(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Janneke Louisa-van der Ploeg)
     WBC: Cuba, Japan, Mexico, USA to Semi-Finals; Freeman, Díaz, Altuve injured
Nederlands
   TOKYO (Japan) / PHOENIX, Arizona / MIAMI, Florida (USA) -
The Semi-Finals of the fifth World Baseball Classic are set.
Since Wednesday (March 15), four teams qualified for the Semi-FInals, which will be played on Sunday and Monday in Miami, Florida (USA).
But in the past few days, three Major League-stars got injured, two of them sustained a serious injury, Freddie Freeman (Canada), Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico) and José Altuve (Venezuela).
Díaz will be out for the season, while Altuve probably will miss two months of the regular season.
In the first Quarter Final on Wednesday in Tokyo (Japan), Cuba became the first team to reach the Semi-Final by winning 4-3 against Australia.
The next day, at the Tokyo Dome (home of Yomiuri Giants), Japan outscored Italy 9-3 to also advance to the final-four.
At Chase Field (the home of Arizona Diamondbacks) in Phoenix (USA), the final two games were played in Pool C on Wednesday and Mexico and the USA advanced to the Quarter Finals.
Mexico secured a spot by winning 10-3 against Canada.
In this game, Dutch Umpire Edwin Louisa was at third base.
This time, he was in a crew with Jhonatan Biarreta (2B), Carlos Torres (HP) and Doug Eddings (1B).
Biarreta and Torres are both from Venezuela, Eddings from the USA.
Torres and Eddings are Major League-umpires.
...Dutch umpire Edwin Louisa (second from left) with his...
...colleagues Carlos Torres, Doug Eddings (both MLB)...
...and Jhonatan Biarreta before Wednesday's game...
...between Mexico and Canada in Phoenix (USA)...
(© Photo: Janneke Louisa-van der Ploeg) |
Canada played without Freddie Freeman today.
The first baseman of Los Angeles Dodgers had left the game against Colombia on Tuesday with a slight hamstring-injury.
On Wednesday, it was reported that Freeman probably could be back in action in a few days and that there were no concerns for the upcoming season.
On Wednesday-evening in Pool C, the USA nipped Colombia 3-2 to become the second team to advance and with that, Canada and Colombia were the final teams to be eliminated in this Pool.
The final games also were played in Pool D at loanDepot Park (home of Miami Marlins) in Miami (USA) on Wednesday.
Venezuela (already qualified for the Quarter Final) won 5-1 against Israel to win its fourth game and remain unbeaten.
On Wednesday-evening, Puerto Rico became the final team to reach the Quarter Final by winning 5-2 against the Dominican Republic.
It was in this final game that star-closer Edwin Díaz sustained a severe injury.
Two days earlier, Díaz was one of four Puerto Rican-pitchers to throw a combined Perfect Game against Israel.
In the game, Puerto Rico took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning against the Dominican Republic, which then scored once its third at bat.
Both teams scored one run in the fifth inning.
With Puerto Rico leading 5-2, Díaz took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The prime closer of New York Mets struckout all three batters he faced.
When he struckout pinch-hitter Teoscar Hernandez to end the game, Puerto Rico secured a spot in the Quarter Final, while the Dominicans were eliminated.
It was time to celebrate!
Teammates surrounded Díaz on the field and they all were hopping up and down.
However, the celebrations were shortlived, as Díaz suddenly fell down and there was a lot of concern.
Players of both teams looked on.
Díaz sat on the ground with his right leg extended and his hands on his leg.
The closer was unable to stand on his leg and left the field in a wheelchair.
Díaz (32 saves last season) is popular with Mets-fans and always enters the game accompanied with his favorite trumpet-tune.
The next day, after undergoing tests, it was announced that Díaz had suffered a torn patellar tendon, has to undergo surgery and almost surely will miss the entire season!
On Friday and Saturday, the teams from Pool C and D played their Quarter Finals in Miami.
On Friday, Mexico nipped Puerto Rico 5-4 to advance to the Semi-Final.
Mexico trailed 4-0 halfway the first inning, then kept Puerto Rico scoreless, scored in the second and fifth inning, then rallied for three runs in the seventh to turn the game around.
A 2-run single by Isaac Paredes then tied the score and thereafter, a single by Luis Urías gave Mexico the lead.
On Saturday, the USA came from behind to win 9-7 against Venezuela to become the last team to advance to the Semi-Final.
In this game, the USA led 5-2 halfway the fifth inning when Venezuela rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Daniel Bard then took over the American pitching, walked lead-off hitter Gleyber Torres and gave up a single to Andrés Giménez.
After the two had advanced on a wild pitch, he got the bases loaded when he hit next batter José Altuve with a pitch on his hand.
Altuve fell down and was replaced by pinch-runner Luis Rengifo.
With the bases now loaded, a run was scored on another wild pitch, then a walk led to another bases loaded-situation.
A pitching change followed, then the next run was scored on a force play-grounder.
Moments later, the tying run was scored on a double by veteran catcher Salvador Perez, then the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Ronald Acuña, Jr., which made it 6-5.
Venezuela added a run in the seventh via a homerun by Luis Arráez, who also had homered in the first inning.
Trailing 7-5 in the top of the eighth, the USA re-took the lead when Trea Turner hit a grand slam homerun!
On Sunday, it was announced that via MRI and X-rays it was diagnosed that Altuve had fractured his right thumb and will have to undergo surgery.
With that, the second baseman of Houston Astros might miss the first two months of the regular season.
(March 15-19)
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