Netherlands vs. Mexico
...Alonso Gaitan Lopez scores the first Mexican run in...
...the 1st inning; at right is catcher Hendrik Clementina...
(© Photo: World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)) |
In Estadio Panamericano de Béisbol in Zapopan, the Netherlands outhit Mexico 16-7, but nevertheless ended up empty-handed.
Despite having nine (!) basehits less, one of the seven Mexican basehits proved to be decisive, as it was a grand slam homerun that gave the tournament-host a renewed lead in the eighth inning.
At that moment, Mexico trailed 6-4.
Initially, Mexico had taken an early 4-0 lead in the first inning, but the Netherlands came back from the fifth inning on, turned the game around and took the lead in the sixth.
Didi Gregorius and Ray-Patrick Didder both collected four basehits.
All nine starting Orange-players had at least one basehit.
Dwayne Kemp, Ray-Patrick Didder and Denzel Richardson all homered for the Netherlands.
Mexico struck early in the game that was attended by only just over 2,200 spectators.
During this tournament, Mexico plays all its games in Estadio Panamericano, which has a capacity of 11,500.
Only Mexico's first game against Venezuela was well-visited with almost 10,000 spectators.
Mexico's next game against Puerto Rico attracted almost 3,000 spectators.
Mexico's game against Panama was attended by just over 1,900 spectators.
In the top of the first inning, Mexico rallied for four runs with two outs off of Orange-starter Lars Huijer, who needed a lot of pitches.
The righthander walked lead-off hitter Alonso Gaitan Lopez and then gave up a bunt-single to next batter Andres Alvarez Romero.
With runners on first and second base, José Rojas Valenzuela drove the ball into deep centerfield, where it was caught by Ray-Patrick Didder, who had to run backwards to the warning-track and the wall.
The ball was deep enough to enable Gaitan to score from second base, which made it a sacrifice fly.
In the meantime, Alvarez moved into scoring position on an error by short stop Didi Gregorius.
Huijer followed with a strikeout, but then got the bases loaded when he walked Phillip Evans and Julian Ornelas Murray.
All three scored when next batter Alan Trejo cleared the bases with a double.
Huijer closed with another strikeout, but Mexico led 4-0.
In the bottom of the first, the Orange-offense got one baserunner off off Mexican starter Jorge Pérez.
With two outs, Hendrik Clementina singled, but he stranded on first base.
When Lars Huijer walked lead-off hitter Juan Pérez in the second inning, a quick pitching change followed.
Kevin Kelly took over from Huijer, who made one of the briefest appearances in his international career, having thrown 41 pitches.
Kelly was supported with a double play and closed with a strikeout.
...Kevin Kelly pitched well in relief for the Netherlands...
(© Photo: World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)) |
Kelly not only did well after taking over in the second inning, he also kept Mexico scoreless in the next five at bats.
After taking over, Kelly gave up only two basehits in six innings, while striking out four batters.
Mexico stranded three runners on second base.
Besides the good pitching by Kelly, the Netherlands came back from the fifth inning on, scored six runs and turned the game around.
After seven innings, the Netherlands led 6-4.
But that lead was erased in the eighth with one swing.
Mexican starter Jorge Pérez also did well in the first four innings.
Like in the first, the Netherlands reached base with two outs in the second when Ray-Patrick Didder produced an infield-hit.
He also stranded on first base.
In the third, it was Didi Gregorius, who reached on a bunt-single with one out, but he also didn't beyond first base.
In the fourth, the Netherlands got its lead-off hitter on base when Sharlon Schoop walked, but he was eliminated in a double play.
After having collected only three basehits in the first four scoreless innings, the Netherlands struck from the fifth inning on.
In the fifth, sixth and seventh inning combined, the team produced twelve basehits and scored six runs to take a 6-4 lead.
But that was not enough.
In the bottom of the fifth, there were four Orange-basehits, who combined created a rare feat.
Ray-Patrick Didder led off with a single, then veteran Dwayne Kemp followed with a homerun.
With one out, Didi Gregorius doubled and scored when next batter Jonathan Schoop connected for a triple.
With that, the team not only narrowed the deficit to 4-3, but the team also had hit for-the-cycle in one inning, accomplished by four of the first hitters in the at bat.
After Schoop's triple. a pitching change followed.
Gerardo Reyes Ramirez took over from Jorge Pérez.
Reyes got two flyouts to secure the lead.
With that, Pérez had thrown 4 1/3 inning and ended up 2/3 inning short to become the pitcher-of-record.
Starting pitchers have to throw five complete innings in order to be credited with a win.
As Pérez left the mound with a lead, it was to be up to the official scorers to determine the winning pitcher.
In case Mexico would have stayed on top in the remainder of the game, the reliever who would have thrown most effective according to the scorers would be credited with.
According to Scoring Rule 9.17b, a reliever has to throw at least one complete inning to become eligible.
Gerardo Reyes Ramirez, who took over the pitching in the fifth, was relieved himself by Cesar Gomez Gonzalez when the bottom of the sixth began with a 4-3 lead for Mexico.
And so, Reyes had thrown only 2/3 inning.
However, Rule 9.17b also states that a reliever can become eligible for the win when he 'pitches at least one complete inning or pitch when a crucial out is made'.
As Reyes took over with a 4-3 lead, one out and a runner on third base, one can state that Reyes was pitching 'when a crucial out was made'.
With that, Reyes was in line for the win.
However, the Netherlands erased the Mexican lead in the sixth, meaning Gomez, who relieved Reyes, was credited with a Blown Save.
Back to the game.
As mentioned, Cesar Gomez Gonzalez took over the Mexican pitching in the bottom of the sixth with a 4-3 lead.
Gomez gave up a lead-off single to Juremi Profar, then a double to Denzel Richardson.
Profar was waved home, but was eliminated at the plate.
On the throw, Richardson advanced to third base.
A coaching visit followed, but on the very next pitch thereafter, Ray-Patrick Didder drove the ball into leftfield for a 2-run homerun that put the Netherlands ahead, 5-4.
With one out, Delano Selassa singled, which led to the next pitching change.
Victor Gonzalez Ortiz took over, but his stay on the mound was brief.
Gonzalez was greeted with a single on his first delivery to Didi Gregorius.
He got runners on second and third base after his second delivery to Jonathan Schoop ended in a wild pitch.
Moments later, Schoop walked and Gonzalez was relieved by Fernando Salas Buitimea, who closed the at bat with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Orange-offense added three more basehits, but scored only once.
Sharlon Schoop led off with a single, but hereafter, Juremi Profar grounded into a double play.
With two outs, Denzel Richardson hit his second homerun of the tournament, which made it a 6-4 lead for the Netherlands.
Next batter Ray-Patrick Didder doubled and that brought in new pitcher Jesus Cruz Sustaita.
He got an inning-ending grounder and so, Didder stranded on second base.
...Juremi Profar is eliminated in the 6th inning...
...Cuban HP Umpire Omar Peralta Cardenas makes the call...
...Catcher Alexis Wilson Delgado follows the action...
(© Photo: World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)) |
And then, the eighth inning began.
With the Netherlands leading 8-6, the team was six outs away from the win.
With a win, the Netherlands could have been in a better position ahead of the crucial final game against Venezuela.
It also would have put more pressure on the USA, which then had to win its final game to advance.
But that scenario was erased in the eighth, as Mexico turned the game around in its favor.
Kevin Kelly, who had thrown six solid innings since taking over the pitching, returned to the mound in the eighth.
He walked lead-off hitter Chris Carter and then saw Phillip Evans hit the ball into deep centerfield, where it was caught by Ray-Patrick Didder.
Carter stayed at first base. but then advanced on a following single by Julian Ornelas Murray.
That ended Kelly's stay on the mound.
He was replaced by Eric Mendez Matos, who began with a strikeout.
But with two outs, Mendez got the bases loaded when he walked pinch-hitter Tres Barrera Guadiana.
That set the stage for Juan Pérez.
In his previous three plate appearances, the centerfielder - who was the ninth hitter in the Mexican batting order - walked, lined out and flied out.
Now, Pérez was in the batter's box with the bases loaded and the game on the line.
With an 1-0 count, Pérez drilled the ball into deep rightfield into the stands for a grand slam homerun!
The 33-year old Pérez also participated with Mexico in the previous two editions of the Premier12 in 2015 and 2019.
His homerun today was his first in a Premier12-game since November 21, 2015 against Japan.
After giving up the homerun, Mendez closed with a strikeout, but Mexico had turned the game around and now led 8-6.
In the bottom of the eighth, Didi Gregorius singled with one out, but hereafter, Jonathan Schoop grounded into an inning-ending double play.
After Mexico had left a runner behind on first base in the top of the ninth, the Netherlands faced closer R.J. Alaniz in its ninth at bat.
The 33-year old righthanded American/Mexican, born in Texas, played in the Major League in 2019 for Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds.
He also played for Cincinnati in 2021.
This year, as well as in 2023, Alaniz played for Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League.
Alaniz, who was Mexico's seventh pitcher in the game, retired the side.
He began by striking out Hendrik Clementina, then got a grounder from Sharlon Schoop.
The inning and the game ended when next batter Juremi Profar hit a foul pop-fly that was caught by catcher Tres Barrera Guadiana, who had entered in the previous inning.
With today's loss, the Netherlands is now in a must-win situation for tomorrow-afternoon's final game against Venezuela.
But even with a win, the Orange-squad now depend on the other two remaining games in this group that will be played in the evening.
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...Juan Pérez (#39) decides the game with a grand slam homerun in the 8th inning...
(© Both Photos: World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)) |
Playing for the Netherlands in this game were:
Didi Gregorius (SS, 4-for-5, run, double), Jonathan Schoop (2B, 1-for-4, RBI, triple, walk), Hendrik Clementina (C, 1-for-5, 2 strikeouts), Sharlon Schoop (3B, 1-for-4, walk), Juremi Profar (1B, 1-for-5), Denzel Richardson (DH, 2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI, double, homerun), Ray-Patrick Didder (CF, 4-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, double, homerun), Dwayne Kemp (LF, 1-for-4, run, 2 RBIs, homerun, strikeout), Delano Selassa (RF, 1-for-4, strikeout) and pitchers Lars Huijer, Kevin Kelly and Eric Mendez Matos.
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ZAPOPAN/GUADALAJARA, Jalisco / TEPIC, Nayarit (Mexico) / NAGOYA (Japan) / TAIPEI (Taiwan) -
The Netherlands Baseball Team appeared to be en route to a victory against Mexico, but ended up empty-handed in its fourth game of the third edition of the Premier12 on Wednesday (November 13).
In Zapopan, the Orange-team initially trailed early, but came back strongly and led 6-4 after seven innings.
However, the team failed to hold onto the lead and lost 8-6, thanks to a Mexican grand slam homerun in the eighth inning.
And with that, the Netherlands suffered a very costly loss.
The Netherlands Kingdom Team opened the global event on Saturday with a spectacular come-from-behind 9-8 victory in a 10-inning thriller against Panama.
The next day, the Orange-team was handed a big 8-inning, 12-2 mercy-rule loss by the USA.
On Tuesday, the Netherlands recorded a huge 20-8 victory in a record-setting, 7-inning game against Puerto Rico.
Umpires: HP-Omar Peralta Cardenas (Cuba), 1B-Gye-sung Lee (South Korea),
Game 4 - Premier12 2024.