united states of america nowadays sports activities’ bob nightengale gives a preview of the semifinal game, which takes vicinity tuesday night time at dodger stadium. usa today sports
la – breaking down monday’s semifinal sport of the world baseball classic between puerto rico and the netherlands.
puerto rico 4, netherlands three, 11 innings
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the game: puerto rico, the maximum dominant crew in this tournament, had all it can take care of with the netherlands earlier than surviving, 4-three, in eleven innings, wanting the tiebreaker guidelines to tug it out on eddie rosario’s sacrifice fly.
it’s first-rate the netherlands could hang around so long with powerful puerto rico, throwing six pitchers at the pr, preserving the sport tied at three-apiece.
they shut down puerto rico after t.j. rivera’s homer in the second inning, using five relievers – together with los angeles dodgers closer kenley jansen – after rick van den hurk lasted simply innings.
puerto rico survived the pinnacle half of the worldwide tiebreaker while curt smith gorunded into an inning-finishing, bases-loaded double play.
the netherlands wasn’t so lucky within the backside of hte eleventh.
the inning, which mechanically begins with runners on first and 2d and no outs, commenced while yadier molina bunted the runners over. javier baez became deliberately walked. and rosario finally ended the marathon on a sacrifice fly.
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nation of the wbc: puerto rico, which reached the championship sport in 2013 only to lose to the dominican republic, are back again, looking ahead to the winner of the us-japan sport. puerto rico has received all seven games of the tournament, blitzing the field, outscoring the competition, 55-18.
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pivot point: puerto rico captain molina’s leadoff bunt within the 11th inning, advancing the runners to 2d and 0.33. the netherlands deliberately walked baez, setting the level for rosario’s heroics.
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yadier molina nonchalantly picked off netherlands participant who became busy celebrating
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man of the instant: molina
the netherlands’ first four batters reached base, with wladimir balentien culminating the outburst what should have been a grand slam.
as an alternative, it was best a two-run homer, way to the defensive wizardry of molina.
andrelton simmons opened the game with a single, and xander bogaerts changed into hit with the aid of a pitch. yet, when jurickson profar tried to lay down a bunt and overlooked, molina popped up and threw to second base, nailing simmons.
profar observed with a unmarried to right, and proper fielder eddie rosario got here up with a perfect strike to the plate to hold bogaerts from scoring. but, whilst profar become celebrating his hit, wildly clapping his palms. molina, understanding profar wasn’t paying attention, fired to first. first baseman t.j. rivera slapped the tag, and profar was the second out.
baltentein followed with a domestic run, his wbc-leading fourth, however the scoreboard examine: netherlands 2, molina assists 2.
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manager’s unique: nobody were given more out of his team’s expertise this tournament than netherlands supervisor hensley meulens. they didn’t have the pitching, and a weak bottom of the order, however but gave puerto rico suits, just as they did all tournament.
meulens, the san francisco giants hitting train, commands high-quality recognize the instant he walks into the room, and his players performed with ardour the whole match.
clearly, after what he executed this match, he left little question he deserves robust consideration for a first-rate-league managerial establishing.
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what you neglected on tv: puerto rico application player kike hernandez, who’s combating for a job to make the dodgers’ establishing-day roster, opted as an alternative to play for his united states of america, even understanding it could hurt his big-league probabilities.
he didn’t play till coming into the sport as a pinch-runner monday night time, however as a substitute watched the game from the dugout, his body wrapped with the puerto rico flag.
“i have played in playoffs with the dodgers, and that i went for spring education with the opportunity that perhaps i’d [not] make it for the most important leagues because i’m right here,’’ hernandez said. “but i do not remorse it in any respect. because i have played two playoffs with the dodgers, and the revel in with this traditional does not compare with something that i have played inside the past.
“to be on this traditional, there is no comparison with the enjoy of being within the important leagues. this has been at a one-of-a-kind degree. it’s an incomparable revel in to share this experience. up to now we are the finest talents that we have in puerto rico, and it is a first rate honor to be within the same sport with them.’’