Home International baseball Cuba and Korea qualify for the semi-finals

Cuba and Korea qualify for the semi-finals

by Matt Smith

The fifth full day of baseball action (after yesterday’s half a game showing) was the most eagerly anticipated day of the Olympic Baseball tournament so far.  The schedule had thrown together a compelling group of fixtures, in which all of the four teams currently occupying the four semi-final qualification spots had to play one of the teams looking to claw their way back into contention.  It was set up as a day that could either see the preliminary round being turned on its head, or move closer to a conclusion.  After the fourth game had been completed, the latter scenario had come true. 

Both Cuba and Korea entered the day unbeaten and knowing that one more win would guarantee their places in the semi-finals with two rounds of games still to be played.  Korea couldn’t have made a better start as they took an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning against Chinese Taipei.  Their opponents fought back brilliantly to tie the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Korea’s fighting spirit was in full evidence as they immediately hit back with a run in the top of the seventh to regain their lead.  Having lost the parity they had fought so hard to regain, Chinese Taipei could find no extra energy to respond for a second time and Korea walked away with a 9-8 victory.

Cuba had less trouble in improving their record to 5 and 0 as they defeated the Netherlands by a score of 14-3 after eight innings.  The Dutch did have their moments, most notably when they took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning, but they couldn’t contain the Cuban batting lineup and eventually their day was ended by the ‘mercy killing’ rule.  Once again, Cuba’s star performer was Alexei Bell.  The rightfielder went 4 for 5 while batting in three runs and scoring two himself.

Although Korea and Cuba had effectively sealed their semi-final spots even before today’s games, Japan and the United States knew that they still had plenty of work to do.  Both owned level records of two wins and two losses and, as they will face each other on the final day of the preliminary round, both were keen to keep the chasing pack behind them.

The United States had the easier task of the two, taking on the tournament minnows China.  It proved to be a comfortable 9-1 victory for the Americans with Nate Schierholtz, a member of the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A team, driving in three of the runs.  China did have one moment of glory though: Yang Yang’s ninth inning solo home run off Blane Neal.

Japan followed the U.S.’s lead by winning their game and improving their record to 3 and 2, but Canada pushed them extremely close.  A pitching duel saw a single run decide the game, coming courtesy of an Atsunori Inaba solo home run in the fifth inning.  The Japanese pitching staff allowed just two hits, although their batting lineup was only able to better this tally by three against the Canadian pitchers.

Day seven preview

While Japan and the U.S. have almost secured their places in the semi-finals, they haven’t made it just yet.  Were both to lose tomorrow, in their games against China and Chinese Taipei respectively, they would enter their game together on the final day of the preliminary tournament with the possibility that the loser would go out.  It would be a thrilling spectacle if the scenario came true.  The U.S.’s superior run differential means that Japan are the more vulnerable of the two right now.

Canada still have an outside chance if they beat the Netherlands and Japan lose tomorrow (the Dutch’s poor run differential means that even if they finish on 3 and 4, they are unlikely to finish in fourth position).  Either Cuba or Korea will lose their unbeaten tag as they meet in what could be a dress rehearsal for the final. 

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