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Baldwin had a hit and an RBI in a comfortable win for USA baseball. USA Baseball is now 2-0 in games started by Drake Baldwin, and in his third game played Baldwin finally broke through with his first hit along with driving in a run. Baldwin’s RBI came in the United States’s four-run first inning, hit ground out scoring Colby Thomas for the final run of that inning. In the seventh inning Baldwin finally got into the hit column. Baldwin laced a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield, and though Panama’s Edgard Munoz was able to make an impressive diving stop, Baldwin was able to beat the throw to first base for an infield single. Baldwin has struggled to keep the ball off of the ground throughout his at bats so far, repeating issues that plagued him in his short time in Mississippi this season, though obviously through a miniscule sample.
GROUP A
Player of the DayHendrik Clementina, Netherlands3-5, 2 HR, 2B, BB, 5 RBI, 4 R
The entire Netherlands offense could be the player of the day, but Clementina went above them all, accounting for seven runs and clubbing two home runs in what is the best individual game so far this tournament. Clementina’s first inning home run helped extend the lead in what was then still a close game, and had hits in each of the Netherlands run-scoring first three innings. He then hit the deciding home run in the game, a three-run eighth inning shot that made the difference in the Dutch squad invoking the run rule and getting out of the game a couple of innings early.
Pitcher of the Day: Kevin Miranda, Puerto Rico3 1⁄3 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Panama’s pitching staff struggled on Tuesday, but Miranda not only gave them important bulk to save bullpen depth, but kept them in the game as the team made minor threats to come back. Miranda came in and immediately quieted down a United States lineup that had scored seven runs while making only four outs, covering the next ten outs without allowing them to add on to the lead. Panama wasn’t able to reward him with enough of an offensive output to ever draw even, but Miranda should have them set up to have a better-rested pitching staff when they return to the field in a couple of days.
Group B
GROUP A
Player of the DayChen-Wei Chen, Chinese Taipei1-4, Grand Slam, 4 RBI
Chen may have only had one hit in this game, but it was the single biggest hit by any player in the group. Chen’s second-inning grand slam broke open the game, and Korea was never able to stage a comeback. As Taiwan’s leadoff hitter Chen isn’t the one tasked with bringing power to the offense, but Chen set a career-high with ten home runs in the CPBL this past season and has brought that power over to the first game in the Premier12
Pitcher of the Day: Yoennis Yera, Cuba6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Yera’s Cuban side may have fallen short in the game, but no one can fault Yera for his contributions. Throughout Yera’s six innings he threw every pitch without a run of support, shutting down the Dominican Republic offense and kept the game tied for six innings. Yera retired the first ten batters in the game, and during his time on the mound the Dominican Republic didn’t get a single runner past second base. It was one of the most impressive showings of the tournament so far, and perhaps even more so to see what that same lineup did once they no longer had to face Yera.
SCOREBOARD
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PANAMA 3 — 9 UNITED STATES
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEChandler Simpson, USA: 4-5, 2B, 2 RBIRyan Ward, USA: 2-5, HR, 5 RBIRodrigo Orozco, PAN: 3-4, HR
The fourth day of Group A play was marked by early runs and blowout wins, with USA baseball winning again by a huge margin to pull ahead with the best run differential in the group. The Americans fell behind early in the game as Ruben Tejada tagged his second home run of the tournament off of starter Touki Toussaint. Toussaint settled in otherwise, striking out five Panama hitters across two innings, and the offense provided immediate support in the bottom of the first. Matt Shaw, so far the best hitter in the US lineup, drew a walk to spark a rally, and Luke Ritter followed with a double that had the USA threatening early with two runners in scoring position. Ryan Ward smoked a liner just over the leaping stretch of Edgard Munoz and into right field for a single, scoring both runners to give the United States an early lead. This lead would grow as Panama starter Bryan Caceres issued a hit batter and a walk to load the bases, receiving a quick hook in favor of Gilberto Chu. Chu had a chance to face a couple of left-on-left matchups in a row, potentially silencing a United States rally, but he walked Justin Crawford to force home a run, and Drake Baldwin’s ground out brought home the fourth to extend the lead.
Chu wouldn’t have any more success against the top of the US lineup than Caceres did, allowing singles to Chandler Simpson and Matt Shaw leading off the second inning to once again put Panama in grave danger. Ward would then be the thorn in Panama’s side once more. Chu elevated a 2-2 fastball, clipping the top of the zone, but Ward was able to go up and get it, putting the barrel on it to the opposite field and carrying it over the wall for a three-run home run. The US never showed a real sign of losing the seven-run lead, and Ward’s two clutch hits accounted for seven RBI in the game.
USA is on a mission, Ryan Ward homers and now we are 7-1!#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @USABaseball pic.twitter.com/2Ps5cMOYG2— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Panama, without Johan Camargo who is still recovering from a muscle strain in their win over Mexico, would come back to get a run in the fifth inning, the result of a solo home run from Jhonny Santos. Santos has been the premier hitter of Group A so far this tournament, leading the group with a staggering 1.857 OPS and seven extra base hits across four games. In this game Santos had two extra base hits — the home run and a first inning double — and Panama overall produced big offensive moments. Rodrigo Orozco had a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning, but all three of Panama’s home runs in the game came without runners on base. Panama failed to string together hits at any point like the Americans were able to do in the first couple of innings, and as a result never made a serious run at tying up the game. Panama’s pitching staff did their jobs down the stretch, allowing only two runs over the final 6 2⁄3 innings, but the early deficit they dug was too much to climb out of. Kevin Miranda, our pitcher of the day, deserves a shout out here for keeping an otherwise hot offense from doing anything while he was in the game, and in these tournament formats having a guy to protect the other arms in the bullpen from being used can be immensely valuable down the line.
Rodrigo Orozco introducing the concept of "NO-DOUBTER" to Premier12 fans! #Premier12 || @Premier12 | @FedebeisOficial pic.twitter.com/2scH5rvqB9— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
The US would answer those two solo home runs with a couple of late runs to extend the lead back to six. Drake Baldwin led off in the seventh inning with his first hit of the tournament, and a walk to Carson Williams had the US team once again in a position to score multiple runs. Chandler Simpson grounded one through the middle of the infield, one of his four hits in the game, and when Jose Ramos misplayed the ball in center field both runs were able to score. Ramos has been one of the sore points in this Panama offense, as outside of a home run he has done little to contribute to their success with a .521 OPS in the tournament and four strikeouts in this game.
NETHERLANDS 20 — 8 PUERTO RICO
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEHendrik Clementina, NED: 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBIDidi Gregorius, NED: 4-6, HR, 3 RBIJonathan Schoop, NED: 3-4, BB, 4 RBI
The Netherlands put together the biggest offensive outburst of the tournament, scoring 20 runs in only seven innings and failing to score in just one of those innings. Didi Gregorius made sure to set the tone right out of the gate, getting ahead 3-1 in the count then cranking one out to left field, carrying it just over the wall for a leadoff home run. Two batters late and Hendrik Clementina did the same, getting ahead 3-1 and then smoking one over the center field wall for the second home run of the inning. Both were solo home runs though, and Puerto Rico had a chance to answer in the bottom of the inning. Answer, they did. Repeating Gregorius’s stunt, Ezequiel Pagan only needed to see one pitch from Dutch starter Tom De Blok, and he cracked one over the left center field wall for a leadoff home run that cut the Netherlands lead in half. The Netherlands though, were far, far from done with the Puerto Rican pitching staff.
He DIDIt again. Second leadoff homer of the tournament for Didi Gregorius!#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @HonkbalSoftbal pic.twitter.com/6fmMlCqHlQ— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Dwayne Kemp and Delano Selassa both reached base in the second inning with one out, and with the lineup flipping over starter Angel Miranda received a quick hook in the hopes of preventing further damage. Gregorius was on his way to a monster game, however, and greeted Ojani Chacon by rolling an RBI single through the left side of the infield. Gregorius would get caught in a run down trying to advance on the throw home, but in the mayhem Selassa streaked home from third base, beating the throw for the second run and allowing Gregorius to scamper into second base. Chacon didn’t see another batter, but it didn’t matter much. Ruben Ramirez would be the second Puerto Rican pitcher to not retire a batter when he came in and threw only six of his 17 pitches for strikes, walking two and letting home three more runs. Puerto Rico’s only answer was a solo home run from John Montes in the bottom of the second inning, and it would only get worse for them from here.
New pitcher Jose Figueroa would be one of two pitchers who was just going to be left out there to take his lumps and get beat around to save the rest of the bullpen. Kemp and Selassa repeated their second inning feat by each reaching base, and Jonathan Schoop brought home Kemp with an RBI single for the first run of the inning. Clementina drove a hard shot into the gap for a double that scored Selassa, and when shortstop Randal Diaz failed to corral the throw Schoop was able to score yet another run. In even worse news just a play later Diaz suffered an injury, jamming his foot into the turf while trying to make a tough play in shallow right field and rolling over his ankle. Diaz went down in immediate pain, eventually walking off under his own power.
A display of power by Netherlands! #Premier12 || @Premier12 | @HonkbalSoftbal pic.twitter.com/w9WngTXNQN— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
The Netherlands scored four more in the third inning, and Puerto Rico threw in the towel and turned to Andres Santiago to let him get them through the rest of the game at any cost. Puerto Rico also pulled two of their starters from the field, and once again Kemp and Selassa led off the inning by reaching base. Gregorius drove in another run, Schoop had his second hit, driving in two more runs, and Scharlon Schoop capped off another five run inning by obliterating a high fastball for a two-run home run. An RBI double from Jonathan Schoop added another run in the fifth inning to make it 17-2 in favor of the Netherlands, but Puerto Rico added on a few more runs late to potentially prevent themselves from getting run-ruled. Though both teams wanted to just get out of the game healthy and look forward to their next matchup, Puerto Rico scored three runs in the sixth inning to make it a 17-6 game. The two run double from Yadiel Rivera, brought on in place of the injured Diaz, would have prevented the run-rule from being invoked in the seventh inning, but Hendrik Clementina saw to it that everyone was going to get out of there early. Clementina crushed a fat fastball straight over the left-center field wall for a three run home run, giving the Netherlands a big enough cushion to take an early trip back to their beds.
AUSTRALIA 3 — 9 JAPAN
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEShota Morishita, JPN: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBIHaruto Inoue, JPN: 5 IP, 2 R, 8 KRixon Wingrove, AUS: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI
Japan got their Premier 12 tournament off to a flying start with an easy win over Australia in game one. This game was all Japan as starting pitcher Inoue Haruto cruised - surrendering just two earned runs across five innings of work. Haruto limited the Australians to just five hits and did not give up a single walk while striking out eight. Haruto was given a lead in the first when Kurihara Ryoya double with one out and was quickly followed with RBI double by Moreshita Shota to give Japan a 1-0 lead. Japan would go on to tack on a run in each of the first four innings, including 2 in the fourth that would push their lead to 5-0.
It was until the sixth inning that Australia were able to scratch a few runs out and it all started on a Bojarski Ulrich homer to center.
This ball is the definition of destroyed Ulrich Bojarski @WBSC @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/lerRftwl7c— Team Australia ⚾️ (@TeamAusBaseball) November 13, 2024
That was quickly followed up when number one draft pick Travis Bazzana singled to right to keep the threat going. After a pair of outs, it was Wingrove Rixon who made it a game once again delivering a two-run homer to reduce the deficit to 5-3.
After exchanging a pair of zeros the next inning - Japan reasserted itself with another run in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a Maki Shugo single that scored Morishita Shota to push it to 6-3. Japan would then add on an additional three runs in the bottom of the eighth which was highlighted, once again, by Morishita Shota who would drive in a pair of runs on this double.
Shota Morishita gives Japan some insurance in the 8th with a two-run double, capping a strong day at the plate with his third hit of the night#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @samuraijapan_pr pic.twitter.com/Oaxei485hO— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
With the lead now 9-3, Australia would quickly go 1-2-3 in the ninth to preserve the win for Japan.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 6 — 1 CUBA
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEYoennis Yera, CUB: 6 IP, 0 R, 5 KWily Peralta, DOM: 5.1 IP, 1 R, 5 KKelvin Gutierrez, DOM: 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI
The two Caribbean representatives in Group B gave us a classic pitching showdown in their tournament opener, with Cuban starter Yoennis Yera and Dominican starter Wily Peralta dominating over the first six innings of the game. Yera was a lights-out stopper for the Cuban squad, and he retired the first ten batters of the game before Kelvin Gutierrez rolled one through the left side of the infield for a single. Gutierrez, and the other two singles allowed by Yera, were stranded over the next three innings, and Yera’s cruise control through six innings had Cuba in position to take a lead in the game.
Peralta had a strong outing in his own right, but Cuba put him on the burner in the first inning when Roel Santos led off with a single. Two fly outs got Peralta in a good spot to escape, but a base hit from Alfredo Despaigne had the first runner in scoring position early. However Peralta was able to retire Ariel Martinez, and escape with no damage done. This chance was Cuba’s last major scoring opportunity until the sixth inning, when they finally chased Peralta from the game following a one-out single by Despaigne. Reliever Geraldo Ogando could not record the second out in the inning, hitting the first man he faced then allowing a base hit, loading the bases for Yoelkis Guibert and new pitcher Joely Rodriguez. Rodriguez struck out Guibert, but on his 0-1 pitch he crossed up catcher Andrys Perez with a slider, the ball skirting to the backstop to allow Despaigne to score the first run of the game. Rodriguez escaped major damage, however, and keeping the game close was all the Dominican Republic needed to break.
Silence broken! Alfredo Despaigne scores on a wild pitch! ⚾️#Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/aNI5Z8kosX— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Yera’s fabulous day was done after six innings, and the Dominican team immediately jumped all over the Cuban bullpen in the seventh. Leodan Reyes did get two quick outs, but issued a walk to Pedro Gonzalez that kicked off the first rally for the Dominican Republic. Another walk followed, and Arismendy Alcantara came through with a base hit, rolling a ball past a diving Michael De Leon and into center. field to score Gonzalez to tie the game. Guibert, the man who struck out in a key spot for Cuba, allowed the ball to roll under his glove, and Ricardo Cespedes sprinted all the way around from first base narrowly beating a wide throw home to give the Dominican Republic a lead. After six innings of dominance the Cuban lead went up in smoke, and that wouldn’t be the end of the trouble for the bullpen.
Dominican Republic flips the script! Alcántara delivers with a clutch single, bringing in González, and Céspedes hustles home on a centre fielder’s slip-up! ⚾️ ♂️#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @FedobeRD pic.twitter.com/9nUc5sh4Dw— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Cuba had an immediate chance to tie the game as Roel Santos led off in the seventh inning with a walk and Yoan Moncada followed with a single that put two runners on with no outs. With the middle of the order up this was Cuba’s chance to string together hits, but reliever Robert Corniel had other plans. He struck out Erisbel Arruebarruena, then got Despaigne to roll one straight to third base for an inning-ending double play. The Dominican Republic made that run hurt, with Rainer Nunez extended the lead with an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning. Corniel and the back end of the Dominican Republic bullpen did a terrific job shutting down any hope from the Cuban team, with Corniel working around a two out walk in the eighth inning to cruise through a second scoreless frame.
Cuba needed runs, but first they needed a shut down inning from pitcher Yankiel Mauris to have a chance in the ninth, and it quickly went awry for Mauris. He allowed a walk to Cespedes and another hit by Alcantara, and after a sacrifice bunt the Dominican Republic had two more runners in scoring posiiton. Mauris got the ground ball he needed from nine hole hitter Frank Rodriguez, but Cespedes beat the throw from shortstop home and the lead extended while Mauris still sat on one out. Mauris got a strikeout, but Kelvin Gutierrez battled him for eight pitches then put the game away for good. Gutierrez got a hanging slider and sat on it into the right field gap, sending one to the wall for a double to score both runners and extend the lead to 6-1. Diego Castillo slammed the door closed in the ninth inning, getting the Dominican Republic an all-important game one win.
SOUTH KOREA 3 — 6 CHINESE TAIPEI
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEChen-Wei Chen, TPE: 1-4, HR, 4 RBIChieh-Hsien Chen: 2-3, HR, 2 RBIDoyeong Kim, KOR: 1-3, 2B, BB
Sometimes all it takes is one inning, and Chinese Taipei delivered a massive inning with two critical home runs to sink Korea in their opening game of the tournament. The Korean squad pitched eight terrific innings of baseball, across those dominating Taiwan’s lineup with only three hits allowed. However, it was the second inning when Taiwan broke through, and they never looked back the rest of the day. It started unceremoniously, with a ground out to first base for the third ground out of the game. Chieh-Kai Pan rolled a ball out to second base, when Sungmun Song made a nice sliding stop and throw, but Pan narrowly beat the throw, those few inches making a critical difference in the game. Starter Youngpyo Ko got a strikeout from the next hitter, but a base hit and a walk started a bit of danger with two outs and the top of Taiwan’s order up to plate. A trip to the mound later and Chen-Wei Chen entered the box, with the host team’s crowd on edge to see a big hit. Chen didn’t waste any pitches. Ko threw a hittable first pitch fastball, and Chen turned on it, hitting a rocket over the right field wall for a grand slam to send the home crowd into a frenzy. The rally wouldn’t end there, a double bringing up captain Chieh-Hsien Chen. Another fastball left over the plate, and Chen turned it around with ease, launching a two-run home run that put the game, suddenly, fully in Taiwan’s control.
⚾ This is MADNESS! Chen-Wei Chen GRAND SLAM! #Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/r38wOG0nTT— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
⚾ Chinese Taipei open the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS with a win! #Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/xYrAWA3niA— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
There were, however, seven innings left to play, and the Korean pitching staff would not let up another run. It came down to whether Yu-Min Lin and Taiwan’s bullpen could hold them down for the rest of the game. Lin, electrified by his offense’s performance, got a shut down inning by striking the Korean side out in order. Korea though, would not go down easily. A leadoff walk in the fourth inning posed Lin’s first real trouble, and KBO star Doyeong Kim broke shutout by turning around a middle-middle fastball and rocketing a bouncer off the wall for a double. Changki Hong scored from first, and the inning continued with Korea looking to add on more. Dongwon Park gave them that, sneaking a two-out single up the middle, and Korea now trailed by only four. Lin, and a collective of Taiwanese relievers, would keep Korea from making any other major threat through the sixth inning, taking a four run lead into the latter stages of the game. Pinch hitter Seungyeup Na delivered in a huge spot by turning and lining one out to right field and sneaking it over the wall for a home run. Initally called a double, replay showed it had cleared the wall and bounced off of the railing, bringing the Korean deficit down to three runs. That was, however, South Korea’s last gasp. Kuan-Wei Chen finished out the inning by retiring the next two batters, then Kuan-Yu Chen and Chun-Wei Wu each set down three in a row in the eighth and ninth, respectively. A terrific diving play at first base ended it, and Taiwan stole an exciting win off of the back of two critical home runs.
Schedule for November 13th / 14th
GROUP A - November 13th
Puerto Rico (1-2) vs Venezuela (2-1) — 1:00 PM Local/2:00 PM EST
Venue: Estadio Panamericano, Guadalajara, Mexico
How to Watch: DAZN
Mexico (1-2) vs Netherlands (2-1) — 8:00 PM Local/9:00 PM EST
Venue: Estadio Panamericano, Guadalajara, Mexico
How to Watch: DAZN
GROUP B - November 14th
Cuba (0-0) vs South Korea (0-0) — 7:00 PM Local/5:00 AM EST
Venue: Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium - Taipei City, Taipei
How to Watch: DAZN
Chinese Taipei (0-0) vs Dominican Republic (0-0) — 6:30 PM Local/5:30 AM EST
Venue: Taipei Dome - Taipei City, Taipei
How to Watch: DAZN
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Baldwin had a hit and an RBI in a comfortable win for USA baseball. USA Baseball is now 2-0 in games started by Drake Baldwin, and in his third game played Baldwin finally broke through with his first hit along with driving in a run. Baldwin’s RBI came in the United States’s four-run first inning, hit ground out scoring Colby Thomas for the final run of that inning. In the seventh inning Baldwin finally got into the hit column. Baldwin laced a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield, and though Panama’s Edgard Munoz was able to make an impressive diving stop, Baldwin was able to beat the throw to first base for an infield single. Baldwin has struggled to keep the ball off of the ground throughout his at bats so far, repeating issues that plagued him in his short time in Mississippi this season, though obviously through a miniscule sample.
GROUP A
Player of the DayHendrik Clementina, Netherlands3-5, 2 HR, 2B, BB, 5 RBI, 4 R
The entire Netherlands offense could be the player of the day, but Clementina went above them all, accounting for seven runs and clubbing two home runs in what is the best individual game so far this tournament. Clementina’s first inning home run helped extend the lead in what was then still a close game, and had hits in each of the Netherlands run-scoring first three innings. He then hit the deciding home run in the game, a three-run eighth inning shot that made the difference in the Dutch squad invoking the run rule and getting out of the game a couple of innings early.
Pitcher of the Day: Kevin Miranda, Puerto Rico3 1⁄3 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Panama’s pitching staff struggled on Tuesday, but Miranda not only gave them important bulk to save bullpen depth, but kept them in the game as the team made minor threats to come back. Miranda came in and immediately quieted down a United States lineup that had scored seven runs while making only four outs, covering the next ten outs without allowing them to add on to the lead. Panama wasn’t able to reward him with enough of an offensive output to ever draw even, but Miranda should have them set up to have a better-rested pitching staff when they return to the field in a couple of days.
Group B
GROUP A
Player of the DayChen-Wei Chen, Chinese Taipei1-4, Grand Slam, 4 RBI
Chen may have only had one hit in this game, but it was the single biggest hit by any player in the group. Chen’s second-inning grand slam broke open the game, and Korea was never able to stage a comeback. As Taiwan’s leadoff hitter Chen isn’t the one tasked with bringing power to the offense, but Chen set a career-high with ten home runs in the CPBL this past season and has brought that power over to the first game in the Premier12
Pitcher of the Day: Yoennis Yera, Cuba6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Yera’s Cuban side may have fallen short in the game, but no one can fault Yera for his contributions. Throughout Yera’s six innings he threw every pitch without a run of support, shutting down the Dominican Republic offense and kept the game tied for six innings. Yera retired the first ten batters in the game, and during his time on the mound the Dominican Republic didn’t get a single runner past second base. It was one of the most impressive showings of the tournament so far, and perhaps even more so to see what that same lineup did once they no longer had to face Yera.
SCOREBOARD
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PANAMA 3 — 9 UNITED STATES
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEChandler Simpson, USA: 4-5, 2B, 2 RBIRyan Ward, USA: 2-5, HR, 5 RBIRodrigo Orozco, PAN: 3-4, HR
The fourth day of Group A play was marked by early runs and blowout wins, with USA baseball winning again by a huge margin to pull ahead with the best run differential in the group. The Americans fell behind early in the game as Ruben Tejada tagged his second home run of the tournament off of starter Touki Toussaint. Toussaint settled in otherwise, striking out five Panama hitters across two innings, and the offense provided immediate support in the bottom of the first. Matt Shaw, so far the best hitter in the US lineup, drew a walk to spark a rally, and Luke Ritter followed with a double that had the USA threatening early with two runners in scoring position. Ryan Ward smoked a liner just over the leaping stretch of Edgard Munoz and into right field for a single, scoring both runners to give the United States an early lead. This lead would grow as Panama starter Bryan Caceres issued a hit batter and a walk to load the bases, receiving a quick hook in favor of Gilberto Chu. Chu had a chance to face a couple of left-on-left matchups in a row, potentially silencing a United States rally, but he walked Justin Crawford to force home a run, and Drake Baldwin’s ground out brought home the fourth to extend the lead.
Chu wouldn’t have any more success against the top of the US lineup than Caceres did, allowing singles to Chandler Simpson and Matt Shaw leading off the second inning to once again put Panama in grave danger. Ward would then be the thorn in Panama’s side once more. Chu elevated a 2-2 fastball, clipping the top of the zone, but Ward was able to go up and get it, putting the barrel on it to the opposite field and carrying it over the wall for a three-run home run. The US never showed a real sign of losing the seven-run lead, and Ward’s two clutch hits accounted for seven RBI in the game.
USA is on a mission, Ryan Ward homers and now we are 7-1!#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @USABaseball pic.twitter.com/2Ps5cMOYG2— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Panama, without Johan Camargo who is still recovering from a muscle strain in their win over Mexico, would come back to get a run in the fifth inning, the result of a solo home run from Jhonny Santos. Santos has been the premier hitter of Group A so far this tournament, leading the group with a staggering 1.857 OPS and seven extra base hits across four games. In this game Santos had two extra base hits — the home run and a first inning double — and Panama overall produced big offensive moments. Rodrigo Orozco had a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning, but all three of Panama’s home runs in the game came without runners on base. Panama failed to string together hits at any point like the Americans were able to do in the first couple of innings, and as a result never made a serious run at tying up the game. Panama’s pitching staff did their jobs down the stretch, allowing only two runs over the final 6 2⁄3 innings, but the early deficit they dug was too much to climb out of. Kevin Miranda, our pitcher of the day, deserves a shout out here for keeping an otherwise hot offense from doing anything while he was in the game, and in these tournament formats having a guy to protect the other arms in the bullpen from being used can be immensely valuable down the line.
Rodrigo Orozco introducing the concept of "NO-DOUBTER" to Premier12 fans! #Premier12 || @Premier12 | @FedebeisOficial pic.twitter.com/2scH5rvqB9— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
The US would answer those two solo home runs with a couple of late runs to extend the lead back to six. Drake Baldwin led off in the seventh inning with his first hit of the tournament, and a walk to Carson Williams had the US team once again in a position to score multiple runs. Chandler Simpson grounded one through the middle of the infield, one of his four hits in the game, and when Jose Ramos misplayed the ball in center field both runs were able to score. Ramos has been one of the sore points in this Panama offense, as outside of a home run he has done little to contribute to their success with a .521 OPS in the tournament and four strikeouts in this game.
NETHERLANDS 20 — 8 PUERTO RICO
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEHendrik Clementina, NED: 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBIDidi Gregorius, NED: 4-6, HR, 3 RBIJonathan Schoop, NED: 3-4, BB, 4 RBI
The Netherlands put together the biggest offensive outburst of the tournament, scoring 20 runs in only seven innings and failing to score in just one of those innings. Didi Gregorius made sure to set the tone right out of the gate, getting ahead 3-1 in the count then cranking one out to left field, carrying it just over the wall for a leadoff home run. Two batters late and Hendrik Clementina did the same, getting ahead 3-1 and then smoking one over the center field wall for the second home run of the inning. Both were solo home runs though, and Puerto Rico had a chance to answer in the bottom of the inning. Answer, they did. Repeating Gregorius’s stunt, Ezequiel Pagan only needed to see one pitch from Dutch starter Tom De Blok, and he cracked one over the left center field wall for a leadoff home run that cut the Netherlands lead in half. The Netherlands though, were far, far from done with the Puerto Rican pitching staff.
He DIDIt again. Second leadoff homer of the tournament for Didi Gregorius!#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @HonkbalSoftbal pic.twitter.com/6fmMlCqHlQ— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Dwayne Kemp and Delano Selassa both reached base in the second inning with one out, and with the lineup flipping over starter Angel Miranda received a quick hook in the hopes of preventing further damage. Gregorius was on his way to a monster game, however, and greeted Ojani Chacon by rolling an RBI single through the left side of the infield. Gregorius would get caught in a run down trying to advance on the throw home, but in the mayhem Selassa streaked home from third base, beating the throw for the second run and allowing Gregorius to scamper into second base. Chacon didn’t see another batter, but it didn’t matter much. Ruben Ramirez would be the second Puerto Rican pitcher to not retire a batter when he came in and threw only six of his 17 pitches for strikes, walking two and letting home three more runs. Puerto Rico’s only answer was a solo home run from John Montes in the bottom of the second inning, and it would only get worse for them from here.
New pitcher Jose Figueroa would be one of two pitchers who was just going to be left out there to take his lumps and get beat around to save the rest of the bullpen. Kemp and Selassa repeated their second inning feat by each reaching base, and Jonathan Schoop brought home Kemp with an RBI single for the first run of the inning. Clementina drove a hard shot into the gap for a double that scored Selassa, and when shortstop Randal Diaz failed to corral the throw Schoop was able to score yet another run. In even worse news just a play later Diaz suffered an injury, jamming his foot into the turf while trying to make a tough play in shallow right field and rolling over his ankle. Diaz went down in immediate pain, eventually walking off under his own power.
A display of power by Netherlands! #Premier12 || @Premier12 | @HonkbalSoftbal pic.twitter.com/w9WngTXNQN— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
The Netherlands scored four more in the third inning, and Puerto Rico threw in the towel and turned to Andres Santiago to let him get them through the rest of the game at any cost. Puerto Rico also pulled two of their starters from the field, and once again Kemp and Selassa led off the inning by reaching base. Gregorius drove in another run, Schoop had his second hit, driving in two more runs, and Scharlon Schoop capped off another five run inning by obliterating a high fastball for a two-run home run. An RBI double from Jonathan Schoop added another run in the fifth inning to make it 17-2 in favor of the Netherlands, but Puerto Rico added on a few more runs late to potentially prevent themselves from getting run-ruled. Though both teams wanted to just get out of the game healthy and look forward to their next matchup, Puerto Rico scored three runs in the sixth inning to make it a 17-6 game. The two run double from Yadiel Rivera, brought on in place of the injured Diaz, would have prevented the run-rule from being invoked in the seventh inning, but Hendrik Clementina saw to it that everyone was going to get out of there early. Clementina crushed a fat fastball straight over the left-center field wall for a three run home run, giving the Netherlands a big enough cushion to take an early trip back to their beds.
AUSTRALIA 3 — 9 JAPAN
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEShota Morishita, JPN: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBIHaruto Inoue, JPN: 5 IP, 2 R, 8 KRixon Wingrove, AUS: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI
Japan got their Premier 12 tournament off to a flying start with an easy win over Australia in game one. This game was all Japan as starting pitcher Inoue Haruto cruised - surrendering just two earned runs across five innings of work. Haruto limited the Australians to just five hits and did not give up a single walk while striking out eight. Haruto was given a lead in the first when Kurihara Ryoya double with one out and was quickly followed with RBI double by Moreshita Shota to give Japan a 1-0 lead. Japan would go on to tack on a run in each of the first four innings, including 2 in the fourth that would push their lead to 5-0.
It was until the sixth inning that Australia were able to scratch a few runs out and it all started on a Bojarski Ulrich homer to center.
This ball is the definition of destroyed Ulrich Bojarski @WBSC @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/lerRftwl7c— Team Australia ⚾️ (@TeamAusBaseball) November 13, 2024
That was quickly followed up when number one draft pick Travis Bazzana singled to right to keep the threat going. After a pair of outs, it was Wingrove Rixon who made it a game once again delivering a two-run homer to reduce the deficit to 5-3.
After exchanging a pair of zeros the next inning - Japan reasserted itself with another run in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a Maki Shugo single that scored Morishita Shota to push it to 6-3. Japan would then add on an additional three runs in the bottom of the eighth which was highlighted, once again, by Morishita Shota who would drive in a pair of runs on this double.
Shota Morishita gives Japan some insurance in the 8th with a two-run double, capping a strong day at the plate with his third hit of the night#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @samuraijapan_pr pic.twitter.com/Oaxei485hO— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
With the lead now 9-3, Australia would quickly go 1-2-3 in the ninth to preserve the win for Japan.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 6 — 1 CUBA
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEYoennis Yera, CUB: 6 IP, 0 R, 5 KWily Peralta, DOM: 5.1 IP, 1 R, 5 KKelvin Gutierrez, DOM: 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI
The two Caribbean representatives in Group B gave us a classic pitching showdown in their tournament opener, with Cuban starter Yoennis Yera and Dominican starter Wily Peralta dominating over the first six innings of the game. Yera was a lights-out stopper for the Cuban squad, and he retired the first ten batters of the game before Kelvin Gutierrez rolled one through the left side of the infield for a single. Gutierrez, and the other two singles allowed by Yera, were stranded over the next three innings, and Yera’s cruise control through six innings had Cuba in position to take a lead in the game.
Peralta had a strong outing in his own right, but Cuba put him on the burner in the first inning when Roel Santos led off with a single. Two fly outs got Peralta in a good spot to escape, but a base hit from Alfredo Despaigne had the first runner in scoring position early. However Peralta was able to retire Ariel Martinez, and escape with no damage done. This chance was Cuba’s last major scoring opportunity until the sixth inning, when they finally chased Peralta from the game following a one-out single by Despaigne. Reliever Geraldo Ogando could not record the second out in the inning, hitting the first man he faced then allowing a base hit, loading the bases for Yoelkis Guibert and new pitcher Joely Rodriguez. Rodriguez struck out Guibert, but on his 0-1 pitch he crossed up catcher Andrys Perez with a slider, the ball skirting to the backstop to allow Despaigne to score the first run of the game. Rodriguez escaped major damage, however, and keeping the game close was all the Dominican Republic needed to break.
Silence broken! Alfredo Despaigne scores on a wild pitch! ⚾️#Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/aNI5Z8kosX— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Yera’s fabulous day was done after six innings, and the Dominican team immediately jumped all over the Cuban bullpen in the seventh. Leodan Reyes did get two quick outs, but issued a walk to Pedro Gonzalez that kicked off the first rally for the Dominican Republic. Another walk followed, and Arismendy Alcantara came through with a base hit, rolling a ball past a diving Michael De Leon and into center. field to score Gonzalez to tie the game. Guibert, the man who struck out in a key spot for Cuba, allowed the ball to roll under his glove, and Ricardo Cespedes sprinted all the way around from first base narrowly beating a wide throw home to give the Dominican Republic a lead. After six innings of dominance the Cuban lead went up in smoke, and that wouldn’t be the end of the trouble for the bullpen.
Dominican Republic flips the script! Alcántara delivers with a clutch single, bringing in González, and Céspedes hustles home on a centre fielder’s slip-up! ⚾️ ♂️#Premier12 || @Premier12 | @FedobeRD pic.twitter.com/9nUc5sh4Dw— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
Cuba had an immediate chance to tie the game as Roel Santos led off in the seventh inning with a walk and Yoan Moncada followed with a single that put two runners on with no outs. With the middle of the order up this was Cuba’s chance to string together hits, but reliever Robert Corniel had other plans. He struck out Erisbel Arruebarruena, then got Despaigne to roll one straight to third base for an inning-ending double play. The Dominican Republic made that run hurt, with Rainer Nunez extended the lead with an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning. Corniel and the back end of the Dominican Republic bullpen did a terrific job shutting down any hope from the Cuban team, with Corniel working around a two out walk in the eighth inning to cruise through a second scoreless frame.
Cuba needed runs, but first they needed a shut down inning from pitcher Yankiel Mauris to have a chance in the ninth, and it quickly went awry for Mauris. He allowed a walk to Cespedes and another hit by Alcantara, and after a sacrifice bunt the Dominican Republic had two more runners in scoring posiiton. Mauris got the ground ball he needed from nine hole hitter Frank Rodriguez, but Cespedes beat the throw from shortstop home and the lead extended while Mauris still sat on one out. Mauris got a strikeout, but Kelvin Gutierrez battled him for eight pitches then put the game away for good. Gutierrez got a hanging slider and sat on it into the right field gap, sending one to the wall for a double to score both runners and extend the lead to 6-1. Diego Castillo slammed the door closed in the ninth inning, getting the Dominican Republic an all-important game one win.
SOUTH KOREA 3 — 6 CHINESE TAIPEI
box score | replay
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PLAYERS OF THE GAMEChen-Wei Chen, TPE: 1-4, HR, 4 RBIChieh-Hsien Chen: 2-3, HR, 2 RBIDoyeong Kim, KOR: 1-3, 2B, BB
Sometimes all it takes is one inning, and Chinese Taipei delivered a massive inning with two critical home runs to sink Korea in their opening game of the tournament. The Korean squad pitched eight terrific innings of baseball, across those dominating Taiwan’s lineup with only three hits allowed. However, it was the second inning when Taiwan broke through, and they never looked back the rest of the day. It started unceremoniously, with a ground out to first base for the third ground out of the game. Chieh-Kai Pan rolled a ball out to second base, when Sungmun Song made a nice sliding stop and throw, but Pan narrowly beat the throw, those few inches making a critical difference in the game. Starter Youngpyo Ko got a strikeout from the next hitter, but a base hit and a walk started a bit of danger with two outs and the top of Taiwan’s order up to plate. A trip to the mound later and Chen-Wei Chen entered the box, with the host team’s crowd on edge to see a big hit. Chen didn’t waste any pitches. Ko threw a hittable first pitch fastball, and Chen turned on it, hitting a rocket over the right field wall for a grand slam to send the home crowd into a frenzy. The rally wouldn’t end there, a double bringing up captain Chieh-Hsien Chen. Another fastball left over the plate, and Chen turned it around with ease, launching a two-run home run that put the game, suddenly, fully in Taiwan’s control.
⚾ This is MADNESS! Chen-Wei Chen GRAND SLAM! #Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/r38wOG0nTT— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
⚾ Chinese Taipei open the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS with a win! #Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/xYrAWA3niA— WBSC ⚾ (@WBSC) November 13, 2024
There were, however, seven innings left to play, and the Korean pitching staff would not let up another run. It came down to whether Yu-Min Lin and Taiwan’s bullpen could hold them down for the rest of the game. Lin, electrified by his offense’s performance, got a shut down inning by striking the Korean side out in order. Korea though, would not go down easily. A leadoff walk in the fourth inning posed Lin’s first real trouble, and KBO star Doyeong Kim broke shutout by turning around a middle-middle fastball and rocketing a bouncer off the wall for a double. Changki Hong scored from first, and the inning continued with Korea looking to add on more. Dongwon Park gave them that, sneaking a two-out single up the middle, and Korea now trailed by only four. Lin, and a collective of Taiwanese relievers, would keep Korea from making any other major threat through the sixth inning, taking a four run lead into the latter stages of the game. Pinch hitter Seungyeup Na delivered in a huge spot by turning and lining one out to right field and sneaking it over the wall for a home run. Initally called a double, replay showed it had cleared the wall and bounced off of the railing, bringing the Korean deficit down to three runs. That was, however, South Korea’s last gasp. Kuan-Wei Chen finished out the inning by retiring the next two batters, then Kuan-Yu Chen and Chun-Wei Wu each set down three in a row in the eighth and ninth, respectively. A terrific diving play at first base ended it, and Taiwan stole an exciting win off of the back of two critical home runs.
Schedule for November 13th / 14th
GROUP A - November 13th
Puerto Rico (1-2) vs Venezuela (2-1) — 1:00 PM Local/2:00 PM EST
Venue: Estadio Panamericano, Guadalajara, Mexico
How to Watch: DAZN
Mexico (1-2) vs Netherlands (2-1) — 8:00 PM Local/9:00 PM EST
Venue: Estadio Panamericano, Guadalajara, Mexico
How to Watch: DAZN
GROUP B - November 14th
Cuba (0-0) vs South Korea (0-0) — 7:00 PM Local/5:00 AM EST
Venue: Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium - Taipei City, Taipei
How to Watch: DAZN
Chinese Taipei (0-0) vs Dominican Republic (0-0) — 6:30 PM Local/5:30 AM EST
Venue: Taipei Dome - Taipei City, Taipei
How to Watch: DAZN
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