The 17th and last Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan is under way. Four games were played on Saturday. In the afternoon Cuba crushed the Czech Republic in six innings and host Taiwan stunned South Korea. In the evening the Netherlands got some payback for the lost European Championship Final, when they dominated arch rivals Italy. Additionally Japan started into the tourney with a shutout over Nicaragua.
Intercontinental Cup 2010, Day 1, October 23:
Taiwan – South Korea 11-5
KOR 001 000 400 5 5 0 TPE 201 040 04X 11 15 1 Win: Chen, H.-W.; Loss: Woo, K. M.
In the opener of the 2010 Intercontinental Cup host Taiwan defeated South Korea in front of 15,300 people 11-5. They took a fast 3-1 lead and blew things open with four-run rallies in the fifth and in the eighth. Chih-Sheng Lin and Chun-Hsiu Chen hit homeruns for Taiwan and combined for five RBI. Ji Young Lee and Jae Hwan Kim went deep for South Korea. Hung-Wen Chen (W 1-0) issued three hits, three runs and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. Kyu Min Woo (L 0-1) gave up two runs on three hits without getting a out in the opening frame to take the loss.
Czech Republic – Cuba 0-18 (6)
CUB 532 134 18 19 0 CZE 000 000 0 3 4 Win: Alvarez, F.; Loss: Minarik, P.
Cuba dominated in their opening match, crushing the Czech team 18-0 in six innings, winning by 15-run rule. The record ICC champion scored in each of the six frames. Alfredo Despaigne led the way by going 3-for-5 with two homeruns, three runs scored and five RBI. Michel Enriquez also crossed the plate thrice. Yoennis Cespedes cleared the bases with a double. Matej Hejma had two of the three hits for the Czech Republic. On the mound Freddy Alvarez (W 1-0) cruised to an easy win, allowing just three hits in five scoreless innings, while striking out four. Petr Minarik (L 0-1) got the start on the opposing side, but never found his rhythm, surrendering ten hits, eight runs and a walk in two innings. 150 people were in attendance for this game.
Nicaragua – Japan 0-8
JPN 000 310 121 8 12 1 NIC 000 000 000 0 4 0 Win: Kaga, S.; Loss: Suarez, O.
In the evening Shigeru Kaga (W 1-0) and two relievers combined to hold Nicaragua to four hits to lead Japan to an 8-0 shutout in their first game of the preliminary round. Kaga conceded just four hits in seven scoreless innings for the win, while striking out four. Afterwards Daiki Kiyohara and Yusuke Uemura closed it out with perfect frames. At the plate Tetsuya Tani drove in two. Six other players collected RBIs in the balanced attack. Taishi Nakagawa went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Orlando Suarez (L 0-1) matched Kaga for the first three innings, before losing the game with three runs in the fourth. He issued three hits, three runs and four bb overall in 3 2/3 innings.
Italy – Netherlands 0-10 (7)
NED 082 000 0 10 14 1 ITA 000 000 0 0 3 1 Win: Yntema, O. ; Loss: Cooper, C.
The Netherlands got some payback for the lost European Championship final in August, by using an eight-run rally in the second to crush Italy 10-0 in seven innings in their opener of the Intercontinental Cup in Taiwan. Eugene Kingsale and Curt Smith highlighted the big inning with a two-run single and a two-run homerun. Raily Legito hit a solo homerun in the third. He and Mariekson Gregorius also collected two RBI each.
The Squadra Azzurri never got things going, managing just three hits in the game. Tom Stuifbergen (NED) started for the Dutch team and allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings. Orlando Yntema (W 1-0), who is playing in the Italian Baseball League for the Catania Warriors, got the win in relief in his first official appearance for the Netherlands. Chris Cooper (L 0-1) lasted just one-plus frames, getting chased after surrendering four hits and four runs.
Schedule, Day 2:
Sunday, October 24:
6.30am Hong Kong – South Korea
6.30am Taiwan – Czech Republic
12.30pm Italy – Thailand
12.30pm Netherlands – Nicaragua
(Times are European Central Time)
Complete Schedule and Live Play by Play on IBAF.org
Photo: Ezio Ratti/FIBS