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The 2015 World Port Tournament started on Saturday with two games. Japan downed Curacao 12-2 in seven innings in the afternoon. In the evening the Netherlands prevailed 6-5 over Chinese Taipei in 12 innings. The official opening matchup between Curacao and Netherlands on Sunday at 1.30pm will be televised live by RT7 and aired in the Netherlands and on Curacao. Dutch broadcaster NOS also will be on hand to produce a summary report on channel Nederland 1, which will be shown at prime time in the evening.
Japan – Curacao 12-2 (7)
Japan downed Curacao 12-2 in seven innings in the first match on Saturday afternoon at Family Stadium. A quick 2-0 lead by Curacao was short-lived, as Japan scored three runs in the bottom half of the second and put runs on the board in each frame between the second and the sixth. Yuto Shono led off by going 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI. Yuhei Konaka scored three times. Raywendley Gurp collected two hits for Curacao. Kento Yoza conceded six hits, two runs and two walks in seven innings. Nick Veltkamp got charged with the loss, surrendering four hits, six runs (5 ER) and three base on balls in three-plus innings.
Netherlands – Chinese Taipei 6-5 (12)
The Netherlands walked off 6-5 in their opening game on Saturday evening against Chinese Taipei. A sac fly by Danny Rombley in the bottom of the 12th frame scored Gilmer Lampe. Kevin Mosquit had saved the Dutch with his two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Both teams then scored once in the 11th before the game ended after the third extra inning. Han Lin had two RBI for CT. Tai Chun Yang scored twice. Bayron Cornelissen picked up the win in relief. Rob Cordemans had issued five hits, four runs (3 ER) and three walks in eight innings. Shih Ying Peng got charged with the loss. The ceremonial first pitch prior to the game was thrown by the official representative of Taiwan in the Netherlands. Also Lou Seal, the official mascot of the San Francisco Giants made its first appearance after arriving from the MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati.
Official website www.worldporttournament.nl
Video by Kotaro Nagata (The game deciding sac fly by Danny Rombley in the bottom of the 12 th inning in the night game between Netherlands and Taiwan. In front of the camera WPT president Bart Volkerijk in the press box of Familie Stadium, where he was already complimented with the attractive game, just before Rombley launched his RBI fly. Happy handshakes between former KNBSB president Ruud van Zetten, Rotterdam fan Ate Stam and Mister-Baseball correspondent Pim van Nes)