HAARLEM, Netherlands – For the second time in three days Japan gets routed. This time by Cuba. In game 2 of the day, the USA and Netherlands were locked in a pitchers battle.
Japan 1, Cuba 12
Cuba went up 4-0 after 2 innings and never looked back. Heading into the bottom of the 8th, Cuba was up 7-1, but scored 5 runs to end the game an inning early. Norberto Gonzalez picked up the win with 3 innings of scoreless relief. Motoki Higa took the loss for Japan tossing 4 innings allowing 5 runs (3 ER).
Yulieski Gourriel had a big day at the plate for Cuba going 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and 3 RBI. Ariel Pestano had the big blow with a 2-run home run that ended the game. Pestano was 2-for-4. Jose Abreu added 2 hits and 2 RBI.
Yoshiki Eto homered for Japan knocking in the only run. Toru Hirai went 3-for-4 and was the only Japanese batter with more than 1 hit.
USA 1, Netherlands 0
The USA and Netherlands battled it out in a pitcher’s duel with the winner making a hold on the 2nd seed heading into the playoff round.
Carlos Rodon, a freshman from North Carolina State, pitched brilliantly going 7 shutout innings striking out 9 to pick up the win. It was his second win of the tournament. Dan Child, a sophomore from Oregon State, picked up the save pitching the last 2 innings striking out 4 and not allowing a hit.
The USA scored a run in the 5th inning when with 1 out 2 straight hitters were hit by a pitch. The next batter walked. With the bases loaded, Michael Lorenzen was the 3rd batter to be hit by a pitch as the would be winning run scored.
The Dutch pitchers pitched great limiting the USA hitters to only 3 hits and 2 walks. However, Leon Boyd hit the 3 batters allowing the lone run to score taking the loss.
2012 Haarlem Baseball Week Standings:
1. Puerto Rico 4-0
2. USA 4-1
3. Netherlands 2-2
4. Cuba 2-2
5. Japan 1-4
6. Chinese Taipei 0-4
Schedule:
Friday July 20
Puerto Rico vs Chinese Taipei
Cuba vs. Netherlands
Saturday July 21
No. 2 vs No. 3
No. 1 vs No. 4
Sunday July 22
3rd Place
Final
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This post was written by
Eric Bynum is Managing Editor here at Baseball de World and an ESL teacher in South Korea. He has played and/or written about baseball for the past 30 years and is an avid Atlanta Braves fan. Eric also writes for Braves Baseball World and for Call to the Pen.
