Cary-Based USA Baseball Team Claims Silver in Tokyo

Cary, NC — The USA baseball team took on the top teams in the world and performed their way into the final game that would determine their spot on the podium, whether it be gold or silver.

Final Game Ends 2-0

Team USA finished the Olympic tournament with a 4-2 record and brought home the silver medal, only second to the hosting country team—Japan.

Team USA got runners on base in seven innings on Saturday but could not make the timely hit happen to put runs on the scoreboard. The U.S. then trailed 1-0 after a solo home run by Munetaka Murakami in the third inning.

By the seventh inning, U.S. starting pitcher Nick Martinez and reliever Ryder Ryan had kept the Japan offense to its lone run at this point in the game. That was until a defensive snafu led to Japan’s 2-0 lead they clinched in the 8th.

U.S. Team Members Earn the Accolades

Four members of Team USA were named to the All-Olympic Team following Tokyo 2020, including second baseman Eddy Alvarez, designated hitter Tyler Austin, first baseman Triston Casas, and left-handed pitcher Anthony Gose. In addition to the four All-World honorees, Nick Allen earned the award for Best Defensive Player in the tournament.

After winning the silver medal, Alvarez became just the sixth athlete all-time to win an Olympic medal in both the Summer and Winter Games. He is the third American athlete to do so, following Eddie Egan (1920, 1932) and Lauryn Williams (2004, 2012, 2014).

The silver medal was Team USA’s second in its Olympic history, following a silver medal in the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games when baseball was a demonstration sport. USA Baseball now claims six Olympic medals in its history: two gold (1988, 2000), two silver (1984, 2020), and two bronze (1996, 2008).


Story and photos by Ashley Kairis. Medal photo courtesy of the Team USA Baseball Facebook page.

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