US beats Mexico 6-1 to reach Premier12 final vs SKorea

TOKYO (AP) The United States scored five runs in the fourth inning to beat Mexico 6-1 and reach the Premier12 baseball final on Friday.

The U.S., made up of players not on 40-man MLB rosters, takes on South Korea in the final on Saturday. The Koreans beat Japan 4-3 on Thursday.

''I was very impressed with the Korean team,'' U.S. manager Willie Randolph said. ''They came back against Japan and are a very good team, but right now we feel like we are the team to beat.''

Mexico took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a solo homer by Humberto Sosa, but the U.S. quickly rallied at Tokyo Dome.

After Adam Frazier's two-out RBI single, Dan Rohlfing hit a two-run double to make it 3-1.

Elliot Soto followed with a single to right, driving in Rohlfing and advancing to third on an error.

Jacob May capped the five-run outburst with a line drive that scored Soto.

Jarret Grube was supposed to start for the U.S. but had a stiff neck so Randolph went with Zeke Spruill on short notice. The right-hander gave up one run on five hits over five innings for the win.

''Spruill did an outstanding job,'' Randolph said.