Netherlands vs. South Korea
Rick van den Hurk started for the Netherlands and made his first appearance in the squad.
He was not with the team in trainingcamp in Arizona, as he was in Spring Training with the team of Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, preparing for the new season in Japan.
The righthander didn't pitch in one of the two games, the Orange squad played in Seoul during its final preparations.
...2nd baseman Jonathan Schoop (left) and short stop...
...Andrelton Simmons participated in all three...
...Orange-double plays today...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
For Van den Hurk, this was his first appearance in the Netherlands squad since he threw for the squad in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Back then, he was the starter against Puerto Rico in the First Round, then started his next game in the Second Round against the USA.
Van den Hurk retired the side in the top of the first inning, then was supported with two runs in the bottom of the at bat.
Andrelton Simmons led off with a single off of starter Kyu-min Woo, then next batter Jurickson Profar drove the ball into deep rightfield for a homerun to give the Orange an early 2-0 lead.
With this, the two Major Leaguers, respectively Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Texas Rangers, paved the way for the Orange squad, as the two runs proved to be decisive.
Hereafter, Xander Bogaerts tripled, but hereafter Woo recovered.
He struckout Wladimir Balentien, then Jonathan Schoop popped out and Didi Gregorius grounded out.
Van den Hurk gave up a lead-off single to Dae-ho Lee in the second, but the Dutch defense then turned a double play.
Byung-hun Min then connected for the next Korean basehit, but stranded at first base.
In the bottom of the second inning, Woo struckout the first two batters, but then gave up another run.
Randolph Oduber singled, stole second base and advanced to third base when a throwing error by the catcher followed.
Moments later, Oduber scored when Andrelton Simmons doubled to make it a 3-0 score.
...A.J.A. (Lody) Embrechts, the...
...Ambassador of the Netherlands...
...in South Korea throws...
...the ceremonial first ball...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Van den Hurk walked two batters with one out in the third, but another double play followed.
In the fourth, South Korea stranded another runner in scoring position.
With two outs, Ah-seop Son doubled, but a flyout ended the at bat.
Diegomar Markwell took over the Orange pitching in the top of the fifth.
The lefthander was greeted with a lead-off double by Suk-min Park.
A pop-out and line out followed, then Markwell walked Yong-kyu Lee.
However, another runner stranded in scoring position, as a force out ended the at bat.
The Netherlands got a runner in scoring position again in the bottom of the fifth, but was unable to add another run.
With one out, Jurickson Profar singled and stole second base with two outs.
Wladimir Balentien then walked, but the two runners stranded when Jonathan Schoop flied out.
The Kingdom-squad then did add two insurance runs in the sixth off of Jong-hyun Won, who had taken over in the fourth.
With two outs, Dashenko Ricardo singled, then Randolph Oduber homered to make it a 5-0 score.
Hereafter, Won was replaced by Woo-chan Cha, who closed the inning.
With a 5-0 lead, Shairon Martis became the third Netherlands-pitcher in the top of the seventh and retired the side.
Tom Stuifbergen took the mound in the eighth.
He gave up a lead-off single to Yong-kyu Lee.
A flyout followed and then, the Netherlands defense turned its third double play in the game.
All three double plays were made by second baseman Jonathan Schoop, short stop Andrelton Simmons and first baseman Curt Smith.
Schoop started two of them.
Simmons showed some nice defensive plays today.
He is known for his defensive qualities, which earned him two Gold Gloves (2013, 2014) and one Platinum Glove (2014) when he played for Atlanta Braves.
In the bottom of the eighth, it was South Korea that made a double play.
Didi Gregorius led off with a single, but hereafter, Curt Smith grounded into a double play.
A strikeout ended the Dutch at bat.
Loek van Mil closed the game for the Netherlands in the ninth.
With two outs, he gave up a single to pinch-hitter Hyun-wook Choi, but the righthander then closed the game with a strikeout.
Which was the lone strikeout by the Dutch pitching in this game!
...Winning pitcher Rick van den Hurk...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Rick van den Hurk was the winning pitcher in this game.
According to the Scoring Rules for a Regular Season, he would not have been the winner, as he threw only four innings as a starter.
However, during the World Baseball Classic (as well as in Spring Training-games, exhibition games and All Star Games), the ruling to determine a Winning Pitcher is different.
A starting pitcher will be credited with the Win when he leaves the mound with his team leading, regardless how many innings he has pitched.
The reason herefore is simple, as pitchers are limited to a pitch-count during the WBC and (almost) none of them will throw the normal required five innings.
In the other mentioned games, pitchers also use pitch-counts or just get a specific total of innings to pitch.
In an All Star Game no starter will throw the required total of innings.
In the regular season, a starting pitcher must have pitched at least five complete innings to become eligible for the Win.
Hereafter, relievers can be credited with a Hold, Blown Save or Save (and of course, they also can be credited with a Loss of a Win when the score changes).
These same Hold, Blown Save and Save-rules apply for the relievers in the WBC, Spring Training, exhibition games and All Star Games.
Manager Hensley Meulens started Andrelton Simmons at short, Jurickson Profar in centerfield and Xander Bogaerts at third base, while Didi Gregorius was the designated hitter.
All four are regular short stops for their respective clubs, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
In today's game, Meulens made no changes, except in his pitching.
The following players got into action:
Andrelton Simmons (SS, 2-for-4, double, run, RBI), Jurickson Profar (CF, 2-for-4, homerun, run, 2 RBI's, stolen base), Xander Bogaerts (3B, 1-for-4, triple), Wladimir Balentien (RF, 1-for-3), Jonathan Schoop (2B, 0-for-4), Didi Gregorius (DH, 1-for-4), Curt Smith (1B, 0-for-4), Dashenko Ricardo (C, 2-for-4, run), Randolph Oduber (LF, 2-for-3, homerun, 2 runs, 2 RBI's, stolen base).
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Netherlands opens World Baseball Classic with shutout against South Korea
SEOUL (South Korea) -
The Netherlands Kingdom Team started the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday (March 7) with a 5-0 shutout-win against South Korea, the host of the First Round.
The Orange squad showed strong hitting with two homeruns, had great defense with three double plays and solid pitching which gave up only six basehits.
The fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic opened on Monday with a major upset, as Israel, which made its WBC-debut, won 2-1 in ten innings against South Korea.
Earlier today, Israel recorded its second victory, winning with a convincing 15-7 score against Chinese Taipei.
The Israeli squad registered 20 basehits, including homeruns by Ryan Lavarnway (2-run) and Nate Freiman (3-run).
Starting and winning pitcher Corey Baker (Double-A/Triple-A, St. Louis Cardinals) gave up only three hits in 4 2/3 inning.
Israel opened with four runs in the first at bat.
Trailing 6-0 in the sixth, Taipei scored three runs, but Israel then added nine more runs in the final three innings, highlighted by a 5-run rally in the seventh.
The Netherlands will meet the team from Taipei on Wednesday, then close the First Round against Israel on Thursday.
The two best teams of this round advance to the Second Round, which will be played in Tokyo (Japan).
33rd game in history of the Netherlands playing vs. South Korea.