L‘Netherlands makes two top two at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, famous competition now in its second day. After winning the important opening match against Cuba, the Oranges prevailed against Panama 3-1 with a hard time, positioning themselves with full points at the head of group A, the same as Italy (which will debut today, at 12:00 Italian time, against Cuba).
An important result was the one signed by the European team, able to find the lead in the third inning with a home run by Xander Bogaerts. It will always be a home run, this time however by Jurickson in the fifth inning, to then allow the Dutch to increase their partial by one unit.
Panama’s reaction takes place in the sixth roundthanks to a single by Erasmo Caballero on the left side towards Profar which allows Josè Ramos to shorten the distance. However, Holland will definitively close the games in the eighth inning after a wild pitch by Alberto Bondolando for which Bogaerts scored.
World Baseball Classic 2023: Panama does not discount. Against Taipei it ends 12-5
In the first match of group B, staged at the Tokyo Dome, Australia has defeated South Korea 8-7 in a challenge that flared up in a sparkling way in the final bars. After three innings closed with a stalemate are the oceanic a take the lead first in the fourth round with the sacrifice of Logan Wade and Darry George’s point, prelude to the immediate 2-0 stamped by Kennelly with a home run in the fifth half. But in the course of the same inning comes the counter response of the Asians, daring to score three points with a home run by Yang that hits Hyun Soo Kim and Kunwoo Park.
So the game lights up with Korea attempting to escape in sixth with double by ByungHo worth 2-4. But it will be yet another home run to change the cards on the table for Australia: a super shot by Robbie Glendinning sends Perklin and Bojarsk to the point and reverses the situation to 5-4. Another homers, this time by Robbie Perkins, will bring the run to 8-4. Despite the jolt, however, the Koreans remain within the game, trying to restore the balance in every possible way in the penultimate act first with a base ball from Byung Ho Park that allows Tommy Edman to score, then with a grandout from Hyun Soo Kim and, finally, with a forceout that is worth the final 8-7.
Foto: FIBS
