Ronald Acuña Jr. played a key role in keeping Venezuela national baseball team undefeated in the World Baseball Classic after a 4-0 win over Nicaragua national baseball team. The Atlanta Braves star was the driving force behind the victory and quickly shifted his focus to the highly anticipated matchup against the Dominican Republic.
Venezuela had already secured its spot in the quarterfinals, but Acuña remained locked in on the game against Nicaragua. His performance helped the team secure its third win in Pool D and maintain momentum heading into one of the tournament’s biggest rivalry games.
“That’s part of my game,” Acuña said, according to MLB.com. “Sometimes I can hit a homer, sometimes I can steal a base, sometimes I can play defense. I can do it all.”
Acuña emphasizes key to beating Dominican Republic
With the win secured, attention now turns to Venezuela’s clash with the Dominican Republic national baseball team. The rivalry matchup will determine the next stage of the tournament, and Acuña believes controlling emotions will be crucial.
Ronald Acuña Jr. #21 of the Venezuela singles during the fifth inning against Nicaragua. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
“It is important to manage the anxiety, the adrenaline,” Acuña said. “We’re going to have 40,000 people here at the stadium. There is a classic rivalry between both countries and we hope to win. We just have to control our emotions.”
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