Japan took an early lead in the Final, scoring a run in the first and fourth inning.
But the team failed to hold into the lead.
The Netherlands came alongside in the fifth, then scored what would be the winning run in the seventh inning.
Veteran Rob Cordemans started for the Netherlands.
In 1999, the righthander also was a member of the team that then captured the WPT-title.
With two outs in the first inning, Japan opened the score.
Koki Kajiwara then doubled and scored on a single by Ryuma Seki, but Cordemans closed with a strikeout.
Cordemans retired the side in the second inning, then Japan left a runner on second base in the third at bat.
But in the fourth, Japan doubled its lead when Masaya Higashimoto homered with two outs.
The Netherlands was retired in order in the first inning by starter Yusaku Miura, but then got into scoring position in the second at bat.
With two outs and Gilmer Lampe (fielder's choice) on first base, Jason Halman singled, but they stranded.
After being retired again in the third, the Netherlands got its next baserunners in the fourth.
Sharlon Shoop and Gianison Boekhoudt opened with singles, but the next three batters (two strikeouts) were retired by Miura.
From the fifth inning, Japan was held scoreless by four relievers.
In the fifth, Diegomar Markwell first took over the Orange-pitching and retired the side.
Moments later, in the bottom of the fifth, the Netherlands came alongside.
Dudley Leonora led off with a single and Stijn van der Meer walked.
The bases got loaded when Dwayne Kemp also singled.
Hereafter, Yusaku Miura struckout Bryan Engelhardt, but then gave up a double to Sharlon Schoop that brought in two runners and tied the score.
It also led to a pitching change.
Daiki Sekino took over and began by striking out Gianison Boekhoudt.
Sekino got the bases loaded when Denzel Richardson walked, but three runners were left behind when a grounder ended the at bat.
...Sharlon Schoop was 3-for-4 with a double...
...and batted in all three runs for the Netherlands...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the sixth, Japan came close to re-taking the lead.
With one out, Koki Kajiwara singled and stole second base with two outs.
He then overran third base on a single by Joh Ohkanda and was eliminated, which ended the inning.
Instead, it was the Netherlands that took the lead in the bottom of the seventh.
Lead-off hitter Dwayne Kemp reached second base on a throwing error and that proved to be costly for Japan.
Kemp moved to third base on a passed ball, then scored on a single by Sharlon Schoop, who was 3-for-4 and batted in his third run.
The inning ended when Gianison Boekhoudt grounded into a double play, but the Netherlands now led 3-2.
But the small lead wasn't secured yet, as Japan got a chance to do some scoring in the remaining two innings.
In the top of the eighth, Juan Carlos Sulbaran took over the Dutch pitching.
He began with a walk for pinch-hitter Wataru Oshima, but a foul-out and line-out followed.
With two outs, Oshima's pinch-runner Yuya Sugiyama advanced on a wild pitch, then moved to third base when Koki Kajiwara singled.
Another pitching change followed.
Kevin Kelly took over and he got an inning-ending grounder.
The Netherlands got a chance to add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off of new pitcher Kodai Tosaka.
Denzel Richardson led off with a single, moved on a grounder, but stranded on second base.
Japan got also into scoring position again in the top of the ninth.
Lead-off hitter Joh Ohkanda reached on a throwing error from short stop Stijn van der Meer and moved to second base on a passed ball.
After the next batter flied out, Dutch Manager Evert-Jan 't Hoen brought closer Tom Stuifbergen to the mound.
He struckout pinch-hitter Yasuhiro Tomioka, then got a flyout from pinch-hitter Yusuke Kamon.
That ended the game and secured the minimal lead, resulting in the second save for Stuifbergen.
And for the Netherlands, it resulted in the team's third tournament-title, but its first in twenty years!
Playing for the Netherlands were:
Dwayne Kemp (3B, 1-for-4), Bryan Engelhardt (1B, 0-for-4), Sharlon Schoop (2B, 3-for-4), Gianison Boekhoudt (DH, 1-for-4), Denzel Richardson (RF, 1-for-2), Gilmer Lampe (CF, 0-for-4), Jason Halman (C, 1-for-4), Dudley Leonora (LF, 1-for-4), Stijn van der Meer (SS, 0-for-2) and pitchers Rob Cordemans, Diegomar Markwell, Juan Carlos Sulbaran, Kevin Kelly and Tom Stuifbergen.
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Netherlands wins World Port Tournament; First title in 20 years
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
The Netherlands Baseball Team has won the 17th edition of the bi-annual World Port Tournament Baseball.
In the Final on Sunday-afternoon (July 21), the Netherlands Team trailed 2-0, came alongside and went on to win 3-2 against Japan to win the event.
The tournament-win for the Netherlands is the first in twenty years and also marks a remarkable series of wins for the team.
In 1989, the Netherlands won the tournament for the first time.
Ten years later, in 1999, the Orange-squad won the event for the second time.
At the end of the next decade, in 2009, the Netherlands was left empty-handed in the Final against Cuba.
But now, after another 10-year period, the Netherlands is victorious again.
World Port Tournament 2019.