Tsai Chung-nan (
In other quarterfinal results yesterday, the US defeated Panama 7-2, Cuba downed the Dominican Republic 3-1 and Japan defeated South Korea 3-1.
PHOTO: CHU YU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
Today's semifinal matchups see the US and Taiwan meet at Tienmu Stadium while Cuba will take on Japan at Shinchuan Stadium. Both games begin at 6 p.m.
PHOTO: AP
Last night, the 22-year-old Tsai dominated Dutch batters with an impressive performance, using his split finger fastball to strike out 10.
Chang gave Tsai the only run he needed, hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning to the delight of the raucous, sold-out crowd of 10,000.
PHOTO: CHU YU-PING, TAIPEI TIMES
Taiwan added an insurance run in the seventh when Chang singled to left field and came home on a double by Hong I-chung (
The Dutch threatened to score in the sixth inning when Harvey Monte walked and then stole second. Taiwan's centerfielder Huang Kan-len (
The Netherlands again threatened with two out in the ninth inning off reliever Kuo Li Chien-Fu (
"[Tsai] wasn't giving us any chances to score," said Dutch manager Robert Eenhoorn. "Also, the fans were affecting the performance of our players and it was not until the sixth inning did they start to get used to it.
They're great fans," he said. "They must be making four times the noise of any fans elsewhere.
Taiwan manager Lin Hua-wei (
"Tsai had a tremendous performance today. We can credit our win today to three factors: good pitching, a decisive home run and loud fans," Lin said. "The home run in the fifth inning was decisive. The Netherlands played well up to that point, but then we took over."
Lin named Hsu Ming-chien (
US 7, Panama 2
In the afternoon game at Tienmu Stadium, Chris Snopek, hit a home run and a RBI double to lead the US into the semifinals.
Snopek's solo shot into the playground beyond the left field wall in the fourth inning made the score 2-0. But Panama responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth on a home run by Roberto Gutierrez and an RBI double by Freddy Herra. The runs were the first that US pitchers had given up in 30 consecutive innings in the tournament. The Panamanians then threaten to go ahead with one out in the sixth when US starter Scott Cassidy put two men on with a walk and a single.
US manger Terry Francona then turned to reliever Tom Shearn.
"The biggest point of the game was when Tom Shearn came in with first and third in the sixth inning and got us out of that jam. That kept us in the game," Francona said.
In the bottom of the sixth, Snopek put the Americans on top again, driving in a run on his double into the left-center gap off Panama starter Roger Deago. Snopek later scored when Jeff Deardorff blooped a single into shallow centerfield.
The Americans added three unearned runs in the seventh and eight innings to complete the scoring.
Francona named Jason Stanford has his starting pitcher in today's game against Taiwan. Stanford, who pitched for Cleveland's Triple-A Buffalo team this year, pitched five scoreless innings to beat South Korea in preliminary play.
Francona said his team was ready for a rematch against Taiwan.
"We've played them already. We played a good game, but I don't know if that's an advantage or not," he said. "If we do what we can do, I feel comfortable about our chances. We've got to stay with our strengths and play the game like we know how to.
``We're not scared of anybody and we respect everybody.''
Cuba 3, Dominican Republic 1
In the afternoon game at Shinchuan Stadium, Norge Vera pitched a two-hitter as Cuba remained on course for their seventh consecutive Baseball World Cup title.
Vera faced only 29 batters -- two over the minimum -- yielding only a fourth inning single to Napoleon Calzado and a fifth inning home run to Ramon Espinosa.
Vera, who held the Baltimore Orioles hitless for 6 2/3 innings during the May 3, 1999 exhibition game in Baltimore, struck out four Dominicans and did not walk any.
"My strategy from the beginning was to use fastballs,"
said Vera, who was throwing at 150kph. "I had outstanding control with my fastball. I was also using the slider."
Cuba did all their scoring in the fifth inning. German Mesa and Luis Ulacia hit RBI singles and Antonio Pacheco forced in a run by taking a bases-loaded walk.
"It was a high-level game and a hard fought victory. Both teams are familiar with each other, and we came out on top," said Cuban manager Higinio Velez.
Cuba is expected to start Jose Contrares again Japan in today's semifinal game.
Japan 3, South Korea 1
In the night game at Tienmu Stadium, Japan remained perfect in the tournament, winning its eighth straight game to eliminate South Korea. The victory also avenged Japan's loss to the Koreans in the bronze medal game at last year's Olympics.
Hayato Nakamura, who played last season for the Nippon Ham Fighters, tossed two-hit ball over six innings for Japan.
Japan broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning on a bases-loaded groundout by Taichihiro Kamisaka. Yoshinobu Takahashi added a RBI single in the seventh.
Japanese manager Toshiko Goto played it close to the vest for the semifinal against a Cuba team that Japan beat 5-3 in preliminary play.
"We were concentrating solely on winning the game against Korea. So we have not given much thought about facing Cuba," said Goto, who also declined to name his starting pitcher for today's game.
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