Dutch pull off Cuba stunner, Japan rallies at WBC
Source: Agencies |
March 9, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Netherlands stunned Cuba 6-2 in the World Baseball Classic's second round yesterday to move one win from reaching the tournament's final stage for the first time.
Second baseman Jonathan Schoop earned four runs to put the Dutch through to a game against Japan, the two-time defending champion edging Taiwan 4-3 in a 10-inning late-night thriller, and leave Cuba's hopes hanging by a thread.
Sho Tanaka's deep fly to the warning track in left allowed Nobuhiro Matsuda to score from third. Toshiya Suguichi retired Taiwan in the bottom of the 10th to nail down the win.
The win at Tokyo Dome, against one of the favorites and 2006 finalist, was the second upset sealed by the Dutch after they beat South Korea, runner-up in 2009, in the first round.
The Netherlands have never reached the final stage before, while Cuba has to go through repechage playoffs if it wants to make it to the championship series starting in San Francisco on March 17.
"This was a huge win for us," Dutch manager Hensley Meulens said. "We had a plan to attack and the guys executed it well."
On Thursday, Italy edged Mexico 6-5 in Scottsdale, Arizona, in Pool D while in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic thumped Venezuela 9-3 in Pool C.
Second baseman Jonathan Schoop earned four runs to put the Dutch through to a game against Japan, the two-time defending champion edging Taiwan 4-3 in a 10-inning late-night thriller, and leave Cuba's hopes hanging by a thread.
Sho Tanaka's deep fly to the warning track in left allowed Nobuhiro Matsuda to score from third. Toshiya Suguichi retired Taiwan in the bottom of the 10th to nail down the win.
The win at Tokyo Dome, against one of the favorites and 2006 finalist, was the second upset sealed by the Dutch after they beat South Korea, runner-up in 2009, in the first round.
The Netherlands have never reached the final stage before, while Cuba has to go through repechage playoffs if it wants to make it to the championship series starting in San Francisco on March 17.
"This was a huge win for us," Dutch manager Hensley Meulens said. "We had a plan to attack and the guys executed it well."
On Thursday, Italy edged Mexico 6-5 in Scottsdale, Arizona, in Pool D while in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic thumped Venezuela 9-3 in Pool C.
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