WBC roundup: Ozzie Albies, Netherlands walk off Nicaragua

Ozzie Albies hit a walk-off home run to give The Netherlands a 4-3 win over Nicaragua in Pool D play in Miami.

Albies was the star of the afternoon, going 2-4 with four RBIs. Xander Bogaerts, Ceddanne Rafaela and Druw Jones collected two hits each for the team, as well.

Nicaragua took the lead in the top of the 8th inning, when Jeter Downs launched a two-run homer to left field. The Netherlands went into the bottom of the ninth, trailing 3-1. With two outs, Rafaela singled, then Bogaerts doubled. With two men on, Albies came to the plate and walked the game off.

Erasmo Ramirez made a quality start for Nicaragua, allowing one run and five hits over five innings. Reliever Angel Obanda took the loss.

Puerto Rico 4, Panama 3 (10)

Darell Hernaiz homered to deliver a walk-off, extra-inning win for Puerto Rico over Panama in Pool A play at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Willi Castro worked a four-pitch walk when Puerto Rico was down to its final out in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Eduardo Rivera was excellent in his start, allowing one run on one hit with five strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings, and Jose Espada recorded the win with one unearned run allowed over the final two innings to help Puerto Rico improve to 2-0.

Panama jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning on back-to-back RBI doubles from Christian Bethancourt and Luis Castillo. Ariel Jurado struck out four over five innings of scoreless work, surrendering three hits.

Chinese Taipei 5, South Korea 4 (10)

Kun-Yu Chiang’s squeeze bunt which scored Chieh-Hsien Chen from third base proved to be the difference in Chinese Taipei’s extra-inning win over South Korea in Pool C play in Tokyo.

Chinese Taipei scored its first four runs on home runs by Yu Chang, Tsung-Che Cheng and Stuart Fairchild. Ruei-Yang Gu Li allowed one run over four innings in his start, and Jyun-Yue Tseng recorded the save with a 1-2-3 10th which included throwing out the designated runner at home.

Leadoff hitter Do Yeong Kim had two of South Korea’s four hits and all three of its RBIs, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth and a game-tying RBI double in the eighth. Former big leaguer Hyun Jin Ryu got the start and allowed one run over three innings, striking out three.

Japan 8, South Korea 6

Seiya Suzuki homered twice and drove in four runs to lead Japan over South Korea in Pool C play in Tokyo.

Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida added a home run each for Japan, as well. Suzuki, Ohtani and Yoshida combined for all eight of the squad’s RBIs. Yusei Kikuchi made the start, allowing three runs and six hits in three innings, and Atsuki Taneichi picked up the win after striking out the side in the seventh inning.

Do Yeong Kim hit the lone homer for Korea. Bo Gyeon Moon added a double and two RBIs. Jung Hoo Lee went 2-5 with an RBI. Starting pitcher Young Pyo Ko gave up four runs and three hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Canada 8, Colombia 2

Michael Soroka made a strong start on the mound, as Canada rolled to victory over Colombia in Pool A play in San Juan.

Soroka allowed one run in three innings. Canada’s bullpen (Indigo Diaz, Noah Skirrow, Micah Ashman, Eric Cerantola and Phillippe Aumont) would go on to surrender only one run, two hits and two walks over their combined six innings of work. Offensively, Owen Caissie hit a two-run home run, and Josh Naylor went 2-4 with an RBI and a run.

Colombia’s Austin Bergner took the loss, giving up two runs in two innings. Michael Arroyo and Harold Ramirez each collected two hits and an RBI.

Italy 8, Brazil 0

Sam Aldegheri dominated on the mound for Italy, striking out eight in 4 2/3 scoreless innings, to lead his team to a win over Brazil in Pool B play in Houston.

Relievers Alek Jacob, Gordon Graceffo and Claudio Scotti finished off the shutout for Italy. Dante Nori hit two home runs, and Dominic Canzone recorded a home run and four RBIs.

Brazil starter Enzo Sawayama began the game with four scoreless innings. However, the bullpen could not contain Italy’s offense.

Venezuela 11, Israel 3

Luis Arraez hit two homers and racked up five RBIs in Venezuela’s rout of Israel in Pool D play at Miami.

Arraez was a triple short of the cycle, adding a double and a single as part of a four-hit, four-run performance. Eugenio Suarez also homered for Venezuela, which racked up 14 hits. Enmanuel De Jesus delivered an excellent start, allowing one run on two hits over five innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.

RJ Schreck and Harrison Bader homered for Israel, which saw starter Ben Simon take the loss after he was tagged for four runs on three hits over one-third of an inning.

–Field Level Media