...Jurickson Profar played for the Netherlands...
...during the 2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
At Surprise Recreation Campus in Surprise, Jurickson Profar started as short stop for the Texas Rangers in what was his first defensive game in more than two years.
Profar can look back to a fine outing.
He batted second, reached base three times, was 1-for-2 with a walk and scored a run in a 10-0 victory at World Series-winner Kansas City Royals.
In the top of the first inning, facing starter Edinson Volquez, Lewis Brinson led off for Texas with a single and stole second base, then Profar walked.
With one out, Mitch Moreland delivered an RBI-double, but Profar would strand at third base.
In the top of the third inning, Profar led off and reached on an error.
He then moved on a single by Nomar Mazara and scored on an one-out single by Joey Gallo.
Hereafter, Ryan Rua added a 2-run double to lift the lead to 4-0.
With two outs in the fourth inning, Profar singled.
A single and walk loaded the bases, but Texas would leave three runners behind.
In the top of the sixth inning, Profar was replaced by pinch-hitter Hanser Alberto, who then singled.
Texas added two runs in the eighth and scored four more in the ninth inning to make it a 10-0 score.
The Rangers collected 16 basehits, while the Royals had only six.
At Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim won 8-2 in a home game vs. Oakland A's.
While it was expected on Wednesdat that Andrelton Simmons was to play in his first game for the Angels today, he didn't get into action.
It is now expected that he will play in Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs, but he will probably be used as a designated hitter only due to arm soreness.
...Spencer Kieboom with his father Alswinn...
...during the Arizona Fall League last year...
(© Photo courtesy of Alswinn Kieboom) |
At Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Spencer Kieboom had a good outing on Thursday, as he went 2-for-2 and scored a run for the Washington Nationals, which hosted the New York Mets.
The 'Nats' won 9-4 on twelve basehits in their Spring Training home opener.
In the top of the sixth inning, Washington led 5-1 and made nine defensive changes, including bringing in Kieboom as new catcher, replacing Jhonatan Solano.
In the bottom of the sixth, Trea Turner led off for the Nationals with a homerun.
With one out, Kieboom singled, then moved on a 2-out single by Matt den Dekker.
The two runners advanced on a wild pitch and moments later, Kieboom scored on a single by Stephen Drew to lift the lead to 8-1.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Chris Heisey and Kieboom began the inning with singles.
With one out, they executed a double-steal.
Matt den Dekker followed with a runscoring single that brought in Heisey.
Kieboom was also waved home, but he was thrown out at the plate.
Kieboom's father Alswinn was born in the Netherlands and played in the Dutch big league as a catcher for HCAW and has been a member of the Netherlands National Junior Team.
At age 17, he moved to the States, where he played for Eastern Illinois University.
Last month, his other two sons opened their college-season.
Carter Kieboom plays as a short stop for the Raiders, the team of Walton High School.
Trevor Kieboom is an outfielder/first baseman for the Bulldogs, the team of the University of Georgia.
Last year, Carter won the Silver Spikes Award after completion of the Under Armour All-America Game, which is played annually by the most talented high school-players in the country.
Like Spencer, Carter and Trevor have dual citizenship.
At Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Calten Daal was 1-for-2 with one RBI today in a 9-1 victory of Cincinnati Reds against Cleveland Indians.
The Reds opened the score with three runs in the first inning and rallied for five runs in the sixth at bat.
In the top sixth inning, a lot of changes were made by both teams.
First, the Indians made seven defensive changes.
During the at bat, the Reds inserted several pinch-hitters, who were all successful.
Jay Bruce led off with a double and his pinch-runner Juan Duran advanced on a single by pinch-hitter Phillip Ervin.
Hereafter, pinch-hitter Jesse Winkler singled in the first run, then pinch-hitter Chad Wallach followed with an RBI-double.
Next pinch-hitter Brantley Bell also reached base, but he was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases.
A run was then scored on a single by pinch-hitter Tyler Holt.
The following pinch-hitter Blake Trahan then grounded into a double play, but with that also brought in another run to lift the lead to 7-1.
Hereafter, pinch-hitter Gavin LaValley walked.
After a pitching change, Calten Daal became the eighth consecutive pinch-hitter in this inning and he also was successful, as he singled to bring in the fifth run in this at bat and made it an 8-1 score.
In the bottom of the sixth, it was Cincinnati that changed its entire defense.
In the top of the eighth inning, Daal came to bat with runners on first and second base and two outs, but then struckout.
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Good outings Profar & Kieboom in Major League Spring Training
GOODYEAR / SURPRISE / TEMPE, Arizona / VIERA, Florida (USA) -
On Thursday (March 3), only three of the professional players from the Netherlands got into action during Major League Spring Training.
One of them was short stop Jurickson Profar, who made a comeback with the Texas Rangers and had a good first outing.
The others, who played today were Calten Daal and Spencer Kieboom.
Being the catcher for the Washington Nationals, Kieboom went 2-for-2.