The Netherlands seized an early lead and kept it all the way to a 7-4 victory in Taiwan’s opening match of the WSBC Premier 12 at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium last night.
The visitors led 4-1 after two frames after getting two runs on two sacrifice flies to the outfield, before third baseman Yurendell De Caster blasted a two-run homer, while Taiwan’s Yang Dai-kang provided the reply with a home run in the bottom of the first.
Taiwan scored through catcher Lin Hung-yu’s RBI double and had a prime opportunity to go ahead in the bottom of the fourth, putting two runners on base off hits by shortstop Kuo Yen-wen and second baseman Lin Chih-sheng with no outs.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
However, the Netherlands sent in Tom Stuifbergen replaced starting pitcher Diegomar Markwell and he struck out the next two batters — Lin Yi-chuan and Kao Kuo-hui — before getting first baseman Chen Chun-hsiu to hit into a groundout down the first-base line to eliminate the opportunity.
In the top of the sixth, Yang again was involved in a big play — on defense this time — as he ran from center field to take a catch against the fence to end the inning with the Netherlands leaving two runners stranded.
In the bottom half, Lin Hung-yu clawed one back for Taiwan, bouncing the ball off the top of the outfield wall for a solo home run out of reach of outfielder Curt Smith to make it 4-3
However, the Netherlands rallied late to score three runs in the ninth inning, before Taiwan added a consolation run.
Taiwan next face Italy at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium tomorrow.
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