Game 5 - France vs. Panama
France was off to a good start and led 3-0 after four innings.
Hereafter, Panama scored four runs, but France came alongside.
Panama then broke tot 4-4 tie in the seventh inning and went on to win 7-4.
France took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off of starter Dario Agrazal.
With one out, Felix Brown singled, then scored on a following double by Frederic Hanvi.
Hereafter, René Leveret also singled, which put runners on first and third base.
Hanvi then scored the second French run on a sacrifice fly by Andy Paz, but Leveret was left behind.
In the third, off of new pitcher Angel Cuan, France came close to another run when lead-off hitter Maxime Lefevre reached third base (!) on a throwing error.
Two strikeouts followed, then powerhitter Leveret was walked intentionally and a grounder ended the at bat.
Panama left a runner on third base in the top of the fourth off of starter Yoann Vaugelade.
With two outs, Javier Guerra tripled, but stranded.
...René Leveret...
...2 hits, homerun, run, RBI...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
France then did scored an addtional run in the bottom of the fourth.
With one out, Ernesto Martinez walked and Douglas Rodriguez singled.
The two moved on a grounder by Norbert Jongerius, then a force play was created by walking Maxime Lefevre intentionally.
But then all runners were awarded the next base when Cuan committed a balk!
A grounder then ended the inning, but France was leading 3-0.
In the top of the fourth, the game appeared to turn around in Panama's favor, as it scored four runs.
With one out, Jorge Bishop singled and stole second base, then scored on a single by Isaias Vélasquez.
Hereafter, the bases got loaded when Edmundo Sosa also singled and Anthony Amaya walked.
That led to the departure of Vaugelade, who was replaced by Antoine Villard.
Panama then scored its second run when Jonathan Saavedra grounded out.
An intentional walk followed for Carlos Ruiz that set up a force play and loaded the bases.
A costly error then followed, when a pop-fly into foul territory by Javier Guerra was missed and would have been the third out.
Moments later, Guerra walked and that tied the score.
Villard then also walked Luis Castillo and that gave Panama a 4-3 lead.
Jonathan Mottay then came in to replace Villard and another pop-fly into foul territory followed, but this time, it was caught.
...Frederic Hanvi...
...2 hits, double, run, RBI...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
France came alongside immediately in its fourth at bat when powerhitter René Leveret homered with one out.
Panama broke the 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh inning.
With one out, Jonathan Saavedra doubled.
An intentional walk for Carlos Ruiz followed to set up a force play.
After a pop-fly accounted for the second out, the bases were loaded when Luis Castillo walked.
Hereafter, pinch-hitter Carlos Quiroz also walked and that put Panama ahead, 5-4.
Daniel Camou then became the new French pitcher and a flyout ended the at bat.
In the eighth inning, Panama added two insurance runs.
Isaias Vélasquez led off with a walk and stole second base, then moved on a flyout.
Hereafter, Pierrick Le Mestre took over the pitching.
He began with an intentional walk for Anthony Amaya, then gave up a runscoring single by Jonathan Saavedra and walked Carlos Ruiz.
That led to another pitching change, as Lucas Serafin was brought in.
He saw Javier Guerra hit a force play-grounder, but that also brought in Amaya and made it a 7-4 score.
France was unable to come back.
In the seventh and eighth inning, it left a runner on first base.
In the ninth, Manny Corpas became the new Panamanian pitcher and retired the side, closing the game with a strikeout.
And with that, Panama became the second finalist, while the tournament for France ended.
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France eliminated after early lead in World Baseball Classic Qualifier
PANAMA CITY (Panama) -
After four innings in the game between France and Panama, the French were leading 3-0 (!) on Saturday-evening (March 19) in Estadio Nacional Rod Carew.
Panama then scored four runs, but France came alongside.
The game was then decided in the seventh and eighth inning in favor of Panama, which won 7-4 and became the second finalist in the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Panama City.
And so, France, which played a good tournament, was eliminated.
Panama now meets Colombia on Sunday-evening in the final with the winner qualifying for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.