The Germans are apparently a lot better at baseball than most Americans might think.
Former Minnesota Twins farmhand Tim Henkenjohann (pictured) fired a solid 8 2/3 innings while teammates blasted three home runs, leading Germany to a 6-3 win over USA Baseball’s National Team in the World Baseball Challenge late Monday night in Prince George, British Columbia.
The USA is 1-1 so far in the six-team event, which includes three Canadian squads, while the Germans are 2-1. The tournament consists of a round-robin, moving on to the elimination round on Friday with the title game on Sunday at 7 (EDT).
Jendrick Speer had a solo homer and Simon Guerhing a two-run shot off Kansas’ T.J. Walz in the fourth inning to give the Germans the lead for good.
The Americans scored on an error in the fifth, but could get no closer.
Germany’s Michael Franke added a two-run homer in the sixth off Louisville’s Tony Zych, then made it 6-1 in the eighth on a balk from UCLA’s Trevor Bauer.
Miami’s Yasmani Grandal and Arizona State’s Matt Newman hit solo homers in the ninth to chase Henkenjohann before Martin Almstetter got the save.
Tonight at 10 (EDT) the USA will take on The Bahamas (0-3), with the Citadel’s Asher Wojciechowski on the hill.
