WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup Day 3: Japan, Chinese Taipei on top of Group A, rain cancels Group B games

WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup Day 3: Japan, Chinese Taipei on top of Group A, rain cancels Group B games
15/10/2022
A hitless bullpen and productive Hiroki Nakagawa led Japan to a huge win against defending world champions Venezuela. The hosts beat Germany. The world No. 1 and No. 2 programmes will face each other on Sunday in Taichung. Due to inclement weather, it was not possible to play at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei City

Day 3 of the IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup had to deal with inclement weather in Taipei City, leading to the decision by the WBSC Technical Commission to postpone the three games in Group B. Only Australia-Cuba started then ran into a rain delay after the first inning and eventually postponed. The games will be rescheduled to a date and time to be determined.

Japan was the National Team of the day. They defeated the defending world champions Venezuela in a game that changed dramatically after a one-hour rain delay. As the games resumed, lineups went quiet. Japan added an insurance run and their bullpen allowed Venezuela no hits over four innings.

Chinese Taipei's win against Germany was no surprise but will make Day 4 exciting. The two undefeated Asian superpowers, the world No. 1 and No. 2 programmes, will face each other at 19:00 in Taichung.

Colombia earned their first win against South Africa.

DAY 3 RESULTS

  • Colombia- South Africa 10-0 (6 innings) BOX SCORE
  • Australia @ Cuba postponed PHOTO GALLERY
  • Japan-Venezuela 5-2 BOX SCORE
  • Netherlands @ Puerto Rico postponed
  • Chinese Taipei- Germany 3-0 BOX SCORE
  • Korea @ Mexico postponed

Japan-Venezuela 5-2

Japan earned a huge win against the defending world champions Venezuela after a game that began with line-ups dominating pitchers, before it was delayed one hour by rain and saw Japan's bullpen allow only one walk over the final four innings.

Japan wasted no time. They got to Venezuela's starter Carlos Neveda with back-to-back hits by the top of the batting order and Takumi Fujii batted in the first run of the game.

Venezuela struck right back against Tetsuyuki Fujimura as Jesus Chirinos hit a two-RBI double and reversed the lead.

Naveda put himself into trouble with two hit batters and a walk. Japan made the most of it with a sacrifice fly by Ren Onishi and a two-RBI single by Hiroki Nakagawa and took the lead back, 4-2.

Rain forced the umpires to suspend the game in the top of the third.

The game resumed after a one-hour delay.

Japan added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on a base hit by Tatsuya Shirono.

Ryuta Kudo, Ryotaro Sawayanagi, Raiku Katayama and Ryusei Gonda no hit Venezuela in the final four innings.

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Chinese Taipei-Germany 3-0

Five German pitchers limited Chinese Taipei offense to five hits, but timely hitting was more than enough to turn them into a win and remain on top of group A.

Chinese Taipei scored at the first opportunity against Titus Von Kapff thanks to an RBI single by Sheng Ping Chen.

Chinese Taipei added a run in the second. Chen Tso Tseng hit a lead-off double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kuo Chin Yen. They scored an insurance run in the sixth on a double by Chen and an RBI single by Ji Cing Ran.

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Netherlands @ Puerto Rico

The two teams announced lineups, but the game never started.

After a 90-minute wait, the WBSC Technical Commission postponed the game to a date and time to be announced later.

Australia @ Cuba

Inclement weather forced the WBSC Technical Commission to postpone the game. It will resume at a date and time to be announced later.

In the bottom of the first, after Cuba's right fielder Cristian Hidalgo struggled to maintain his balance while he tried to reach third, the umpiring crew stopped the game.

The WBSC Technical Commission postponed the game after an 80-minute suspension.

Colombia-South Africa 10-0

Colombia took the lead in the second and never needed to look back. South Africa stayed in the game until the bottom of the sixth when Colombia scored seven runs against three South African pitchers and closed the game on the run-difference rule.

Colombia took the lead in the bottom of the second as Daniel Aguilar hit a two-RBI double off Kade Smith.

Bryan Buelvas and Roger Caraballo doubled in the bottom of the third and extended Colombia's lead to 3-0.

Colombia scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth against three South African pitchers on four hits (including three doubles) and a defensive error.

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Korea @ Mexico

The last game scheduled for Day 3 at Tianmu Stadium was postponed to a date and time to be announced later after a one-hour delay.