2008 Haarlemse Honkbalweek

2008 Haarlemse Honkbalweek

The 2008 Haarlemse Honkbalweek was the twenty-fourth edition of the Haarlemse Honkbalweek, held every two years. It was held from July 4 to July 13, 2008 in Haarlem, Noord-Holland. The six teams competing were from the USA, the Netherlands, Cuba, Taiwan, Japan and the Netherlands Antilles/Aruba (fielding a combined squad). As it is shortly before the 2008 Olympics and five of the six countries involved are in the Olympics, Cuba and the Netherlands used it as a warm-up event. Taiwan and the USA used the event as a warm-up for the 2008 World University Championship, sending their college national teams.

Games

July 4

• Cuba 2, Dutch Antilles/Aruba 1. Cuba faced a surprisingly tough challenge in their opener. They managed just one run in six innings against starter Juan Carlos Sulbaran (who had just graduated high school), on a steal of home by Giorvis Duvergel in the 4th. After five strong innings from Yuniesky Maya and Yadier Pedroso, the islanders tie it on a double by former minor leaguer Ardley Jansen, who scored on a hit by Randolph Kirindongo. In the 7th, Lester Victoria relieved Sulbaran and allowed the winning run when Ariel Pestano doubled and Eduardo Paret singled him in. The Dutch squad got a man on second with one out in the 9th but Jonder Martinez retired the next two to end it.
• Japan 5, Taiwan 4. 1B Ryoji Nakata drove in 3 and 3B Kyohei Iwasaki and C Shota Ono each scored twice to help Japan win the all-Asian match-up.

July 5

• USA 5, Japan 2. Stephen Strasburg struck out 7 in 7 innings, getting the win and easily outperforming Japanese starter Masanori Fujihara, who allowed 3 runs and was knocked out in the first. US shortstop Ryan Jackson was 2 for 2 with a RBI.
• Netherlands 5, Dutch Antilles/Aruba 1. Rob Cordemans allowed one run in 6 1/3 inning and Dave Draijer, Nick Stuifbergen and Michiel van Kampen completed the fine pitching display. Simon Pantophlet took the loss. SS Mike Duursma stole two bases and scored twice and both LF Danny Rombley and 1B Percy Isenia got two hits for the mainland Dutch squad.

July 6

• Taiwan 6, Netherlands 4. Leon Boyd was roughed up for six runs in five innings as the host dropped a game to the Taiwan college team. Vince Rooi hit a 2-run homer in a losing cause.
• USA 1, Cuba 0. Mike Minor, Kyle Gibson, Chris Hernandez and Kendal Volz team up on a shutout of the Cubans, who only managed five hits. Yuliesky González allowed the lone run when Christian Colon drove home Tommy Mendonca.

July 7

• Japan 12, Dutch Antilles/Aruba 5. Shinji Iwata throws five scoreless innings before a late rally by the Dutch Antilles against the bullpen; LF Lorvin Louisa cracks a 3-run homer. 3B Hiroki Nakazawa goes 3 for 3 with 2 runs and a RBI while DH Ryoji Nakata is 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI for the strong Japanese offense as they go to 2-1.

July 8

• USA 11, Dutch Antilles/Aruba 0. Andrew Oliver and A.J. Griffin combine on a 3-hitter while Dutch starter Raymond Martes gives up 8 runs in under 3 innings. Eight different US players score in a balanced attack.
• Japan 3, Netherlands 2. David Bergman pitched no-hit ball for 7 innings but Japan rallied to win. Still leading 2-1 in the 9th, Bergman allowed a solo homer to 1B Ryoji Nakata. Japan then loaded the bases and SS Noriharu Yamazaki singled in Jumpei Komichi while facing Michiel van Kampen to give Japan the come-from-behind win. Japanese hurlers combined for 12 strikeouts. Roel Koolen's solo homer was the big blow for the Netherlands.

July 9

• Cuba 3, Taiwan 0. Four Cuban hurlers - Adiel Palma, Luis Miguel Rodriguez, Norberto González and Pedro Luis Lazo - combined to shut out Taiwan despite 3 hits from 3B Yi-Chuan Lin. 1B Alexander Mayeta had 3 hits and a run for the Cubans.
• Cuba 5, Japan 3. Starters Elier Sánchez and Toshiki Tsuboi each struggled in this one. Michel Enriquez tripled home Giorvis Duvergel in the first for a 1-0 Cuban lead but Japan pounced on Elier for 3 runs in the second on a 2-run triple by SS Noriharu Yamazaki, who was bunted home. In the bottom of the second, Yoandy Garlobo homered and Eduardo Paret later came home on a passed ball. Veteran DH Rolando Meriño singled home Duvergel and Héctor Olivera Jr. in the 4th for the final scoring of the game. Vicyohandri Odelin, Jonder Martinez and Miguel Lahera combined for 6 shutout relief innings for Cuba.
• The host team lost another one-run game, 2-1 to the USA. Diegomar Markwell gave up a 5th-inning homer to Derek Dietrich but otherwise threw scoreless ball for 8 1/3 innings. The Dutch tied it in the 7th against Brett Hunter. Dirk van 't Klooster singled, was bunted over by Roel Koolen, advanced on an out by Bryan Engelhardt and scored on an error by SS Ryan Jackson. In the 10th, Berry van Driel allowed a Jackson single and he was bunted over. Matt den Dekker walked and Christian Colon was plunked. A fielder's choice scored the US's winning run. In the bottom of the 10th, Engelhardt singled and Mike Duursma laid down a successful sac bunt. Eugene Kingsale drew a walk from Kendal Volz but Sidney de Jong ended the rally by grounding into a twin killing.

July 10

• Cuba 4, Netherlands 1. Cuba roughs up former minor leaguer Kenny Berkenbosch for 3 runs in 3 innings as they cruise to a win. LF Alfredo Despaigne goes 3 for 3 with 2 doubles and 3 runs to lead the offense. Yuniesky Maya, Yadier Pedroso and Miguel Lahera combine to shut down the men in orange.

July 11

• USA 3, Taiwan 1. RF Josh Fellhauer has a solo homer and sacrifice fly and six US hurlers combine to put the team at 5-0 after the round-robin phase.
• Taiwan 8, Dutch Antilles/Aruba 5. C Randolph Kirindongo homers, scores two and drives in two but it is not enough for the Antilles squad as three errors let in four unearned runs. 3B Chih-Pei Huang goes 2 for 4 with a homer, 2 runs and 2 RBI to lead Taiwan to its second win.
• Cuba 6, Japan 4. Yusuke Inoue only lasted 2 2/3 innings as Cuba scored four in the 3rd for some early support for Norge Luis Vera. Japan got four of their own off reliever Yuliesky González in the 5th. In the bottom of the 7th, RF Alexei Bell took Toshiki Tsuboi deep with 2B Yulieski Gourriel aboard for the winning blow.

July 12

• USA 5, Taiwan 2. Stephen Strasburg fans 11 in 7 innings and Kendal Volz gets the save, while 2B Ryan Jackson (2 for 3, R, 2 RBI) leads the US offensive. Yu-Chi Hsiao takes the defeat.
• Netherlands - Dutch Antilles/Aruba cancelled

July 13

• Taiwan 2, Japan 0. C.C. Lee and Ko-Chien Lin combine on a five-hit, two-walk shutout for Taiwan to give them third place. Shinji Iwata tosses five shutout innings for Japan but CF Keng-Wei Lin drives in 1B Chih-Pei Huang in the 7th against Masahiro Inui to break the scoreless battle.
• USA 4, Cuba 1. USA's collegians top the Cuban Olympic team for the title. Cuba scored in the 4th off Mike Minor on a walk to 1B Alexander Mayeta, a single to DH Frederich Cepeda and an error by LF Josh Fellhauer. Minor, Chris Hernandez, Kyle Gibson and Kendal Volz allowed nothing further, though. Meanwhile, the US tied it in the 5th when RF Blake Smith took Adiel Palma deep, then went ahead in the 6th when 1B Jared Clark homered off Vicyohandri Odelin. CF Matt den Dekker reached in all four plate appearances.

Records

• USA 7-0
• Cuba 5-2
• Taiwan 3-4
• Japan 3-4
• Netherlands 1-4
• Dutch Antilles/Aruba 0-5

Awards

The following awards were handed out:

• Jacques Reuvers Award: Ryan Jackson, USA
• Carl Angelo Award: Ryoji Nakata, Japan
• Press Award: David Bergman,  Netherlands
• Homerun King: Yoandy Garlobo, Cuba
• Best Hitter: Randolph Kirindongo, Dutch Antilles
• Best Pitcher: Mike Minor, USA
• Best Defending Player: Eduardo Paret, Cuba