(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
     Dominican Republic outscores Venezuela to qualify for Olympic Games
Nederlands
 PUEBLA (Mexico) -
The Domican Republic faced an early deficit against Venezuela, but turned the game around to win 8-5 in the all-deciding Final of the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier in the Mexican city of Puebla on Saturday (June 26).
With the win, the Dominican Republic became the sixth and final country to qualify for the Olympic Games, that will open next month in Japan.
The Dominicans will join host Japan, Israel, Mexico, South Korea and the USA.
In the preliminary round of the tournament in Mexico, the Dominican Republic opened on Tuesday with a 10-7 win against Venezuela.
The next day, Venezuela recorded a convincing 9-3 win against the Netherlands.
On Thursday, the Orange Team lost 4-3 in a thriller against the Dominicans, which therefore reached the Final.
In the Semi-Final, Venezuela shutout the Netherlands 10-0 in seven innings and become the second finalist, while the Netherlands was eliminated.
Initially, the tournament would have a field of participants with six teams.
However, China withdraw its team in May and early June, Chinese Taipei and Australia also withdraw.
All because of organizational obstructions related to the measures against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In the Final on a cloudy afternoon in Puebla, Venezuela rallied for three runs in the top of the second inning to open the score off of starter Radhamés Liz.
Alexander Palma led off with a single and Robinson Chirinos walked with one out, then both scored when next batter Diego Rincones homered.
The Dominicans narrowed the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning off of starter Yapson Gomez.
With two outs, Emilio Boifacio walked, which led to a pitching change.
Eduardo Paredes took over, but he was greeted with a 2-run homerun by former Major Leaguer Melky Cabrera.
The Dominicans then struck with a 6-run rally in the bottom of the fourth.
After a lead-off single by Juan Francisco, Harold Chirinos took over the Venezuelan pitching.
But he gave up a single to Johan Mieses, then an RBI-double to Diego Goris.
That was followed by runscoring singles by Ramón Torres and Charlie Valerio.
Another pitching change followed and Danny Rondón took the mound, but he gave up a 2-run single to Gustavo Núñez and then a sacrifice fly to Emilio Bonifacio that lifted the lead to 8-3.
From the fifth inning on, the Dominicans were kept scoreless, but the team had taken a desicive lead.
Venezuela managed to score two more runs.
In the top of the seventh on a 2-out single by Alexander Palma and in the ninth on a 2-out double by Danry Vasquez.
But that was to be it.
(June 26)
Final Standings:
1. Dominican Republic, 2. Venezuela, 3. Netherlands.
Related Articles:
 Netherlands opens Olympic Qualifier with loss vs. Venezuela. (June 23)
Netherlands loses thriller against Dominicans in Olympic Qualifier. (June 24)
Netherlands eliminated for Olympics after mercy-rule loss vs. Venezuela. (June 25)
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Final of the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier.