Panama and the Netherlands take early wins as 2023 WBC begins

Baseball

Published: 09 Mar. 2023, 09:31 Updated: 09 Mar. 2023, 18:21

Panama and the Netherlands take early wins as 2023 WBC begins

Ruben Tejada of Panama in action during a game against Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic at Taichung Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan on Wednesday. [EPA/YONHAP]

The Netherlands and Panama jumped to the top of Pool A on the first day of the 2023 World Baseball Classic on Wednesday, sending Cuba and Chinese Taipei to the bottom of the group in the early days of the tournament.

The Netherlands beat Cuba 4-2 in the opening game of the tournament at Taichung Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan, capitalizing on a big sixth inning to lock in the early win.

It started off as a tightly-fought game between the two Pool A favorites, with Cuba breaking through at the top of the second as a Yadil Mujica double allowed Yoelkis Guibert to break for home and take an early 1-0 lead. The Netherlands returned the favor at the bottom of the third when a Didi Gregorius single brought home Roger Bernadina.

Chadwick Tromp of the Netherlands gets a hit during a Pool A game against Cuba in the World Baseball Classic at Taichung Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

Despite looking like a fairly well-matched pitchers’ duel, both sides pulled their starters early on. The Netherlands called Tom de Blok off the mound after the third inning with one hit and one run on his card, while Cuba’s Yariel Rodriguez made it to four innings with one run on three hits.

The bullpens stayed strong and it was not until the bottom of the sixth that the Netherlands had a real chance with runners on first and second and only one out. Josh Palacios got things rolling with an RBI single, with Chadwick Tromp following up with a blooper into the short outfield for a two-run single.

The Cubans were able to get one back in the seventh on a Mujica groundout but the damage was done and the game ended 4-2, allowing the Netherlands to briefly ascend to the top of Pool A.

Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodriguez pitches a Pool A game against the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic at Taichung Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

The work crowd was in by 7 p.m. for the second game at Taichung Stadium as the hosts Chinese Taipei took on Panama in what turned out to be a very high-scoring affair.

The Panamanians did nearly all their work in two innings, scoring five runs in the fourth and sixth in the sixth with one more in the seventh for a huge 12 runs scored. Chinese Taipei, meanwhile, strung together what would have been a fairly respectable five runs with one in the fifth, sixth and eighth and two in the seventh, but against Panama it was barely a drop in the water.

Panama did all that damage without a single long ball. Instead, Chinese Taipei’s Wu Nien-Ting earns the honor of the 2023 World Baseball Classic’s first home run, smashing a two-run big fly over the fence that saved his side from falling victim to the WBC 10-run mercy rule that allows a game to be called early if one side is leading by at least 10 runs over seven innings.

Taiwan's Wu Nien-Ting hits a two-run home run against Panama during a Pool A game in the World Baseball Classic at Taichung Stadium in Taichung, Taiwan on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

The home run kept Chinese Taipei alive, although they could do little about the huge deficit.

After Wednesday’s action, Panama rise to the top of Pool A on runs scored with the Netherlands taking second place. Chinese Taipei drop to the bottom, with Cuba in fourth place. Italy, who are yet to play a game, sit in third.

There is more Pool A action to come on Thursday as Panama and the Netherlands look to put some distance between them at midday and Cuba face Italy at 7 p.m.

Over in Tokyo, Pool B will also see its first games on Thursday. Australia face Korea at midday at the Tokyo Dome, with China and Japan following on to the field at 7 p.m.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]