Pirates’ David Bednar Shines for Team USA in WBC Opener

David Bednar made an outstanding first impression at the World Baseball Classic on Saturday night.

The Pittsburgh Pirates closer pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the United States’ 6-2 victory over Great Britain in a Pool C game at Chase Field in Phoenix. In Team USA’s first game. Bednar struck out the side and allowed one hit.

One of Bednar’s strikeouts victims was the Pirates’ Chavez Young, who started in right field. Young went 1 for 4.

Bednar threw 13 of his 18 pitches for strikes.

Another Pirates reliever, Duane Underwood Jr., pitched one perfect inning for Puerto Rico in its 9-1 win over Nicaragua in Pool D play at loanDepot Park in Miami. He had one strikeout while throwing 10 pitches, six for strikes.

Pirates pitchers Roansy Contreras and Luis Ortiz did not appear in the game for the Dominican Republic in its 5-1 loss to Venezuela in Pool D.