MIAMI — A team is being molded in the heat of the WBC and a friendship is being strengthened.
After Team USA crushed Puerto Rico, 7-1, last night at Marlins Park with David Wright knocking in five runs to tie a WBC record with 10 RBIs for the tournament, a special guest was brought into the clubhouse — Wright’s friend Felix Perez, a wounded warrior.
Wright is playing for Perez as much as he is playing for his major league brothers, and the former Army sergeant is one more teammate. Perez lives in Miami and is confined to a wheelchair, but his spirit is boundless.
He met with Team USA before and after the game, Wright told the Post. With this victory, Team USA is one win away from moving onto San Francisco and the Final Four.
“It means a lot to see him come in our clubhouse,’’ Wright said as he made his way back to that clubhouse. “It’s something special for everyone to see. He means a lot to us. The guys love him.’’
The two trade barbs about their favorite teams and they have traded treasures.
Perez gave Wright one of his uniforms from when he was in Iraq and a medal.
“I wanted to give him something special and that’s what I had to give him,’’ Perez said in front of the Team USA dugout, with his mother Marta standing nearby.
“David’s friendship means so much to Felix,’’ Marta said.
No USA player is more determined to win than Wright, the son of an assistant chief of police, who never got the chance to play for any USA team as an amateur.
Joe Torre’s No. 1 goal when he was assembling Team USA was to put together players that meshed well, excelled in all avenues of the game and cared about baseball and their country. Some of the biggest stars didn’t want to play for USA. It’s not the name on the back of the jersey that is important for this team. It’s the name of the front: USA.
With each game, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Torre got the star and leader he needed in Mets’ third baseman. Captain America was Captain Clutch against last night.
Wright came up with the bases loaded three times and delivered each time, the last time in the eighth with a three-run double as Perez cheered him on with raw emotion.
When Wright rounded first after his fifth-inning RBI single, he allowed himself one thunderous hand clap as many in the crowd of 32,872 chanted “USA.’’ That’s about as wild as it gets for Team USA. Beat either the Dominican Republic tomorrow or win their next game and the USA Quiet Men are in the St. Patrick’s Day Final Four doubleheader with the chance to win their first WBC title.
Though Team USA is not as demonstrative and celebratory as the Dominicans, who came back to beat Italy, 5-4 yesterday, they are just as driven.
“A lot of times it’s just different styles,’’ said the always reflective R.A. Dickey, who will start Team USA’s game tomorrow night. “Latin America is sometimes that way, and it’s exciting. But don’t mistake lack of running on the field for us not being fully invested. It’s just a different way to play sometimes, that’s all.’’
This will be a clash in styles, but both teams love baseball and want this title.
“These guys are very, very determined,’’ Torre said of Team USA.
No one is more determined than Captain America and no one is cheering Wright on louder than Felix Perez.