...Hendrik Clementina had 2 RBI-singles and scored once...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Derek West started for the Netherlands.
The righthander, who played in the Winter Leagues in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, gave up an one-out single, but then was upported with a double play.
Although there were now three outs, West had not yet reached his pitch-count, the inning continued.
He faced two more batters, who both reached on an error, but were left behind.
Claudio Scotti started for Italy and threw two innings.
A few days ago, Scotti was added to the Italian WBC-roster, replacing Alessandro Ercolani, who sustained an arm-injury in training-camp.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Netherlands opened the score.
Ray-Patrick Didder led off with a double.
After Didi Gregorius was hit by a pitch with one out, Hendrik Clementina delivered a runscoring single.
Italy came alongside in the second inning off of new pitcher Shairon Martis.
He gave up a lead-off double, followed by a single.
After a strikeout, a sacrifice fly by Ricardo Paolini led to the tying run.
Scotti retired the side in the bottom of the second inning.
From the third inning on, Scotti was succeeded on the mound by Javier Fandiño, Mattia Sireus, Angelo Palumbo, Gabriele Quattrini and Matteo Bocchi, who all threw one inning.
Fandiño replaced Scotti in the Designated Pitcher Pool and became the winning pitcher.
Italian reporter Lorenzo Longhi reported that the Italian pitchers all had a good outing.
Juan Carlos Sulbaran pitched the third inning for the Netherlands.
He also saw the first two Italian hitters reach base (single, walk), but then was supported by his defense.
First, centerfielder Delano Selassa made a nice catch.
Next, a great dive by third baseman Didi Gregorius led to an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the third inning, off of new pitcher Javier Fandiño, Ray-Patrick Didder delivered his second basehit, but stranded on first base.
In the fourth inning, Italy took the lead off of Michael Vilchez.
First, Andres Annunziata singled and scored on a double by Miguel Fabrizio.
Hereafter, Vilchez got the bases loaded, but no more runs were added.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Netherlands got three baserunners, but two of them reached on a force play-grounder.
Italy scored again in the fifth off of Jamdrick Cornelia, who initially retired the side, but then faced some additional hitters.
A triple by Jhorjan Guevara then increased the lead to 3-1, before a fourth out ended the at bat.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Netherlands got a chance to do something back.
With one out, Italian guest-player Lorenzo Morresi singled.
With two outs, Sharlon Schoop reached on an infield-hit and Didi Gregorius on an error, but a strikeout ended the at bat, meaning three runners were left behind.
Italy added a run in the sixth inning off of Scott Prins.
With two runners on base (double, single), Ricardo Paolini hit another sacrifice fly to make it a 4-1 score.
The third Dutch double play then followed.
After the Dutch offense was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth inning, Koen Postelmans became the seventh Orange-pitcher.
In the top of the seventh, he gave up an one-out single, but the Dutch defense then turned its fourth double play.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, new Italian pitcher Matteo Bocchi struckout three batters, which included his two teammates Manuel Zazza and Lorenzo Morresi.
Italy increased the lead to 5-1 in the eighth inning off of Connor Prins.
With one out, a double and a wild pitch led to a runner on third base, who then scored on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Fabrizio.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Dutch pitcher Arij Fransen threw for Italy.
He gave up three runs to his teammates, which made it a 5-4 final score.
The comeback-rally began with a single by Sharlon Schoop and a double by Didi Gregorius.
They scored when Hendrik Clementina (his second) and Juremi Profar delivered runscoring singles.
The first out was then recorded on a force play-grounder by Delano Selassa.
After a grounder by (re-entry) pinch-hitter Dashenko Ricardo led to the second out, the at bat ended as Fransen had reached his pitch-count limit.
And that also ended the game.
The following players came into action for the Kingdom Team:
Ray-Patrick Didder (SS, 2-for-4, run, double, strikeout), Sharlon Schoop (1B, 2-for-4, run, strikeout), Didi Gregorius (3B, 1-for-3, run, double, hit by pitch), Hendrik Clementina (C, 2-for-3, run, 2 RBI's, walk, strikeout), Juremi Profar (2B, 1-for-4, RBI), Delano Selassa (CF, 0-for-3, strikeout), Sem Kuijper (DH, PH/DH (re-entry), 0-for-2, strikeout), Dashenko Ricardo (PH/DH, PH/DH (re-entry), 0-for-2), Manuel Zazza (LF, 0-for-3, strikeout), Lorenzo Morresi (RF, 1-for-3, strikeout) and pitchers Derek West, Shairon Martis, Juan Carlos Sulbaran, Michael Vilchez, Jamdrick Cornelia, Scott Prins, Koen Postelmans and Connor Prins.
Arij Fransen threw for Italy.
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Netherlands loses exhibition-game against Italy
FORT MYERS, Florida (USA) -
The Netherlands Baseball Team on Friday-afternoon (February 27) played its first exhibition-game (or practice-game, or friendly-game) as part of its preparations for the World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 5 in Tokyo (Japan).
At the moment, the players on the roster who are in a Major League Spring Training-camp are not yet with the National Teams who prepare in Arizona and Florida for the Classic.
They will join on March 1.
LHP Jamdrick Cornelia, RHP Connor Prins, OF Lorenzo Morresi and OF Manuel Zazza make their debut in the Netherlands Team.