Down 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the side from the Netherlands were in desperate need of a big hit. Vince Rooi responded.
Rooi hit a solo home run off Keng Po-hsuan, bringing to life a listless Netherlands offense that had only managed to score one run over the first eight innings.
Taiwan drew first blood in the bottom of the third when Liao Ying-chieh scored off an RBI double by Lin Chih-sheng. Then on a bizarre check swing, Peng Cheng-min hit a high fly ball to right field that dropped for an RBI single.
In the top of the sixth the Netherlands scored on an RBI double by Raylinoe Legito. It was the only run starting pitcher Lin En-yu gave up.
But the Taiwanese bullpen could not hold the lead. First Rooi had his heroic home run in the ninth and then the Netherlands blew the game wide open in the top of the 11th. With the bases loaded and two outs, Gregory Halman hit a grounder to left field that was just fair. Two runs scored, then Hainley Statia followed with a single to score two more.
NOT ENOUGH
Taiwan added a run in the bottom of the 11th inning, but it wasn't enough. Keng Po-hsuan took the loss.
The win went to Michiel van Kampen. It was the Netherlands' third victory in a row, including a 2-1 upset over Cuba who had not lost a game in the Baseball World Cup since 2001.
In other action, Japan beat Australia 3-0 in the afternoon game in Sinjhuang. Tadashi Settsu improved his record to 3-0 in the tournament and Travis Jarod Blackley ended up with a loss for the Australian side.
EASY WIN
Cuba, who has won gold in every single Baseball World Cup since 1984, faced Mexico in the late game in Tianmu. Cuba jumped to an early 1-0 lead and then in the bottom of the fifth Yuliesky Gourriel Castillo and Frederich Cepeda Cruz both hit bases loaded singles, scoring three runs to give Cuba a 4-0 lead. Yoandry Urgelles Cobas added a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth and Cuba went on to win 6-0.
Adiel Palma Lopez pitched seven-and-two-thirds innings of shutout baseball for Cuba, getting his first win of the tournament.
The USA faced South Korea in the late game in Sinjhuang. In the bottom of the first, Andy LaRoche hit a two-run home run to give the USA a 2-0 lead. They added to their lead in the third when Steve Pearce hit an RBI double, and the USA ended up winning the game 3-1. Jeff Karstens got the win, and the losing pitcher was Chang Won-jun.
The USA, who along with Cuba are considered favorites to win the gold, has not won a medal in the Baseball World Cup since 2001.
In today's action, Mexico play Australia at 12pm in Sinjhuang, followed by Cuba versus Japan at 6pm. South Korea play Taiwan at 12pm in Tianmu, followed by the USA versus the Netherlands at 6pm.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
RSS