Australia defeats Venezuela, clinches second place in Group B. Matsuda’s homer secures top spot in Group A for Japan

Australia defeated Venezuela 5-3 at Hippos Arena in Havlickuv Brod and secured the second spot in Group B. A three-run second inning proved to be the difference for the Aussies. Adam Folkard went the distance for the winning team.

In the bottom of first Venezuela scored the first run of the game. Herwims Querales led off the game with a walk and advanced on a sac bunt. Then Luiger Pinto hit a line drive up the middle to plate Querales from second.

In the next inning, Australia took the lead. With one out Jame Todhunter hit a single to the left side and Angel Perez hit Scott Patterson and Callum Beashel. With the bases loaded, Perez walked Ryan Sinclair for the first Australian run. Maiker Pimentel came in in relief but struggled with his command; started with a wild pitch, to allow the second run of the inning, and then walked Nick Norton and Nick Shailes for the go-ahead run. Pimentel retired only one out, made 14 pitches, only 3 in the strike zone. Carlos Ucero retired the last out of the inning.

In the bottom of the second Carlos Ojeda crushed an outside pitch by Adam Folkard for a solo home run. However, Ucero couldn’t avoid another run in the next inning, on a sacrifice fly by Todhunter.

In the top of the sixth, with two outs, Australia added one more run to the score, with an RBI double by Shailes, who hit it short to center field to make it 5-2.

In the bottom of the seventh Venezuela put two runners on with no outs, with a walk and a single, and then advanced on a passed ball. But Folkard made Querales hit an infield fly, and then fanned Lima for the second out. Ojeda scored on a wild pitch, but the right-handed pitcher struck out Rafael Flores for the out 21 of the match.

Folkard fanned 13 in seven innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs and 4 walks.

Australia will close the Group Round tomorrow against the Netherlands, while Venezuela will face a key game against USA.

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Matsuda’s homer secures top spot in Group A for Japan

Japan secured today the first place in Group A, with a 2-0 win over Cuba at Svododa Park, in Prague. Hikaru Matsuda was the man of the match. He pitched six scoreless innings for the winners and produced the only two runs of the game with a two-run homer.

Matsuda started the game for Japan and only allowed 2 hits in six innings, with no runs 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. Hiroki Ikeda threw the seventh inning and fanned 1.

With this win, Japan improves to 6-0 and secured the number 1 in Group A. Cuba (3-3) will play tomorrow against Czech Republic.

BOXSCORE