Chinese Taipei is the only team in the IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup with a perfect record from three games. They displayed dominant pitching in front of a raucous crowd in Taichung to edge past world No. 1 Japan, who are now 2-1 in Group A.
In the other night game, Korea and Cuba got into the seventh with no score. The game came within two strikes of an extra-inning finish, but Seunghwan Song hit a two-out grand slam to walk it off. Korea now sit top of Group B with a 2-0 win-loss record alongside Mexico, who beat the Netherlands on Sunday.
Defending world champions Venezuela outhit Colombia (14-8) but suffered their second loss in Group A and on Monday, face a must-win situation against Germany,
The weather severely impacted the programme of Day 4.
After postponing Taipei City's morning game between Australia and Puerto Rico, the WBSC Technical Commission decided to move the other two games (Mexico v Netherlands, Cuba v Korea) to Douliou city.
The Dou Liou Stadium is one of the three venues of the U-23 World Cup.
Douliou City is in Yunlin County, 220 kilometres south of Taipei City. As the island's Central Weather Bureau reported, the area is less affected by the heavy rains caused by typhoon Nesat.
Dou Liou Stadium will host the three games of Group B on Monday, 17 October.
DAY 4 RESULTS
Korea-Cuba 4-0
Korea didn't have an extra-base hit until the top of the sixth but ended the pitching duel against Cuba with a grand slam by left fielder Seunghwan Song.
Cuba and Korea combined four hits in the first five innings.
In the second, Yuri Fernandez doubled, advanced to third and then became the third out at home when he tried to score on a fly out to right field. It was the cleanest scoring chance.
Cuba's Cristian Hidalgo led off the sixth with a double, but Kyuyeon Kim, the fourth Korean pitcher, retired the side in order. Hidalgo's was the first extra-base hit of the night.
The big hit came late. Seunghwang Song homered with the bases loaded and two outs on the fourth pitch of reliever Andy Vargas.
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Chinese Taipei-Japan 3-1
Dominant pitching struck out 12 Japanese batters and led Chinese Taipei to the win. Starter Chen Wei Lin showcased some heat, and relievers Hsin Yen Chuan and Zhong Ao Zhuang Chen allowed only one walk in the final four innings.
The hosts are now the only undefeated team in Group A.
Chinese Taipei scored first making the most of the small ball.
They made it 2-0 in the first on a double by Song En Tseng.
Ren Onishi doubled off Chen Wei Lin to make it 2-1 iin the second.
Lin's fastball touched 157 kilometres (or 97.5 miles) per hour.
Chinese Taipei added a run in the sixth on a base hit by Song En Tseng.
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Mexico-Netherlands 4-0
Mexico gave Alemao Hernandez a 2-0 lead to work with and that was all their starter needed. Hernandez posted five solid innings and a couple of defensive errors helped Mexico add two insurance runs.
Alemao Hernandez and Scott Prins were the starting pitchers.
Mexico took the lead in the bottom of the second on back-to-back doubles by Christopher Escarrega and Angel Camacho.
They extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth making the most of two defensive errors.
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Colombia-Venezuela 8-7
Colombia won an extra-inning thriller on a bunt by slugger Bryan Buelvas, who had previously tied the game with a two-run homer. Venezuela lost despite outhitting Colombia, 14-8.
Gabriel Hernandez, the sixth Colombian pitcher, earned the win by navigating through the tie-break in the top of the eighth.
Amador Arias drove the third pitch by Victor Arias over the left field fence with two outs in the bottom of the first to put Venezuela ahead.
Anthony Escobar opened the bottom of the second with back-to-back strike outs, then Carlos Arroyo got to his fastball and tied the game.
Center fielder Kenedy Corona hit a two-out and two-RBI double in the top of the second to give Venezuela another lead.
Leandro Emiliani scored Colombia's second run in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Aguilar.
Venezuela extended its lead in the third. Jesus Chirinos doubled, David Garcia singled to make it 5-2. Carlos de Avila took over for Vargas on the mound.
Rain intensified and forced a suspension in the bottom of the third.
The game resumed at 13:00.
Venezuela added a run in the top of the fourth thanks to a base hit by leadoff hitter Michael Chirinos against Dahan Batista, the third Colombian pitcher.
Colombia got to reliever José Guzman in the bottom of the fourth and tied the game with a four-run rally capped by a two-run homer by Bryan Buelvas.
Branlyn Jaraba put Colombia ahead with an RBI-single off reliever Juan Querequto in the bottom of the fifth.
Venezuela struck right back. Kenedy Corona hustled to third and scored on a base hit by Carlos Mendoza. With runners in scoring position, Jean Herrera got out of the jam with two strikeouts.
Colombia scored the winning run in the eighth inning tie-break.
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South Africa @ Germany
Germany scored early and gave Florian Kawczynski a comfortable lead to work with. They didn't need to look back and earned their first win.
Germany wasted no time and scored three runs in the bottom of the first against Jaryd White. Lou Helmig doubled, and Finn Bergman hit a two-RBI single.
Germany added a run in the botton of the third on a base hit by Alexander Schmidt.
The BundesTeam scored their fifth run in the bottom of the fifth on a balk.
Germany scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth and ended the game by the run-difference rule.
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