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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 1ST ROUND POOL C

March 12, 2017

Luis Urueta

Miami, Florida

Dominican Republic - 10, Colombia - 3 F/11

Q. Obviously the controversial play was that out at home in the 9th inning. What's your impression from what you saw from the dugout?
LUIS URUETA: For me, he was out. I don't see anything controversial. Maybe the emotions got hold of the players. That's normal. Maybe there were a few inches from -- qualifying over the Dominican Republic and the U.S. would have been a feat. So it was normal for these guys.

But for me it was an out. Maybe the ball to Welington was on the line, and the instructions of the play, the rules there did not apply. So other players at first, I think that those -- they were not clear on the rule. I don't know whether the play at third base, Mauricio Ramos with the bases loaded and another run that could have give us an advantage.

But the play by Santana hitting against the shift, and Urshela throwing to first base and the confusion between the first baseman and the pitcher. The first baseman had his foot on the base. The umpire got a little confused and thought that it was the pitcher who stepped on the bag without the ball. Things happen, but you cannot think that we lost the game for that reason. But those are things that happen in baseball in a normal game.

Q. What can you tell a team, a team that has been coming for the first time and qualifying for the first time at the World Baseball Classic, and what can you tell those guys when you lose like that, representing your country, but in order to motivate them?
LUIS URUETA: I think this is a team that was motivated by the facts. The team was unified, it was a family. They came for a purpose. After the first game, the motivation was automatic. And now after you lose, it's not what I would tell them but rather what they say.

The leadership among the guys, the Solano brothers, Teheran, Quintana, all the words that were said a few minutes ago, I had tears. I got a little emotional, because after the game, life goes on and your family goes on. What's coming for them is satisfaction and happiness for what happened here. It's a family. They will not tear apart one from the other. Each will go to their own organization and those that do not have work, they will try to get work.

They're extremely happy to be part of this team. It is my first experience also in the Classic, and it's an experience. If it comes up again, a lot of time will elapse. So I'm happy for what happened, and we did not get the result that we wanted, but we are indeed satisfied for that the Dominicans to really fight in order to beat us.

Q. With the result with Canada, does mean you will be in 2021. What does it mean for Colombian professional baseball for your league and fan base? And what does this exposure means for Colombians here in the United States?
LUIS URUETA: For us simply it's the acknowledgment by the world, as you say. But unfortunately what has been done in Colombia, nobody knew about it. We have a professional league in Colombia now for over 20 years. We built a stadium in Colombia. Maybe one of the best in the Caribbean. It has the name of Renteria. Unfortunately, we are not in the Caribbean Series. Now, we have baseball players that have reached the Major Leagues.

And maybe this presentation by the team will open people's eyes and we'll be recognized more than what has been happening so far. For us, this motivates us and we will continue with the same process.

The Renteria brothers have done a great job and I've been part of it, and I hope that the Colombian authorities, the government, private companies, will continue to support us, because without them sometimes it is impossible, and with the stadium, we will soon be accepted into the Caribbean Series.

Q. 90 feet away from the plate, that's the only thing that kept Colombia from beat the monster of the Dominican Republic. In addition to the answers you've said, did it hurt you to lose that run?
LUIS URUETA: Wow. That's an obvious answer, it hurts a lot, of course. We were 90 feet from surprising the world, from shocking the Dominicans. But it is a satisfaction, as I said, and that they jumped up with happiness and so much emotion. To have defeated a team that professionally is not even five percent of the lineup there, so many stars, so many championships, so much experience, and these young guys that came and tied the game, and being 90 feet away on the field, wow, there are no words to describe it. We did not win, but we won a lot inside. We won a lot of people's respect and we'll go on.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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