Cuba 13 - 4 Panama
That was much better from Team Cuba. More importantly, they finally found their offense at the expense of Panama's pitchers. Better late than never too. Cuba trailed 4-2 into the sixth inning. They would pop off eleven unanswered runs to register their first win of the tournament.
Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert both cashed in big. Moncada drove in four going 3-5 and Robert drove in two. Yadil Mujica had another good game with four more driven in. (6 RBI in the tournament) Yadir Drake went 4-4 with a walk, scoring thrice. Ronald Bolaños struggled but the Cuban bullpen gave 7.2 scoreless for the win.
Panama started strong, with Allan Cordoba and Ruben Tejada both driving in two off Bolaños early on. Panama could score again after the second inning and their bullpen got rocked in the late innings. Eleven unanswered runs is never a recipe for success.
Cuba salvaged a win in their campaign to go 1-2 and give themselves a chance going into their final pool game versus Taiwan. They need to win that and likely some help with the tiebreaker scenarios. Panama too are in a tough spot now. They fall to 1-2 themselves going into a final game with Italy. Both teams need to win and hope that tiebreaker scenarios favor them. Cuba winning big today potentially helps them in this regard. Panama loses any advantage they would have had from the big win over Taiwan with this ugly loss.
Czech Republic 8 - 5 China
They did it! The first WBC game for a collection of players mainly from the Czech Extraliga, who mostly have day jobs like you and me ends in victory. It was a Topsy turvy game but a deserved win for the Czechs.
The music man, Martin Muzik, was the hero who turned a 5-4 deficit into a win with a three run homer. Matej Mensik also wrote his name in Czech history by logging the first homer for his country at the WBC. Starter Daniel Padysak was excellent with four shutout frames. Hero from qualifying Martin Schneider struggled a bit with command and Michal Kovala had a rough go. Marek Minarik logged 2.2 scoreless though picking up a historic win in the comeback.
For China, the same command issues that dogged them against Japan were present here to the tune of eight walks. An error also led to an unearned run. Alan Carter was impressive though with three innings where the only blemish was the unearned run. Pei Liang drove in a run as he did against Japan and shortstop Jin Yang had multiple hits and an RBI in the loss.
The Czechs have history out of the way now. They will attempt to make more by shocking host Japan. Tough ask but these guys shocked the world by just being here. China will try to get their campaign back on track against an Aussie team coming off a huge upset of Korea. Another loss and China are for sure out.
Japan 13 - 4 Korea
This game pretty cements Japan as the masters of Pool B. For Korea, a second disaster in a row puts their hopes in severe jeopardy. Incredibly, Korea once led 3-0 but that seemed like a lifetime ago by the seventh inning where Japan was threatening victory by mercy rule. Mercifully for the Koreans, this additional humiliation did not transpire but this one still stings.
Yu Darvish was not sharp at all hence the 3-0 deficit after the top of the third. Kwang-Hyun Kim cruised through two but hit a wall in the third also. Japan got four in that inning and nine more thereafter to only one Korean run. The Red Sox will be pleased to see Masataka Yoshida in fine form. He drove in five in the rout. Noot drove in one, scored twice, and made a great diving play. Kosuke Kondoh proved to be a fine replacement for an injured Seiya Suzuki driving in three and scoring three. Emperor Shohei scored twice, drove in one and reached base four times. The Japanese bullpen was sharp, giving up one run through six innings.
Euiji Yang was the main bright light in an otherwise dismal performance. His two run homer off Darvish made everything look so promising at the time. But KK got rocked in the third and chased. To add further misery, the Korean bullpen was extremely poor to the point where starters Chang-Mo Koo and Euili Lee were trotted out there. Ten Korean pitchers saw action today, enough said. Jung-hoo Lee had two hits and an RBI but this did little in the face of the Japanese onslaught.
Japan are in full control of Pool B now going into their tilt with the Czechs. Provided they don't concede the upset of the century, Japan should push their ticket early to the knockout stages. Korea is in deep trouble now. They must win against China and Czech Republic plus hope for Australia to slip against one of those teams and hope for a favorable tiebreaker scenario. The players, already getting skewered by their national press after the game against Oz, will really hear it now. Korea, like Cuba in Pool A, have been massively disappointing, perhaps more so.
Taiwan 11 - 7 Italy
Team Taiwan is back, baby! After disaster at home against Panama, the hosts won a wild, CPBL style thriller against an Italy team boasting much MLB level talent. This game had multiple lead changes, lots of scoring, and the most electric atmosphere you will ever see. Taichung was the world's party city on this day.
Three men went deep for three hosts. Tzu Wei-Lin was first going solo, then Yu Chang with a two run blast. But the ultimately decisive blow was the one by Wei Chuan Dragons catcher King Kungkuan Giljegiljaw whose three run homer made it 11-7 which was the final score. Lions center fielder Chien Chieh-Hsien went 3-3 and scored three in the win. Pitching was iffy again for Team Taiwan but the last three innings were scoreless and that was decisive.
For Italy, Sal Frelick drove in two and Nicky Lopez three. Brett Sullivan did the same as Chien Chieh-Hsien. Pitching however, was poor and it cost them. As a side note, former Blue Jay Joe Biagini pitched in this game. He gave up two runs in a big Taiwan third.
Italy goes up against Panama next with both teams needing to win. Taiwan gets a hot Netherlands team that is looking to lock down Pool A. With both teams now 1-1 and Panama and Cuba at 1-2, winning is of great importance but so is run differential given that tiebreakers will likely come into play to decide who moves on. This pool is chaotic now and we love it! We also love cheerleaders, mascots, brass bands etc. Bring this to MLB please.
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