seventh, the two pitchers matched and held the other’s offense at bay. Ryan Franklin came in to pitch in relief for Team USA and kept Korea scoreless. The Americans picked back up their attack when Mike Kinkade laid a bunt down the third-base line and was called safe at first in a close play. Despite a pitching change for Korea, Doug Mientkiewicz singled to right and Kinkade took an extra base, sliding safely into third in yet another close play. A Marcus Jensen sac-fly brought home Kinkade and the game was tied again at 2-2.

In the eighth, after Brent Abernathy doubled and made his way to third base, the weather was too much and caused a two-hour rain delay, Team USA’s second of the tournament. After the delay, Neill was intentionally walked, and on a Cotton grounder to third, both Abernathy and Cotton were called out on a force play at home and an interference call when Abernathy collided with the catcher, ending the threat by Team USA.

Todd Williams took over on the mound for Team USA in the top of the ninth making quick work of the side with two strikeouts and a fly-out.

In the bottom half of the inning, Mike Kinkade reached base after getting hit and was replaced on the base path by Travis Dawkins, Team USA’s fastest runner. When Dawkins was picked-off at first, Doug Mientkiewicz stepped up to the plate and called game. On a 2-1 pitch, Mientkiewicz sent a solo shot over the right field fence to walk-off and send Team USA to the gold-medal game.

Team USA will match up with Cuba in the championship game in a rematch for the history books. The two teams will enter the final day with 7-1 records each.

A two-hour rain delay, a walk-off and a spot in the #Sydney2000 gold medal game. Twenty years ago today, this game had it all. #ForGlory🇺🇸

📝: https://t.co/1rgGXUXo3f pic.twitter.com/YFZ6ajnPVb

— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) September 26, 2020

QUOTABLES

- “One of the biggest hits of my life, for sure. Felt really good to come through for us in that situation, and get us on the scoreboard.” John Cotton (Miracle on Grass)

- “I remember seeing the pitch come up off his fingers, and the first thing I thought, the first instant when I saw the ball come out of his hand, was ‘Game over. Just put a good swing on it, put a good swing on it, it’s a change-up.’ I remember being a little bit out in front of it, but I got a good part of the bat on it, and I remember running to first base thinking, ‘That never happens. That never happens.’” Doug Mientkiewicz (Miracle on Grass)

- “One second I was so angry that Gookie had gotten picked off first, and by the time I had gotten back to the dugout, Doug had hit that ball over the fence. And it was pure joy." Tommy Lasorda (Miracle on Grass)

- Before his at-bat, Doug and I had a talk, and he said, ‘Skip, I’ll do whatever it takes for us to win the game.’ He’s never thought about his individual accomplishments this whole time, just of the team and winning.” Tommy Lasorda (Miracle on Grass)