A base-running mistake that negated at least a run in the top of the 10th inning, coupled with a pair of defensive errors, cost Taiwan the game as they succumbed to the Netherlands 5-3 in the second round of the Intercontinental Cup at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung yesterday afternoon, denying the home team a chance to play Cuba in the title game scheduled for 6:30pm this evening.
Lin Chih-sheng’s (La New Bears) two-out single to shallow-left with the bases loaded scored the runner from third to put Taiwan ahead 4-3, but Chung Cheng-yo (Bears) was easily gunned down at the plate from second for the inning-ending out after being forced to head for home plate by Chen Yong-chi (Pittsburg Pirates), who overran second base to end what could have been a multi-run inning for Taiwan.
That set up a wild pitch by Taiwan reliever Lo Ching-lung (Colorado Rockies) and a passed ball by catcher Kao Chih-kang (Uni-President Lions) in the bottom of the 10th to score the tying run from second, before Mariekson Gregorius homered on a full-count pitch off Lo to win it in dramatic fashion for the Netherlands.
PHOTO: CNA
“It was a hard one to take, especially after the way we fought back to tie the game in the seventh,” Taiwanese skipper Yeh Chih-hsien said after the game.
His troops had overcome a brilliant two-hit effort from Diegomar Markwell through the sixth inning by belting three straight hits off the Dutch starter, highlighted by Kao Guo-ching’s (Lions) two-run double with two outs to erase a two-run deficit and tie the game at 2-2.
Starter Chen Kuan-yu tossed one-run ball on four hits and three walks over the first five innings to keep pace with Markwell, but found himself down by a deuce after giving up a solo blast to the Netherlands’ Curt Smith in the sixth to cut his day short.
In came reliever Huang Chih-lung (Yomiuri Giants), who kept the Netherlands from scoring another run over the next two-and-two-third innings, before leaving with two on and one out in the ninth and his successor, Lo, threw spectacular double-play ball to send the game into extra-innings.
Taiwan’s luck ran out in the 10th as the miscues finally caught up with them, turning an otherwise thrilling seesaw affair into a disappointing defeat.
Netherlands reliever Orlando Yntema was credited with the win for his three solid innings of one-run relief, while Lo was tagged with the loss for allowing three runs on one hit in the decisive 10th.
Next up for Taiwan will be Italy, who also dropped a 5-3 decision to undefeated Cuba in the other semi-final, in the battle for the third place at the Intercontinental Baseball Stadium at 12:30pm this afternoon.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
RSS