Chinese Taipei – Japan 0-1
Japan celebrated a 1-0 shutout over Chinese Taipei in the afternoon game on Wednesday. They improved to 4-1 in the Haarlemse Honkbalweek. The lone run was scored thanks to a RBI single by Shogo Nakamura in the top of the eighth. Takuya Sato scored the winning run and received the MVP of the game award after the contest. Otherwise it was a pitcher’s duel. Yuki Yoshida, Tomohiro Hamada and Yusuaki Yamasaki pitched three innings each with the latter picking up the win. Jhih Long Yang took the loss.
During warm up for this game Japanese lineup player Shoji Kitamura 2B got injured at the eye brow of his left eye. HHW organization arranged for an immediate visit to a local hospital by the unfortunate player accompanied by delegation manager Hirofumi Otsuka, where Kitamura was receiving stitches. His position at second base in the game was occupied by Takuma Hasegawa as from the first inning, but Kitamura joined his team in the dugout as from the fourth inning.
USA – Netherlands 8-1
Team USA matched Japan’s 4-1 record in the Haarlem Baseball Week with an 8-1 victory over the Netherlands in front of 3,000 people at Pim Mulier Stadium. They took the lead in the second and then scored seven runs between the fifth and seventh to blow the score open. Christin Stewart (MVP of the Game) and Blake Trahan each went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Trahan and Dansby Swanson scored twice. Michael Duursma scored the only run for the Dutch team on a RBI groundout of Danny Rombley in the eighth.
James Kaprielian struck out eight in six scoreless innings. He issued three hits and two walks en route to the win. AJ Minter, Dillon Tate, Tyler Jay and Ryan Burr closed it out. Orlando Yntema got the start for the Netherlands. He surrendered nine hits, two runs (1 ER) and three walks in five innings. Sedley Karel and Berry van Driel couldn’t keep the narrow gap and the offense had no room to come back.
The ceremonial first pitch was performed here by US Ambassador to the Netherlands, Timothy Broas. He was accompanied on the field by Honkbalweek president Frits Mulder. During the lineup, Mr Broas made acquaintance with all the players and coaches of the Netherlands national team. The first pitch ball was signed by USA catcher Zack Collins and later by his teammates in the dugout.
Note: Mr Broas first arrived in The Hague only a few months ago and prior to his assignment he announced in a YouTube video that he would love to attend baseball games between the national teams of USA and the Netherlands, the country of his ancestors.
Photos by USA Baseball