Game 5 - Czech Republic vs. Nicaragua
The Czech Republic led 4-2 against Nicaragua when the eighth inning began, but an upset-victory changed into an eleven-inning loss.
And with that, the Czechs, who played a strong tournament, were eliminated.
The Czechs struck with three runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning off of starting pitcher Berman Espinoza.
Petr Sila led off with a single, but Espinoza then struckout the next two batters.
Jakub Sladek then walked and the two runners then moved on a wild pitch.
The Czechs then took the lead when veteran Jakub Malik followed with a 3-run homerun!
In this game, Malik was 2-for-5, scored twice and batted in three runs.
In 2010, he played in the Dutch big league for Hoofddorp Pioniers.
Nicaragua came close to a run in the top of the third inning off of Daniel Mraz, who had allowed only one batter to reach base in the first two innings.
In the third, he gave up a lead-off single to Renato Morales, who advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
An error on a grounder by Elmer Reyes led to runners on first and third base, then the bases got loaded when Mraz hit Darrel Campbell with a pitch.
But hereafter, Wuilians Vásquez popped out and Jairo Beras struckout, leaving three runners behind.
In the top of the fifth, Nicaragua narrowed the deficit to 3-2.
Elmer Reyes led off with a single, but was picked off by Mraz.
Hereafter, Mraz walked Darrel Campbell, who was then awarded second base on a balk.
Next batter Wuillians Vásquez also walked, but the final pitch ended in a wild pitch that enabled Campbell to reach third base.
He then scored on a following grounder by Jairo Beras.
Shortly hereafter, Vásquez scored when Ofilio Castro reached on a throwing error, which could have been the third out.
That led to a pitching change, as Alex Sogard took over.
He closed with a strikeout.
The Czechs immediately added a run of its own.
Jakub Hajtmar walked, as did Matej Hejma with one out.
After the two advanced on a wild pitch, Hajtmar scored on a fielder's choice-grounder by Mike Cervenak.
With runners on first and second base, Leonardo Crawford took over the pitching and he struckout the next two batters.
...Jakub Malik playing for Pioniers in 2010...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
After two scoreless innings, the Czechs were still leading 4-2 when the eighth inning began, but then, the turn-around started and another costly error enabled Nicaragua to come alongside.
With two outs, Dwight Britton doubled, then scored when next batter Melvin Novoa reached on a throwing error, which could have been the third out in the inning.
Hereafter, Novoa scored the tying run when Renato Morales followed with a single.
A throwing error enabled Morales to move to second base.
He then tried to score on a single by Omar Obregón, was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Czechs got into scoring position again, but were unable to re-take the lead.
Mike Cervenak led off with a single, then Jakub Malik doubled with one out.
A strikeout followed, then a force play was created with an intentional walk for Tomas Polansky.
Three runners were left behind when Petr Zyma flied out.
In the ninth, both teams were retired in order and so, the game went into extra innings.
The tenth inning remained scoreless, then the international tie-break rule came into effect from the eleventh inning on.
But the decision fell in that at bat.
In the top of the 11th, Martin Schneider became the new Czech pitcher.
The two tie-break runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Janior Montes, then Renato Morales followed with a sacrifice fly.
Montes then stole second base and two more runs were added on a single by Omar Obregón to make it 7-4 in favor of Nicaragua.
Obregón advanced on the throw, then was awarded third base on a balk and Elmer Reyes was hit by a pitch.
But the inning then ended when Reyes was caught stealing and Darrel Campbell grounded out.
The win was all but sure for Nicaragua, as the Czechs also had a productive eleventh at bat.
Martin Cervenka led off with a single that loaded the bases.
Pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga then walked Tomas Polansky that led to a run and was replaced by José Saenz.
He also saw a run being scored on a force play-grounder by Petr Zyma that made it 7-6.
With runners on first and third base, Saenz decided the game when he struckout pinch-hitter Tomas Junec and Petr Sila to secure a spot in the Final.
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Czechs eliminated in eleven innings in World Baseball Classic Qualifier
MEXICALI (México) -
An upset appeared to be in the making on Saturday-evening (March 19) in Estadio B-Air in Mexicali on Day 3 of the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Mexicali.
The strong-playing Czech Republic rallied for three runs in the first inning and was leading 4-2 against Nicaragua when the eighth inning began!
However, Nicaragua came alongside in the eighth inning, then won 7-6 in eleven innings!
With that, Nicaragua again avoided a surprise loss.
On the opening day, the team trailed 3-2 with two outs in the ninth inning against Germany, but then won 5-4 in ten innings.