World Port Tournament: Recaps Day 1 to 3, July 1 to 3, 2017

The World Port Tournament in Rotterdam got underway this past weekend. Cuba played on all three days so far and captured wins in each game. On Saturday they beat Curacao 3-2, on Sunday Japan 8-4 and on Monday Chinese Taipei 7-6. On Tuesday evening they will square off against the Netherlands.

The Dutch team meanwhile opened the bi-annual international tournament with a 1-1 record. On Saturday they lost 1-2 against Chinese Taipei. One day later they edged out Curacao 10-7 in 13 innings in the official opening match. Opening ceremony for World Port Tournament 2017 took place prior to the game between Curacao and the Netherlands in Familie Stadion at Rotterdam. After the two teams’ warming up time, a Latin American drums and brass band warmed the hearts of the thousands of fans looking forward to the first pitch. For the opening ceremony Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and Curacao Minister of Finance Kenneth Gijsbertha delivered speeches from infield one after the other and simultaneously threw ceremonial first pitches straight in the catchers’ gloves.

The coaches and the starting line-up players were accompanied by kids players from clubs across the Netherlands: Birds from Zoetermeer, Blue Lions from Tilburg, Euro Stars from Capelle aan den IJssel, HCAW from Bussum, Pioneers from Assen, Robur’58, from Apeldoorn and Thamen from Uithoorn. National anthems were vocalized by two singers on the infield and Curacao celebrated their National Flag Day. Between innings the Rotterdam scoreboard showed video messages from Curacao baseball heroes in California, USA: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen and San Francisco Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens.

The fifth participant in the WPT, Japan, celebrated a 5-2 win over Curacao besides the 4-8 loss against Cuba. Japan and Chinese Taipei battle in the second matchup this Tuesday. The first round in Rotterdam continues through Wednesday.

Results: