(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
  Seattle Mariners & Oakland Athletics win exhibition game in Tokyo
Nederlands
 BUNKYŌ, TOKYO (Japan) -
Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics both won an exhibition game in Japan on Sunday (March 17).
In the afternoon, Seattle came from behind to win 6-4 against Yomiuri Giants and in the evening, Oakland won 5-1 vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Jurickson Profar batted in two runs for Oakland.
Both games were played at the Tokyo Dome.
On Monday, the teams will play another game in the Tokyo Dome, which is the home of Yomiuri Giants since 1988.
Before that, the famous Japanese professional team played in the wellknown Korakuen Stadium since 1949.
The former site of this stadium is now the plaza in front of the Tokyo Dome and the Tokyo Dome Hotel.
In 1980, the Korakuen Stadium was the site of the World Championship Baseball.
Last Thursday, the teams of Seattle and Oakland traveled to Japan, where they will open the regular Major League-season with games on Wednesday and Thursday (March 20-21) in the Opening Series.
...The Tokyo Dome is the site of the exhibition games...
...and the Opening Series between Oakland and Seattle...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the first game today in the Tokyo Dome, Seattle took an 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Jay Bruce.
Yomiuri Giants came alongside in the third inning on a single by Hayato Sakamoto.
The home-team then took a lead by scoring in the fourth and fifth inning.
A single by Hiroyuki Nakajima and a homerun from Hayato Sakamoto accounted for the runs.
Trailing 3-1, Seattle rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh.
First, Mitch Haniger hit a 2-run homerun to make it a 3-3 score.
Moments later, Jay Bruce also hit a 2-run homerun to make it a 5-3 score.
In the top of the eighth, Dee Gordon also homered for Seattle.
In the bottom of the ninth, Yomiuri scored its final run on a double by Hayato Sakamoto, who was 3-for-5.
Leftfielder Domingo Santana was 3-for-5 for Seattle.
The main attraction in the game for the Japanese baseball-fans of course was legendary outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who was the starting rightfielder for Seattle.
In March last year, Seattle signed Suzuki, but the 45-year old outfielder played in only 15 games.
He was then released in early May, but remained involved with the team as a special assistant for the remainder of the season.
However, he didn't retire as a player.
In October last year, it was announced that Suzuki would be on the Mariners-roster for the Opening Series in Japan coming week.
Therefore, he was re-signed as a Minor League-player on January 23 and took part in Spring Training.
It remains unclear whether or not Suzuki will stay on the active roster after completion of this Series.
Suzuki was 0-for-3 in today's game.
After having played for Orix BlueWave in the Japanese professional league in 1992-2000, Suzuki played for Seattle in 2001-2012.
Thereafter, the outfielder played for New York Yankees (2012-2014) and Miami Marlins (2015-2017).
In his Major League-career, Suzuki recorded 3,089 basehits.
On Sunday-evening, Oakland took an early 4-0 lead and went on to win 5-1.
In the top of the first inning, Oakland scored its first run on a force play-grounder by Khris Davis.
Three runs were added in the third at bat.
First, Davis delivered a runscoring double, which was followed by an RBI-single from Stephen Piscotty
Next, it was Jurickson Profar who produced a runscoring single to make it a 4-0 score.
In the bottom of the seventh, Nippon-Ham Fighters scored its lone run on a single by Daiki Asama.
...Jurickson Profar playing for the Netherlands in the...
...Tokyo Dome during the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the ninth, Oakland added an insurance run on a double by Profar, who played on familiar ground.
In 2017, he was a member of the Netherlands National Baseball Team during the fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic.
Profar then was the centerfielder for Orange Kingdom Team, which played its games in the Second Round in the Tokyo Dome.
Back in the USA, the Major League Spring Training-season continues with games in Florida and Arizona.
In the past few days, the clubs are making several roster-moves by assigning some players to Minor League-teams.
The rosters have to be brought back to 25 players for the regular season, which opens on March 28.
How did the Dutch players do in the past few days?
Last Wednesday (March 13), Ozzie Albies (Atlanta Braves) and Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox) both recorded two basehits.
Albies also batted in two runs, while Bogaerts scored a run.
Spencer Kieboom (1-for-4) and Carter Kieboom (1-for-1) (both Washington Nationals) also were successful.
Spencer scored twice, while Carter hit a runscoring single as pinch-hitter.
Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers), Jurickson Profar (Oakland Athletics) and Jonathan Schoop (Minnesota Twins) also played on Wednesday.
On Thursday, only three players got into action in the same game.
Jonathan Schoop was 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run for home-playing Minnesota Twins against Washington Nationals.
Spencer Kieboom was 1-for-1 in this game, which was a double, scored a run and waked once.
His brother Carter Kieboom was 0-for-4, but scored a run.
On Friday, Ozzie Albies again recorded two basehits and also scored a run.
Andrelton Simmons (Los Angeles Angels) was 1-for-3, while Carter Kieboom was 0-for-1.
And on Saturday, Ozzie Albies again had a fine day at the plate, as he was 2-for-3.
Xander Bogaerts was 1-for-3 (double) and batted in a run.
Ray-Patrick Didder (Atlanta Braves), Spencer Kieboom, Carter Kieboom and Andrelton Simmons also played.
Kenley Jansen pitched another inning and earned his second Hold of the Spring Training-season.
(March 17)
Related Articles:
 Carter Kieboom hits 2 HRs off Verlander; Clementina debuts. (March 12)
Curaçao OF Shean Michel in Spring Training; 3 Dutch doubles. (March 10)
Carter Kieboom hits first Spring Training-homerun. (March 9)
Didder homers and scores winning run for Atlanta. (March 8)
Profar, Bogaerts, Schoop hit basehits. (March 7)
Basehits for Ozzie Albies and Ray-Patrick Didder. (March 6)
Jurickson Profar delivers deciding basehit for Oakland. (March 5)
Czech Martin Červenka homers in Spring Training. (March 4)
Schoop homers; Jansen winner in first appearance. (March 3)
Bogaerts homers; Kieboom-brothers hit doubles. (March 2)
Productive day (homerun) for Jurickson Profar. (March 1)
Ozzie Albies & Xander Bogaerts both hit two basehits. (February 28)
Carter Kieboom hits another Spring Training-basehit. (February 27)
Didder & Profar lone two Dutch players to play on Tuesday. (February 26)
Four Dutch players in one game; Czech makes Spring Training-debut. (February 25)
Basehits for Albies, Profar & Kieboom. (February 24)
Two more Dutch players in Spring Training; Kieboom HRs. (February 23)
Jurickson Profar first Dutch MLB-player to get into action. (February 21)
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