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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
    Narrow escapes Nicaragua & México in openers World Baseball Classic Qualifier
Nederlands
 MEXICALI (México) -
Favorites Nicaragua and México both had a narrow escape on the first day of the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in the Mexican city of Mexicali today (Thursday, March 17).
In the afternoon, Nicaragua trailed 3-2 with two outs in the ninth inning against Germany, but won 5-4 in ten innings.
In the evening, host México won only 2-1 vs. the Czech Republic.
With these results, Germany and the Czech Republic will now play against each other on Friday.
The loser of this game will be eliminated.
The winner of this game meets the loser of the match-up between Nicaragua and México.
Today, another Qualifying Tournament also went underway in Panama City (Panama) with the participation of the Colombia, France, Spain and host Panama.
The fourth and last tournament will be played in September in Brooklyn (USA).
Participating in that event will be Brazil, Great Britain, Israel and Pakistan.
In February the first WBC Qualifier took place in Sydney (Australia).
There, host Australia won the final against South Africa to become the thirteenth country to qualify for the fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic, which will be held in the Spring of 2017.
Canada, China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, South Korea, USA and Venezuela already have qualified, based on their accomplishments during the last Classic in 2013.
Just as in 2013, the World Baseball Classic will have the status again as World Championship.
Back then, the Dominican Republic won the title and was crowned as World Champion.
In 2011, the Netherlands was the final team to capture the World Championship-title in a World Cup Tournament old-style, which then was held in Panama.
(March 17)
Related Articles:
 Australia wins first World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 14, 2016)
South Africa second finalist in World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 13, 2016)
Australia in Final World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 12, 2016)
Australia, South Africa open WBC Qualifier with convincing win. (February 11, 2016)
First World Baseball Classic Qualifier to open in Australia. (February 10, 2016)
Dominican Republic new Classic-champion. (March 19, 2013)
Dutch Team ends up short in semi-final. (March 18, 2013)
Dutch Baseball Team World Champion! (October 15, 2011)
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Game 1 - Nicaragua vs. Germany
Germany was very close to a surprising upset-victory in the opening game, as it led 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Germany initially trailed 2-0, but took the lead in the sixth inning.
Nicaragua came alongside in the ninth, faced another deficit in the tenth, but eventually won 5-4.
Germany is managed by former Major Leaguer Garth Iorg, who played for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978-1987 and played in the 1985 World Series.
Germany has six players on its roster, who are affiliated with Major League-clubs: pitcher Sven Schuller (Los Angeles Dodgers), pitcher Markus Solbach (Arizona Diamondbacks), catcher Bruce Maxwell III (Oakland Athletics), infielder Nadir Ljatifi (Cincinnati Reds), outfielder Donald Lutz (Cincinnati Reds) and outfielder Dominique Taylor (Kansas City Royals).
Nicaragua has eleven players on its roster, who play professionally for Major League-clubs and will be managed by Marvin Benard, who played in the Major League for the San Francisco Giants in 1995-2003.
Nicaragua opened the score in the second inning off of starter Markus Solbach.
Jairo Beras led off with a single and scored on a following double by Alex Blandino.
The latter advanced on a grounder by Ofilio Castro, then scored the second run on a single by Renato Morales.
Hereafter, the German pitching silenced Nicaragua and came very close to winning the game.
In the top of the third inning, the first two German batters reached base off of Gustavo Martínez.
Maximilian Boldt led off with a single, then Sascha Lutz was hit by a pitch, but two runners were left behind.
In the fourth, Bruce Maxwell and Chris Howard both singled for Germany with two outs, but also stranded.
In the top of the sixth inning, Samuel Estrada took over the pitching for Martínez, but he ran into problems.
With one out, he walked Donald Lutz and Ludwig Glaser, then next batter Bruce Maxwell followed with a 3-run homerun that put the Germans ahead!
In the seventh, Germany again got into scoring position when Kent Matthes doubled with two outs (after a caught stealing), but a line drive then ended the inning.
...Luke Sommer...
...pitching for Kinheim...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the seventh, Luke Sommer took over the German pitching from Solbach.
In 2012, Sommer pitched in the Dutch big league for Haarlem-based Kinheim.
He walked a batter with two outs, but that was followed by a pop-fly.
In the bottom of the eighth, Sommer walked lead-off hitter Elmer Reyes, who then advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
Hereafter, Wuillians Vásquez lined out.
Vásquez is a Venezuelan, who played in the Dutch big league in 2010 for Bussum-based HCAW.
He now has played several seasons in Nicaragua and has the Nicaraguan nationality in order to be eligible to play for its national team.
After Vásquez had lined out, Sommer walked Jairo Beras intentionally to set up a force play.
That marked the end for Sommer, who was relieved by Martin Dewald, who then struckout Alex Blandino.
In the top of the ninth inning, Germany failed to add an insurance run.
Maximilian Boldt led off with a single, then Sascha Lutz reached on a bunt-single.
Nadir Ljatifi then entered as pinch-runner for Boldt and advanced to third base, while Lutz was forced out on second base on a grounder by Eric Brenk.
Germany then got the bases loaded when a fly into the outfield by Kent Matthes ended in an error.
Hereafter, Jhonny Polanco took over the pitching from José Saenz.
He avoided giving up runs, as next batter Dominique Taylor grounded into a double play connecting on his first delivery.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, with one out, Dewald walked pinch-hitter Sandor Guido, who was then replaced by pinch-runner Omar Obregon.
Maurice Wilhelm then took over from Dewald and was greeted with a single by Janior Montes, but then struckout powerhitter Dwight Britton.
And so, the surprise victory came in sight, but ended three pitches later.
Elmer Reyes connected for a single that brought in Obregon with the tying run.
Reyes then tried to advance to second base on the throw to the plate, but was eliminated by doing so.
With that, the game went into extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, Germany immediately re-took the lead.
Donald Lutz led off with a walk, then scored all the way from first base on a following double by Ludwig Glaser.
A pitching change followed, as Leonardo Crawford took over for Polanco.
However, he walked Bruce Maxwell and was replaced by Carlos Gonzalez.
With runners on first and second base, he was more successful, as he struckout Chris Howard, saw Lukas Jahn flyout, then closed with a strikeout for Sascha Lutz.
In the bottom of the tenth inning, Cuban-born Enorbel Marquez took over the German pitching.
He gave up a lead-off single to Darrel Campbell.
Hereafter, Wuillians Vásquez lined out, but Jairo Beras followed with a single to put runners on first and second base.
Next batter Alex Blandino then drove the ball into centerfield for a walk-off, 2-run double that gave Nicaragua a 5-4 victory.
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Game 2 - México vs. Czech Republic
In the evening, México faced a tough Czech Republic and won only 2-1.
The Mexicans scored both runs in the first inning, then the Czechs scored their run in the eighth.
Both teams had only four basehits.
One of the players on the Mexican roster is Adrian Gonzalez, first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He left Spring Training after last Tuesday's game to travel to México.
Former Major League-pitcher and Dodger-great Fernando Valenzuela threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.
México has participated in all three previous World Baseball Classics and is the favorite to win this Qualifier.
The team reached the second round in 2006 and 2009, but was eliminated in the first round in 2013.
The team is managed by Edgar Gonzalez, the brother of Adrian.
In total, México has 16 players who are affiliated with Major League-clubs.
The Czechs are managed by former Major League-pitcher Mike Griffin, who also was the Manager of the squad during the 2014 European Championship.
Catcher Martin Cervenka is the lone player on its roster to play professionally, as he plays in the organization of the Cleveland Indians.
...Petr Zyma in action for the Czechs against...
...the Netherlands during the 2014...
...European Championship in the Czech Republic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the first inning, Mexican starter Alejandro Soto struckout the first three Czech batters.
In the bottom of the first inning, México scored twice off of Marek Cervenka.
With one out, he walked Esteban Quiroz and Adrian Gonzalez, then gave up a single to Jesus Castillo that produced the first run.
Gonzalez moved to third base and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Agustin Murillo.
That was to be it for México, which was unable to take more distance in the remainder of the game.
Soto struckout four more batters to give him a total of seven in the three innings he pitched.
He was relieved in the fourth by Mark Serrano, who then gave up the first basehit as Matej Hejma led off with a single, but he was forced out and the Czechs stranded two runners.
México left runners on second and third base in its fourth at bat off of new pitcher Jan Novak.
In the fifth, Petr Zyma led off for the Czechs with a single, then Jakub Hajtmar singled with one out, but a double play followed.
Novak struckout the side in the sixth.
México got the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh, but failed to score.
Walter Ibarra led off with a single and stole second base.
With two outs, Esteban Quiroz walked, which led to a pitching change.
Alex Sogard took over, but walked Adrian Gonzalez, which loaded the bases, but then a flyout ended the at bat.
In the top of the eighth inning, off of new pitcher Jake Sanchez, the Czechs narrowed the deficit to 2-1 when Matej Hejma homered with two outs.
The Czechs got no new scoring opportunity in the ninth inning and was retired in order by closer Oliver Perez.
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