2015 Premier 12

The 2015 Premier 12 was the first Premier 12. It was held in Taiwan and Japan in November 2015. The winning team got $1,000,000 with at least $125,000 for each participating nation, with prizes going down based on final standings. See here for roster information.

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Cuba, the Netherlands and Italy all allowed the top players in their domestic leagues to compete, but the teams from the Western Hemisphere were hampered by the lack of the availability of players on MLB clubs' 40-man rosters as well as the refusal of the Caribbean leagues (other than Cuba) to allow players (these rules also limited some players from Europe and Asia, as Alex Liddi of Italy was playing in Mexico and each of the countries had players on 40-man rosters). Mexico was the hardest hit, as there was a continuing turf war between Mexico's baseball federation and the Mexican League, resulting in a "Mexican" entry consisting of Mexican-American players. Mexico still made the final four, but as expected the Asian powers took two of the top three spots.

November 8

at the Sapporo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
Japan	0	2	0	0	1	1	0	1	x	5	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Shohei Otani (1-0) Loss: Kwang-hyun Kim (0-1)
Home Runs
Japan: Hayato Sakamoto
Umpires
HP: Kevin Sweeney (USA); 1B: Brett Robson (Australia); 2B: Trevor Grieve (Canada); 3B: Jorge Perez (Cuba)
Time of Game: 3:37 Attendance: 28,848

Japan opened the first Premier 12 in grand style in front of a home crowd of over 28,000 after Chan-ho Park threw out the first pitch. They lit up Kwang-hyun Kim, who had starred against them in the 2008 Olympics. In the bottom of the second, 1B Sho Nakata struck out but reached first on a wild pitch, then 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda singled (he would reach base all four times today). RF Ryosuke Hirata doubled to left to score Nakata. CF Shogo Akiyama drew a one-out walk, then SS Hayato Sakamoto hit a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. In the third, 3B Takeya Nakamura drew a one-out walk and Nakata singled him to third with two outs, chasing Kim early in favor of Sang-woo Cho. Kim had given up 5 hits, 2 walks and 2 runs in 2 2/3 IP.

With two out in the 5th, Nakata singled off Woo-chan Cha and Matsuda drew a walk. Hirata again delivered, with a single for a 3-0 lead. Woo-ram Jung allowed a one-out homer to Sakamoto in the 6th for the first Premier 12 home run. Japan got its last run in the 8th off Mu-geun Cho‎‎. Sakamoto singled with one out and scored on a double by 2B Tetsuto Yamada.

Meanwhile, Japan's starter Shohei Otani was outstanding, fanning 10 in six shutout innings, allowing only two hits and two walks while hitting 100 mph. Takahiro Norimoto went 1-2-3 in the 7th, striking out two, but allowed hits in the 8th to PH Jae-won Oh and SS Sang-soo Kim and walking 2B Keun-woo Jeong but LF Hyun-soo Kim went down swinging to end the threat. In the 9th, Korea had another shot, this time against Yuki Matsui. DH Dae-ho Lee and 1B Byung-ho Park singled (his second hit of the day, leading Korea's offense), as did RF Ah-seop Son, all with none out. Matsui recovered to fan 3B Jae-kyun Hwang, get C Eui-ji Yang on an infield fly and got Sang-soo Kim on a foul out to first.

November 9

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Netherlands	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	7	14	0
Chinese Taipei	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	4	9	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Shairon Martis (1-0) Loss: Kuan-Yu Chen (0-1) Save: Loek van Mil (1)
Home Runs
Kingdom of the Netherlands: Yurendell de Caster Taiwan: Dai-Kang Yang, Hung-Yu Lin
Umpires
HP: Kinji Nishimoto (Japan); 1B: Mark Winters (USA); 2B: Osmel Pimentel (Venezuela); 3B: Fabrizio Fabrizi (Italy)
Time of Game: 4:10 Attendance: 16,188

In their first game under the "Kingdom of the Netherlands" team name, the Netherlands wound up victorious over host Taiwan. CF Randolph Oduber and 3B Yurendell de Caster opened with singles off Kuan-Yu Chen. After 1B Andruw Jones fanned, DH Wladimir Balentien walked to load the bases. LF Curt Smith's long fly to right fell short, winding up as a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the first, CF Dai-Kang Yang took Diegomar Markwell deep to tie it.

RF Kalian Sams doubled to open the second, then SS Carlton Daal had a one-out single. Oduber's sacrifice fly scored Sams, then 36-year-old veteran de Caster smacked a two-run homer to right for a 4-1 lead (one of three hits for him today). The Netherlands turned an odd double play in the third when Yang's liner hit Markwell's arm, popped over to 2B Sharlon Schoop for an out, then Schoop fired to Jones for the double play, erasing RF Po-Jung Wang.

Taiwan came back in the bottom of the 4th. SS Yen-Wen Kuo and 2B Chih-Sheng Lin singled, then C Hung-Yu Lin doubled to make it 4-2, chasing Markwell (who had just been checked out by the trainer, perhaps due to injury from the liner an inning earlier) in favor of Tom Stuifbergen, who got the next three batters to escape the jam. The Netherlands had a shot in the 6th when Oduber and de Caster singled with one out. Yu-Hsun Chen relieved Wei-Lun Pan, who pitched 3 1/3 shutout frames, and fanned Jones. Balentien hit a long drive to the wall, but Yang made a catch to prevent any more runs.

Hung-Yu Lin took Shairon Martis deep in the bottom of the 6th to close it to 4-3. Taiwan had a chance to tie it in the 8th. Yang drew a walk from Bayron Cornelisse and was bunted over by Kuo. Giant closer Loek van Mil relieved and Chih-Sheng Lin hit a shot to right; Sams got it in his glove but it fell out when he crashed into the wall, putting men on second and third. On a grounder to short, Yang was erased and van Mil got an inning-ending grounder.

Facing Po-Yu Lin in the 9th, Jones singled. Balentien doubled and Smith singled for a 5-3 lead. C Shawn Zarraga's sacrifice fly put it to 6-3 then Sams singled for his 4th hit of the day. PH Gianison Boekhoudt hit another sacrifice fly and the Netherlands had picked up 3 insurance runs. They needed one of them, because in the bottom of the 9th LF Kuo-Hui Kao singled, advanced on a wild pitch, took third on a grounder and came home on a single by PH Chien-Ming Chang before van Mil got an inning-ending ground-out.

November 10

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	2	1	6	8	2
Venezuela	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	6	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Martin Viramontes (1-0) Loss: Gabriel Alfaro (0-1) Save: Brennan Bernardino (1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Seth Buckminster (USA); 1B: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); 2B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 3B: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan)
Time of Game: 2:58 Attendance: 800

Mexico, which released its roster well after their teams and was denied the use of Mexican League and Mexican Pacific League players, got a surprising opening win with their Mexican-Americans. Venezuela turned to two-time All-Star Freddy García and he gave up the first runs, in the third. SS Juan Perez was hit by a pitch and stole second, then scored on a double by 2B Kevin Medrano and CF Tim Torres singled home Medrano.

Venezuela took the lead in the bottom of the third off Cesar Carrillo, a former major leaguer. C José Yépez singled and CF Yonathan Sivira walked, then they were bunted over. SS Gregorio Petit hit a two-run single and took second on the throw home. LF Frank Díaz was intentionally walked, then RF Juan Rivera (a 12-year major leaguer) singled in Petit for a 3-2 lead. DH Luis Jiménez walked to load the bases, then Mark Serrano relieved Carrillo. 1B Francisco Caraballo hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2 but the next 14 Venezuelan batters went down in order.

Meanwhile, Mexico was staging their comeback. In the top of the 7th, DH Rudy Flores doubled, C Humberto Sosa singled and 3B Brandon Macias hit a sacrifice fly. Luis Sojo yanked García in favor of Yosue Castellano, who hit Perez and walked Medrano. Yoel Hernández relieved and got Torres to hit into an inning-ending double play. In the 8th against Gabriel Alfaro, Mexico took the lead. 1B Roberto Lopez singled with one out and Flores drew a two-out walk, then Sosa provided the big hit, a two-run double. They got insurance in the 9th when Lopez's sacrifice fly off Jesús Martínez scored Torres with the game's last tally.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	1
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	1	3	2	0	1	X	7	9	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Andrés Santiago (1-0) Loss: Alessandro Maestri (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 1B: Jairo Mendoza (Nicaragua); 2B: Paul Guillie (USA); 3B: Hideshi Honda (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:37 Attendance: 483

Puerto Rico started on a strong note, with strong pitching and good offense. The game was scoreless until the 4th. Italy nearly scored in the top of the 4th. 2B Alessandro Vaglio doubled off Andrés Santiago and DH Mario Chiarini walked. C Alberto Mineo hit into a force at second. 1B Alex Sambucci flew to RF Aldo Méndez, who fired home. C Omir Santos tagged out Vaglio right before the plate, but was blocking the plate; Italian skipper Marco Mazzieri that this violated baseball's new collision rules but home plate ump Hua-Wen Chi disagreed. Puerto Rico then got on the board in the bottom of the inning. 2B Dickie Joe Thon singled and advanced on a wild pitch by Alessandro Maestri and LF Juan Silva walked. With one out, Méndez doubled home Thon. It was the only run in four innings for Maestri, who fanned 7, yet he was tagged with the loss. Six Italian relievers would give up 7 runs in the next four.

In the 5th, against Trey Nielsen, CF Jay González drew a one-out walk and SS Jack Lopez singled. 2015 Pan American Games star Thon hit a two-run triple then scored on a wild pitch. In the 6th, Andrea Pizziconi walked Méndez walked and plunked DH Luis Rivera. Junior Oberto relieved and got two outs, but González then hit a two-run single. Santiago left in the 8th after 7 shutout innings of four-hit ball and Italy got on the board against Fernando González - with two away, 3B Juan Carlos Infante singled and SS Erick Epifano doubled him in. In the bottom of the 8th, Puerto Rico got their last run, facing Italian team rookie Ludovico Coveri. 1B Jorge Jiménez singled and PH Alexis Pantoja singled as well. With one out, Coveri plunked Lopez. After retiring Thon, Coveri walked Silva with the bases loaded to make it 8-1.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	0	3	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	5	14	3
United States	3	0	6	0	2	0	0	0	X	11	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Joey Denato (1-0) Loss: Victor Mateo (0-1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Teoscar Hernández, Wilson Betemit
Umpires
HP: Atsushi Kittaka (Japan); 1B: Winfried Berkvens (Netherlands); 2B: Chung-Hung Wang (Taiwan); 3B: Edgar Estivison (Panama)
Time of Game: 3:02 Attendance: 500

The US won their opener in a slugfest. They started fast in the first against Victor Mateo. CF Jacob May and 2B Joe Sclafani walked. With one out, DH Dan Black singled in a run, then a double by 1B Kyle Martin brought in Sclafani. 2B Adam Frazier (a late addition to the US roster) singled in Black, but Martin was out trying to score as well on the play.

The Dominicans tied it in the second, though. 1B Wilson Betemit took a Zeke Spruill pitch deep, C Miguel Olivo doubled and RF Aneury Tavarez singled. LF Wilkin Ramírez singled home Olivo to make it 3-2, still with no outs. After 3B Pedro Feliz hit into a force, SS Ronny Rodríguez tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

The US had a shot to go ahead in the bottom of the 2nd. C Dan Rohlfing reached on a Feliz error and LF Brett Phillips singled. May bunted into an error by Mateo to load the bases with none away. SS Elliot Soto grounded to Feliz, who threw home to retire Rohlfing. RF Brett Eibner and Black were both retired to end the threat.

The USA did go ahead to stay with a huge third. With one out, 3B Tyler Pastornicky doubled and Frazier tripled him in. Mateo walked Rohlfing, then was relieved by Dioni Soriano. Phillips hit into an error by 2B Anderson Feliz for the third Dominican error of the day, making it 5-3. May walked, then Soto singled in two runs. After a second out, Black was intentionally walked. Martin singled in another two runs for a 9-3 lead and a six-run inning.

The islanders got one run back in the top of the 5th when CF Teoscar Hernández homered off Spruill. The US kept building their lead, though, in the bottom of the inning. May doubled and Soto walked. Onassis Sirrett relieved Soriano. After a double steal, Eibner singled in one run and a sacrifice fly by Black put the US in front, 11-4. The Dominicans got another run in the 6th off Cody Satterwhite. Pedro Feliz singled and advanced on a wild pitch, then came home on a one-out double by Anderson Feliz. Satterwhite, Joey Denato and JB Wendelken allowed no more runs, though, while Sirrett, Luis De la Cruz and Bryan Rodríguez blanked the US for the final three.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Canada	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	9	0
Cuba	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chris Leroux (1-0) Loss: Yosvany Torres (0-1)
Home Runs
Canada: Pete Orr
Umpires
HP: Marcus Pattillo (USA); 1B: Trevor Grieve (Canada); 2B: Masao Yanada (Japan); 3B: ??
Time of Game: 3:21 Attendance: 639

The 2015 Pan American Games champs start off on a strong note, beating traditional power Cuba. CF Tyson Gillies opened by hitting into an error by 2B Rudy Reyes, then 3B Pete Orr homered off Yosvany Torres for what would be the winning hit. With one out, 1B Jordan Lennerton singled. He advanced on a grounder then scored on a hit by DH Taylor Green. Liván Moinelo relieved, Torres having lasted 2/3 of an inning.

Cuba got their lone run in the bottom of the inning. Chris Leroux hit CF Julio Pablo Martínez and walked LF Lourdes Gourriel Jr. an out later, followed by a walk to his brother, 3B Yuliesky Gourriel. A sacrifice fly by DH Alfredo Despaigne made it 3-1 before Cuba had a hit. They would only get five hits off Leroux, Andrew Albers and Scott Richmond, with 11 strikeouts and only two more walks.

Canada got some insurance in the 7th, finally getting to Moinelo, who fanned 9 in 6 innings of relief. Gillies singled, then LF Tyler O'Neill singled him to third (11 pick-off attempts for Gillies before the hit; they then tried to pick off O'Neill four times). RF Rene Tosoni singled in Gillies to make it 4-1. Norberto González relieved and threw a wild pitch to score O'Neill with the last run of the day.

November 11

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	0	2	3	0	2	0	0	7	13	0
United States	1	0	1	0	2	0	1	0	0	5	9	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yorman Bazardo (1-0) Loss: John Church (0-1) Save: Fernando Nieve (1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Luis Jiménez USA: Dan Black, Jacob May
Umpires
HP: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan); 1B: Jong-chul Park (South Korea); 2B: Jorge Perez (Cuba); 3B: Kevin Sweeney (USA)
Time of Game: 3:20 Attendance: 500

Venezuela had their best game of the Premier 12 this year, winning against eventual runner-up USA. In the bottom of the first, LF Brett Phillips singled off Felipe Paulino and stole, then scored on a hit by RF Brett Eibner. DH Dan Black walked, then a two-hour rain delay ensued, forcing Paulino out in favor of Yorman Bazardo. Black took Bazardo deep with two away in the 3rd for a 2-0 US lead.

Venezuela tied it in the 4th against Seth Simmons. RF Juan Rivera singled and DH Luis Jiménez hit a two-run homer. In the top of the 5th, they went ahead against John Church. 2B Ray Olmedo singled, SS Gregorio Petit hit into a 5-4 force and LF Frank Díaz singled. After another out, Jiménez had the go-ahead hit ,a two-run double. He stole third and scored on an error by Church on the play for a 5-2 lead.

The US closed the gap in the bottom of the 5th. SS Elliot Soto and CF Jacob May singled, then Eibner had a one-out double to the gap in left-center to close it to 5-4 and chase Bazardo. In the top of the 7th, Venezuela added insurance. Olmedo laid down a bunt hit against Aaron Laffey and Petit bunted him over. After a wild pitch (the first of 3 for Laffey), Frank Díaz singled in Olmedo to make it 6-4. Following a wild pitch, Rivera and Jiménez singled for another run. It was Jiménez's 5th RBI of the day.

The US got back one run in the bottom of the 7th when May took Pedro Guerra deep to right with one out to make it 7-5, but they would get no further. With two outs in the 7th, they got the potential tying run aboard against Fernando Nieve when Phillips singled and Eibner walked, but Black went down swinging on a full count to end it.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	1	0	1	0	4	0	1	0	6	11	1
Netherlands	0	0	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	5	10	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: José Angel García (1-0) Loss: Juan Carlos Sulbaran (0-1)
Home Runs
Cuba: Styler Hernández Kingdom of the Netherlands: Shawn Zarraga
Umpires
HP: Mark Winters (USA); 1B: Osmel Pimentel (Venezuela); 2B: Fabrizio Fabrizi (Italy); 3B: Kinji Nishimoto (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:21 Attendance: 674

Cuba won a hard-fought battle with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Jair Jurrjens made his first start for the Dutch team in nine years, since the 2006 World Baseball Classic, spending the in-between years in the majors. In the top of the second, he allowed the opening run as 1B Alex Malleta doubled over the head of LF Curt Smith, C Yosvani Alarcón singled and RF Styler Hernández hit a sacrifice fly.

The Netherlands came back in the bottom of the third off Frank Montieth. RF Kalian Sams walked, 2B Sharlon Schoop singled and they advanced on a balk. SS Carlton Daal singled for the first of 3 hits on the day, scoring Sams to tie it. Daal was picked off first, which proved crucial when CF Randolph Oduber hit a RBI double. 3B Yurendell de Caster hit into an error by SS Yordan Manduley (the official game report attributed the error to backup SS Yorbis Borroto, who was not in the contest at this point). 1B Andruw Jones struck out, though, and de Caster was caught stealing on the other end of the inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the 4th, Smith singled and C Shawn Zarraga homered for a 4-1 Netherlands lead. Cuba rallied in the top of the 6th after one run in the first 5 off Jurrjens. LF Lourdes Gourriel Jr., 3B Yulieski Gourriel and DH Alfredo Despaigne all singled. With one out, Alarcón hit a sacrifice fly, then Hernández clubbed a two-run homer for a 5-4 edge. The Netherlands tied it again in the bottom of the 6th. Jones and Balentien singled off Miguel Lahera, who then balked. José Angel García relieved and got two outs, but then threw a wild pitch, Jones scoring on a close play at the plate. He would throw shutout ball over the next 3 1/3.

In the top of the 8th, Yulieski Gourriel and Despaigne singled off Juan Carlos Sulbaran. Jim Ploeger relieved to face Malleta, but Frank Camilo Morejón pinch-hit and bunted the runners over. Bayron Cornelisse came in from the bullpen and allowed the crucial game-winning single to Alarcón. The Netherlands had a decent chance in the 8th when they had one-out singles by Smith and Dashenko Ricardo (replacing the injured Zarraga at catcher) but Sams hit into an inning-ending twin killing. In the bottom of the 9th, backup 2B Hainley Statia fanned, Daal (3 for 3 to that point) grounded out and Oduber's long drive to left was caught on a great defensive play by Lourdes Gourriel Jr. to wrap it up.

at the Tien-Mou Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	5	13	1
Japan	0	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Hirokazu Sawamura (1-0) Loss: Alex Caldera (0-1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Roberto Lopez Japan: Sho Nakata
Umpires
HP: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); 1B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 2B: Brett Robson (Australia); 3B: Seth Buckminster (USA)
Time of Game: 3:36 Attendance: 6,523

Mexico gave Japan a scare before Japan won it in the bottom of the 9th. In the top of the second, 1B Roberto Lopez homered off Kenta Maeda. In the bottom of the inning, Japan got a one-out single from LF Yoshitomo Tsutsugo off Enrique Garcia and a two-run blast from 1B Sho Nakata for a 2-1 lead. Japan built their edge in the third. CF Shogo Akiyama singled, followed by a hit by SS Hayato Sakamoto (LF Jose Torres made an error on the play). DH Takeya Nakamura drew a one-out intentional walk, then Tsutsugo had a RBI single. Gerardo Sanchez relieved Garcia. Nakata hit a sacrifice fly for a 4-1 edge.

In the top of the 4th, DH Rudy Flores hit a two-out single and C Humberto Sosa doubled for a 4-2 game. In the bottom of the fifth, Nakamura drew a two-out walk and Tsutsugo and Nakata both singled to make it 5-2. Mexico rallied from there. In the 6th, Lopez doubled off Yuki Nishi and scored on a hit by RF Yadir Drake. In the 7th, versus Yudai Ono, CF Alfredo Lopez singled and 2B Kevin Medrano had a bunt single, as did SS Juan Perez. Torres hit into a run-scoring double play to cut the gap to one, 5-4.

Mexico tied it in the top of the 9th against Hirokazu Sawamura. 3B Brandon Macias singled and Alfredo Lopez bunted him over. With two away, PH Tim Torres singled to make it 5-5. In the bottom of the 9th, Japan came back against Alex Caldera. 2B Tetsuto Yamada doubled and Tsutsugo drew a one-out walk. Nakata then singled in Yamada for his 5th RBI of the day to win it.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	3	10	11	2
Dominican Republic	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Won-jun Chang (1-0) Loss: Miguel Fermín (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Winfried Berkvens (Netherlands); 1B: Chung-Hung Wang (Taiwan); 2B: Edgar Estivison (Panama); 3B: Atsushi Kittaka (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:56 Attendance: 600

A game that began as a pitching duel wound up as a nine-run difference as the Dominican bullpen could not hold on. Won-jun Chang and Luís Pérez traded goose eggs for four. In the 5th, the Dominicans got their lone run when LF Wilkin Ramírez doubled and 3B Pedro Feliz singled him in. Chang allowed only four hits in 7 innings and Tae-hyon Chong and Hyun-seung Lee each went 1-2-3 after that.

Meanwhile, Pérez gave up just one hit, no walks and one hit batsman in six scoreless frames. Manager Miguel Tejada replaced him with Francisco Rondón and things went south. CF Yong-kyu Lee walked. After one out, DH Dae-ho Lee took Miguel Fermín deep to put the Koreans ahead and double their hit count. Nine more hits would follow in the next 2 2/3 innings, though. In the top of the 8th, with one out, C Min-ho Kang and SS Jae-ho Kim singled off Fermín. Julio de Paula relieved but gave up a RBI double to 2B Keun-woo Jeong. Yong-kyu Lee singled, then LF Hyun-soo Kim delivered a three-run triple. Dae-ho Lee singled for the 6th hit of the 8th to make it 7-1. In the 9th, Juan Morillo relieved and walked 3B Jae-kyun Hwang and Kang. Jeong hit a two-out, two-run double. Joel Payamps relieved and Yong-kyu Lee singled for a 10th run in a three explosive frames.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
align=left Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	x	2	3	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Philippe Aumont (1-0) Loss: Luis Cintrón (0-1) Save: Dustin Molleken (1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Jairo Mendoza (Nicaragua); 1B: Paul Guillie (USA); 2B: Hideshi Honda (Japan); 3B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 2:51 Attendance: 335

Scott Diamond, Philippe Aumont and Dustin Molleken combine on a four-hitter, though they do walk five, for a shutout of Puerto Rico. Luis Cintrón is nearly as sharp, facing the minimum through four and tossing goose eggs through six. In the 7th, Canada ends the pitching duel as 3B Pete Orr singles and LF Tyler O'Neill deposits a pitch over the left field wall for the game's only runs. 3B José Rivera has half of his country's hits today.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	2	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	1	7	11	0
Italy	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chun-Lin Kuo (1-0) Loss: Luca Panerati (0-1)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Yen-Wen Kuo, Chih-Sheng Lin Italy: Alex Sambucci
Umpires
HP: Trevor Grieve (USA); 1B: Masao Yanada (Japan); 2B: Chung-Cheng Chiu (Taiwan); 3B: Marcus Pattillo (USA)
Time of Game: 2:53 Attendance: 8,517

The hosts pick up their first win. Chun-Lin Kuo allows only two hits in seven innings, striking out ten; only a 6th-inning bomb by 1B Alex Sambucci ruins his shutout bid (Sambucci winds up with two of Italy's three hits today). Yu-Hsun Chen and Hung-Wen Chen close it out, adding two more strikeouts. The double play combo of Yen-Wen Kuo and Chih-Sheng Lin both go 2-for-4 with two runs and a homer while 1B Chun-Hsiu Chen contributes two hits and two RBI. Former Reds farmhand Luca Panerati is handed the defeat.

November 12

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	8	1
South Korea	3	0	0	4	3	3	X	13	14	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Dae-eun Rhee (1-0) Loss: Carlos Monasterios (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Juan Apodaca South Korea: Jae-kyun Hwang 2
Umpires
HP: Chung-Hung Wang (Taiwan); 1B: Edgar Estivison (Panama); 2B: Atsushi Kittaka (Japan); 3B: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan)
Time of Game: 2:51 Attendance: 1,010

In the first mercy rule game at a Premier 12, South Korea romped past Venezuela. 2B Keun-woo Jeong led off with a hit off former major leaguer Carlos Monasterios. RF Ah-seop Son laid down a bunt hit, then LF Hyun-soo Kim contributed a two-run double. Monasterios retired the 4 and 5 hitters, DH Dae-ho Lee and 1B Byung-ho Park, but CF Sung-bum Na drew a four-pitch walk. 3B Jae-kyun Hwang singled in Kim to make it 3-0, chasing Monasterios in the first in favor of Josmar Carreño.

Venezuela briefly made it a game. In the top of the third, C Juan Apodaca homered off Dae-eun Rhee. CF Douglas Landaeta singled, advanced on a wild pitch and a bunt and scored on a hit by SS Gregorio Petit to make it 3-2. LF Frank Díaz hit into a force, then RF Juan Rivera hit into an error by Hwang, sending Díaz to third, but DH Luis Jiménez struck out. It was all South Korea after that as they scored 10 unanswered runs, though Venezuela did get several baserunners.

In the 4th, Hwang homered off Robert Palencia. C Min-ho Kang and SS Jae-ho Kim hit back-to-back doubles for a 5-2 edge. After two outs, Hyun-soo Kim singled in Jae-ho Kim. Jhonny Caraballo relieved, then Hyun-soo Kim stole second and scored on a hit by Dae-ho Lee. In the 5th, Hwang went deep again for the first two-homer game in the Premier 12. Kang walked and Jae-ho Kim and Jeong both singled to make it 9-2. Delio Martínez relieved and Son hit a sacrifice fly for a 8-run lead.

Korea ended their scoring in the 6th, not needing to bat again. Dae-ho Lee was hit and Park walked. Yosue Castellano walked but Na singled and an error by Castellano on the play scored both runners for a 12-2 game. Gabriel Alfaro became the 7th Venezuelan hurler and Hwang greeted him with a single for a 4-for-4 day. PH Jae-won Oh hit a sacrifice fly to make it 13-2. After Rhee's 5 innings, Kyu-min Woo and Tae-yang Lee each worked one scoreless inning to end it.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	5	0	7	9	1
Cuba	2	0	0	2	1	1	0	1	0	1	8	11	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Danny Betancourt (1-0) Loss: Emilio Pagán (0-1)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Aldo Méndez, Dickie Joe Thon Cuba: Alfredo Despaigne
Umpires
HP: Paul Guillie (USA); 1B: Hideshi Honda (Japan); 2B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 3B: Jairo Mendoza (Nicaragua)
Time of Game: 3:48 Attendance: 281

Cuba survived a scare in a tough battle with another baseball-loving island nation. SS Yordan Manduley singled with one out in the first off Randy Fontanez; with two outs, DH Alfredo Despaigne and 38-year-old veteran 1B Alexander Mayeta tripled them in. They almost scored another in the bottom of the second, when 2B Rudy Reyes had a one-out single and tried to score on a two-out double by LF Lourdes Gourriel Jr. (one of three Gourriel brothers in the Cuban starting lineup) but failed to beat the relay throw home.

Puerto Rico made it a one-run game in the top of the third. CF Jay González had a one-out walk from Freddy Asiel Alvarez, was bunted over and came home on a hit by 2B Dickie Joe Thon, who once again led Puerto Rico's attack. RF Aldo Méndez opened the 4th with a home run to tie the game. Cuba retook the lead in the bottom of the inning. Mayeta singled and C Yosvani Alarcón doubled. José Carlos Burgos relieved Fontanez and allowed a sacrifice fly to RF Styler Hernández. Burgos intentionally walked Reyes, then Arturo Martoral relieved and gave up a run-scoring single to CF Yuniesky Gourriel, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

In the bottom of the 5th, Despaigne hit a two-out home run off Martoral to make it 5-2. In the 6th, José Soler issued a one-out walk to Hernández and threw two wild pitches, then walked Reyes. Roy Geiger relieved (Puerto Rico's 5th hurler to that point) and got Yuniesky Gourriel to ground out, but Hernández scored on the play. They added a seemingly meaningless (but eventually crucial) run in the 8th off Rámesis Rosa. Hernández singled with one out and took second on an error by LF Juan Silva on the play. Reyes grounded him to third then Yuniesky Gourriel hit a RBI double for a 7-2 lead.

Puerto Rico made their move in the 9th with a huge rally even though Cuba had made four defensive replacements to start the inning. The rally began against Yunier Cano. With one out, 1B Jorge Jiménez singled, DH Joiset Feliciano doubled and 3B Alexis Pantoja hit a two-run single to cut the gap to 7-4. Víctor Mesa summoned Héctor Mendoza from the bullpen and he fanned González on a full count, but hit SS Jack Lopez. Thon then came up huge, with a three-run homer to left to tie the game.

In the 10th, under the international tournament extra inning rule, Puerto Rico began with two men on. Mendoza fanned Pantoja but walked González. Danny Betancourt relieved and retired Lopez, bringing up Thon, who was 4-for-5 with four RBI. This time he did not come through, as Betancourt got him swinging. In the bottom of the 10th, against Emilio Pagán (the 8th Puerto Rican pitcher), Despaigne's fly ball advanced Manduley (who was the starting runner at second) to third base. Backup 1B Yasiel Santoya (one of the defensive subs) grounded to first, where Thon was now positioned. Thon threw to second to get one, but Lopez's throw back to first was not in time to get Santoya on a double play attempt, scoring Manduley with the winner in the first extra-inning game in a Premier 12.

at the Tien-Mou Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
United States	0	2	2	0	0	3	2	1	10	13	0
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Zack Segovia (1-0) Loss: Miguel Pena (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 1B: Brett Robson (Australia); 2B: Seth Buckminster (USA); 3B: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 2:47 Attendance: 531

After a surprising challenge against Japan and a win over Venezuela, the late-formed Mexican team falls flat today, mustering little offense against Zack Segovia, no stranger to pitching in Taiwan (playing in the CPBL) or for Team USA (having been with them in 2006, qualifying for the 2008 Olympics). He allowed four hits and one walk in six shutout frames, while Brooks Pounders worked 1 2/3 IP (1 BB, 0 H) and Jake Barrett got the final out for a combined shutout in the mercy-rule romp.

1B Matt McBride opened the second with a hit off Miguel Pena, then 2B Adam Frazier (a late addition to Team USA as an injury substitute) hit a one-out double. After another out, LF Brett Phillips hit a single that deflected off the glove of Mexican 1B Tim Torres for a 2-0 lead, bringing in McBride and Frazier. In the top of the third, SS Elliot Soto singled and RF Brett Eibner and DH Dan Black both walked. McBride delivered a two-run double for a 4-0 lead.

The US added more offense in the 6th. Frazier led off wit ha single and C Dan Rohlfing hit into an error by SS Juan Perez. After an out, CF Jacob May walked to load the bases. Pena was yanked, Mark Serrano relieving him. Soto greeted the new hurler with a run-scoring double, but Rohlfing was thrown out trying to score on the play. RF Brett Eibner contributed a two-run single for a 7-0 edge.

In the 7th, McBride singled off new pitcher Carlos Machorro and 3B Tyler Pastornicky walked. Frazier doubled for his third hit of the game, making it 8-0. Rohlfing grounded in Pastornicky for a 9-0 score. The US made it a mercy rule game with one more in the 8th. Eibner and Black drew one-out walks from Esau Madrigal. McBride then singled in Eibner for a 5-for-5 day to cap the scoring.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Japan	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	4	5	0
Dominican Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yasuhiro Ogawa (1-0) Loss: Danilo De Jesus (0-1) Save: Yuki Matsui (1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Ronny Rodríguez
Umpires
HP: Jong-chul Park (South Korea); 1B: Jorge Perez (Cuba); 2B: Kevin Sweeney (USA); 3B: Bin-Shun Chen (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:02 Attendance: 3,500

Japan again had to battle to remain unbeaten. They scored quickly - with two outs in the first, 2B Tetsuto Yamada doubled off Daniel Cabrera. DH Takeya Nakamura hit a fly to right but Aneury Tavárez dropped it, letting Yamada score. The Dominicans looked to have a shot in the bottom of the first off Shota Takeda on three straight singles, by DH Robinzon Díaz, 1B Wilson Betemit and LF Wilkin Ramírez. C Miguel Olivo hit into an inning-ending double play, though.

In the top of the 4th, Yamada again was the sparkplug, befitting a former leadoff man. He drew a walk and LF Yoshitomo Tsutsugo walked with one out, then 1B Sho Nakata singled in Yamada for a 2-0 edge. The Dominicans got men onto second and third with two outs in the bottom of the inning but SS Ronny Rodríguez grounded out. Takeda left after four shutout innings, having allowed seven baserunners but kept them from reaching home.

In the 7th, the Dominicans tied it off reliever Yasuhiro Ogawa. CF Teoscar Hernández hit a ground-rule double, then Rodríguez followed with a one-out home run to even the game up. It wasn't tied for long. Yamada drew another walk, this one with one out in the 8th from Danilo De Jesus, a late addition to the Dominican team. Tsutsugo drew a two-out walk and a balk advanced Yamada and PR Nobuhiro Matsuda. Nakata again got the big hit, a two-run double down the left field line, to put Japan ahead for good. In the 9th, against closer Yuki Matsui, Hernández led off with a bunt hit, bringing up the potential tying run in 3B Pedro Feliz, who had 140 MLB home runs and had been a big performer in the 2015 Pan American Games. Feliz hit into a 5-4 force. That brought up Rodríguez, the big hero in the 7th. Matsui got him to hit into a game-ending 6-4-3 twin killing, though.

at the Douliou Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Netherlands	0	5	1	2	3	4	1	16	17	0
Italy	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Rob Cordemans (1-0) Loss: Carlos Richetti (0-1)
Home Runs
Kingdom of the Netherlands: Curt Smith, Kalian Sams, Dashenko Ricardo
Umpires
HP: Masao Yanada (Japan); 1B: Chung-Cheng Chiu (Taiwan); 2B: Marcus Pattillo (USA); 3B: Min-Tsung Wu (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:08 Attendance: 119

In a match-up of Europe's top two powers, the Netherlands won in a romp. Italy scored first, though. 3B Juan Carlos Infante singled off 41-year-old Rob Cordemans (the tournament's oldest player) to open the bottom of the first. SS Erick Epifano hit a hard-grounder to counterpart Carlton Daal, who made a great stop to get Epifano, Infante advancing. After another out, DH Mario Chiarini singled in Infante but Italy would not score again and would only get two hits the rest of the way. Four-time Olympian Cordemans would pitch four shutout innings, followed by one apiece by Berry van Driel and Mike Bolsenbroek.

With one out in the top of the second, 2B Hainley Statia drew a walk from Carlos Richetti. C Dashenko Ricardo grounded to 2B Alessandro Vaglio, who threw to Epifano, but Epifano was in front of the base instead of on it, allowing Statia to be safe. An error by Vaglio then put men on the corners. Daal's grounder went through the legs of 1B Alex Sambucci to tie it. A single by CF Randolph Oduber put the Dutch squad ahead. With two outs, 1B Andruw Jones hit a two-run single, then DH Wladimir Balentien and LF Curt Smith singled to make it 5-1. RF Kalian Sams (who had led off the frame) walked. Richetti was removed in favor of Filippo Crepaldi, Richetti kicking a chair in the dugout in anger after being yanked.

Im the third, Daal tripled off Crepaldi and was singled in by Oduber. The next inning, Smith singled and Sams hit a two-run homer to make it 8-1. In the 5th, Oduber singled and 3B Yurendell de Caster walked. Gianny Fracchiolla relieved Crepaldi but gave up a two-out three-run bomb to Smith. The Netherlands kept padding their lead in the 6th. Oduber doubled off Yomel Rivera for his 5th hit of the day and de Caster and backup LF Dwayne Kemp walked (Kemp had replaced the injured Jones in the lineup, Smith moving to 1B). Balentien hit a fly to score Oduber and Smith doubled in two more. Sams singled in Smith for a 15-1 lead. They got their last run off Ludovico Coveri, who was not even born at the time Cordemans first made the Olympics. Ricardo greeted Coveri with a solo shot. In addition to Oduber's 5 hits, Smith had 4 hits, 3 runs and 6 RBI and Sams reached base every time (2 H, 3 BB) in the blowout.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Canada	0	0	1	3	0	3	0	2	0	9	13	1
Chinese Taipei	0	2	0	0	2	1	0	3	0	8	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Shawn Hill (1-0) Loss: Tzu-Wei Lin (0-1) Save: Dustin Molleken (2)
Home Runs
Canada: Tyler O'Neill, Rene Tosoni Taiwan: Chih-Sheng Lin (2), Chun-Hsiu Chen, Po-Jung Wang
Umpires
HP: Osmel Pimentel (Venezuela); 1B: Fabrizio Fabrizi (Italy); 2B: Kinji Nishimoto (Japan); 3B: Mark Winters (USA)
Time of Game: 3:45 Attendance: 10,245

Canada won a thrilling back-and-forth battle with the hosts in front of a lively crowd to remain one of two unbeaten teams (alongside top-ranked Japan). Taiwan got on the board in the second against Shawn Hill as LF Chien-Ming Chang had a two-out single and 1B Chun-Hsiu Chen followed with a home run. In the third, Fu-Te Ni issued a walk to LF Tyler O'Neill and balked him over, then threw a wild pitch. 1B Jordan Lennerton singled to left to make it 2-1.

The Canadians went ahead in the 4th. 2B Skyler Stromsmoe singled with one out and scored on a double down the line by SS Sean Jamieson. 3B Pete Orr singled as well, but O'Neill struck out. Lennerton again delivered, with a two-run double for a 4-2 edge. Taiwan evened it in the 5th. Chen singled then scored on a one-out homer by rookie RF Po-Jung Wang.

In the top of the 6th, Jamieson drew a leadoff full-count walk from Tzu-Wei Lin, who was replaced by Kuan-Yu Chen, the 4th of 8 Chinese Taipei hurlers. Orr hit into a force, then O'Neill walked. Lennerton came through a third time, with a run-scoring single for a 3-hit, 4-RBI day. After a second out, DH Brock Kjeldgaard smacked a two-run double for a 7-4 lead. Taiwan rallied in the bottom of the inning. 2B Chih-Sheng Lin took Kyle Lotzkar's first pitch of the day out of the park to cut it to 7-5. DH Yi-Chuan Lin drew a four-pitch walk and C Hung-Yu Lin was plunked. Chang bunted into an error by C Kellin Deglan to load the bases. Ernie Whitt yanked Lotzkar in favor of Jasvir Rakkar and the young Indian-Canadian came through big in the clutch, fanning Chen. 3B Chih-Hsien Chiang grounded back to the mound and Rakkar threw home for one, then Deglan fired to first for the 1-2-3 double play to end the threat.

Canada added crucial insurance in the 8th off former big leaguer Chia-Jen Lo. With one out, O'Neill homered. Po-Yu Lin retired the hot Lennerton but served up a dinger to RF Rene Tosoni for a 9-5 Canadian edge. In the bottom of the 8th, PH Kuo-Hui Kao doubled off Andrew Albers with one out. After a ground-out, Chen singled him home to cut it to 9-6. Dustin Molleken relieved and allowed a single to PH Dai-Kang Yang to put the potential run at the plate. Wang doubled to left-center to score two and make it a one-run game. CF Chih-Hao Chang then hit a shot to the right-center gap. CF Tyson Gillies ran and made a leaping catch - until he hit the wall and the ball popped out and right into the glove of Tosoni, who was covering and saved the game. 1B umpire Fabrizio Fabrizi ruled "no catch" and that the ball had hit the wall. Under protest from Whitt, the umpiring crew overturned the call.

After that drama, the 9th was relatively quiet, with each team getting one hit only. In the bottom of the 9th, Molleken retired SS Yen-Wen Kuo, fanned Chih-Sheng Lin (the 2015 CPBL MVP), allowed a single to Yi-Chuan Lin then retired CPBL home run king Kao on a fly to Stromsmoe to end it.

November 14

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	6	14	2
Venezuela	1	0	1	0	1	2	3	0	X	8	9	3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yorman Bazardo (2-0) Loss: Luis de la Cruz (0-1) Save: Fernando Nieve (2)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Gregorio Petit
Umpires
HP: Jorge Perez (Cuba); 1B: Kevin Sweeney (USA); 2B: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan); 3B: Jong-chul Park (South Korea)
Time of Game: 2:59 Attendance: 1,112

The Dominicans, champions of the last global world championship (2013 World Baseball Classic), were the first team eliminated from this event. In the bottom of the first, 3B Ray Olmedo drew a leadoff walk from Bryan Rodríguez, stole second and took third on a throwing error by C Miguel Olivo. With one out, LF Frank Díaz singled him in.

The Dominican Republic took the lead in the top of the second. CF Teoscar Hernández singled off Felipe Paulino, as did Olivo, then 3B Pedro Feliz hit into a run-scoring double play. SS Ronny Rodríguez and 2B Anderson Féliz both singled to load the bases. DH Robinzon Díaz singled in one run and an error on the play by CF Douglas Landaeta scored Ronny Rodríguez to make it 3-1. In the bottom of the third, SS Gregorio Petit hit a two-out homer off Bryan Rodríguez to cut it to 3-2.

In the top of the 4th, the Dominicans built their lead further. Olivo singled and Pedro Feliz doubled. Ronny Rodríguez singled in Olivo but Feliz was thrown out trying to score as well. After Anderson Feliz walked, Paulino was yanked after 9 hits and 2 walks in 3 1/3 IP. He was relieved by Yorman Bazardo, who was excellent (3 2/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K). Robinzon Díaz hit into an error by Petit to make it 5-2, but Venezuela would rally after that.

Venezuela began their comeback in the 5th. DH Francisco Caraballo singled, then 2B Renny Osuna hit into a force at second; he stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single by Olmedo to make it 5-3. Bryan Rodríguez left after 5 and the Dominican bullpen was not as sharp as Venezuela's today. Against Joel Payamps in the 6th, RF Juan Rivera hit into a one-out error by Ronny Rodríguez. With two away, C Juan Apodaca singled and Payamps hit Caraballo. Osuna then delivered a two-run single to right field to tie the score at 5.

In the bottom of the 7th, Venezuela went ahead against Luis de la Cruz. Olmedo singled and Petit was plunked, then Frank Díaz bunted them over. Cleanup man Rivera was intentionally walked. Francisco Rondón relieved and served up the game-losing hit, a three-run double to 1B Luis Jiménez. The Dominicans made up one run in the top of the 8th off Fernando Nieve. Pedro Feliz drew a one-out walk then scored on a two-out double by Anderson Feliz (his 3rd hit of the day).

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	0	1	3	2	0	7	12	0
Netherlands	2	6	0	0	1	0	0	2	X	11	16	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Shairon Martis (2-0) Loss: Fernando González (0-1) Save: Loek van Mil (2)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Juan Medina Kingdom of the Netherlands: Randolph Oduber 2
Umpires
HP: Fabrizio Fabrizi (Italy); 1B: Marcus Pattillo (USA); 2B: Liang-Kuei Hsieh (Taiwan); 3B: Masao Yanada (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:33 Attendance: 308

The Netherlands kept up their high-scoring pace to become the first team to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. They opened well against Fernando González. CF Randolph Oduber walked and was bunted over by LF Chris Garia. With two away, Oduber stole second and DH Wladimir Balentien singled him in. 1B Curt Smith got an infield hit, then RF Kalian Sams and C Shawn Zarraga both walked to make it 2-0. In the top of the second, DH Joiset Feliciano tripled off Shairon Martis and tried to score on a wild pitch, but Zarraga's throw to Martis caught him at the plate.

In the bottom of the 2nd, the Orange really went to town. SS Carlton Daal singled, then Oduber cracked a two-run homer. Gabriel Hernández relieved and Garia greeted him with a triple to right. With one out, Balentien was intentionally walked. Smith's chopper on the infield took a bad hop for a RBI single. With two away, Zarraga singled in a run. Following a passed ball, 2B Hainley Statia singled in two more for a 8-0 lead.

Puerto Rico got a run in the top of the third when C Juan Medina took Martis deep, but it was the only run Martis allowed in five innings. In the bottom of the 5th, Oduber homered again for a 3-run, 3-RBI day, going yard off José Soler (Soler's lone run allowed in four frames). In the top of the 6th, Orlando Yntema relieved Martis and gave up a double to SS Jack Lopez and a one-out RBI double to 3B Alexis Pantoja.

The Netherlands' lead shrunk further in the 7th. Wendell Floranus, a late addition to the roster, gave up hits to Feliciano and LF Juan Silva. With one out, PH José Rivera hit a RBI double. Bayron Cornelisse relieved but served up a two-run double to RF Luis Rivera and it was now 9-5. Puerto Rico made more progress in the top of the 8th. CF Aldo Méndez walked and 1B Yazy Arbelo grounded him over. Feliciano walked. Loek van Mil relieved and got an out, but Medina hit a two-run single to put the potential tying run at the plate. Both Riveras then singled, but on Luis Rivera's hit, Medina was trapped in a run-down that ended the inning.

In the bottom of the 8th, the Netherlands got some insurance. Roy Geiger plunked Balentien and walked Smith. José Ayala relieved and gave up a single to Sams, but PR Dwayne Kemp (in for Balentien) was out on the play. With two away against Nick Valenza, Zarraga hit a two-run single to give himself a four-RBI day. Van Mil went 1-2-3 in the 9th as the 7' 1" hurler fanned Pantoja and 2B Dickie Joe Thon then retired cleanup man Méndez to end it.

at the Tien-Mou Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	8	1
Mexico	0	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	4	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Woo-chan Cha (1-0) Loss: Cesar Carrillo (0-1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Byung-ho Park
Umpires
HP: Brett Robson (Australia); 1B: Seth Buckminster (USA); 2B: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); 3B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:30 Attendance: 2,500

South Korea built an early lead then had to survive a Mexico comeback to pull away with the win and clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. They opened well against Cesar Carrillo. 2B Keun-woo Jeong walked and stole second, then CF Yong-kyu Lee walked and LF Hyun-soo Kim hit a two-run double to left-center. In the second, SS Jae-ho Kim doubled and Jeong doubled him in. In the third, 1B Byung-ho Park took Carrillo deep to make it 4-0. South Korea would then fail to score in six innings against Gerardo Sanchez and Brennan Bernardino, though they did load the bases in the 4th.

In the bottom of the third, LF Jose Torres drew a walk from Tae-yang Lee and CF Juan Perez tripled him in with one away. 2B Kevin Medrano's sacrifice fly made it 4-2. In the bottom of the 5th, 3B Brandon Macias hit a one-out single off Chang-min Lim. Woo-chan Cha relieved and walked Perez, then threw a wild pitch with two outs; an error by C Min-ho Kang on the play scored Macias and it was a one-run game. Cha, Tae-hyeon Chong and Hyun-seong Lee allowed nothing further, though.

Mexico did have a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the 9th. Chong, who had fanned 8 of 10 batters faced, walked C Humberto Sosa to open the inning. 1B Roberto Lopez bunted Sosa over, but SS Jerome Pena popped up. Hyun-seong Lee came in to face PH Rudy Flores and fanned him to end the game, the 14th strikeout for South Korea's hurlers today.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Japan	0	0	0	1	0	4	5	0	0	10	13	1
United States	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Takahiro Norimoto (1-0) Loss: Seth Simmons (0-1)
Home Runs
Japan: Sho Nakata (2), Nobuhiro Matsuda USA: Matt McBride
Umpires
HP: Edgar Estivison (Panama); 1B: Atsushi Kittaka (Japan); 2B: Winfried Berkvens (Netherlands); 3B: Chung-Hung Wang (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:27 Attendance: 10,437

Japan and the USA both advanced today, the US taking advantage of Mexico's loss to clinch a spot. The US started off faster. In the bottom of the second, LF Matt McBride hit a one-out homer off Tomoyuki Sugano. In the bottom of the third, 2B Adam Frazier doubled and advanced on an error by CF Shogo Akiyama, then RF Brett Eibner singled him in. After Sugano's early struggles, the Japanese bullpen excelled, as Takahiro Norimoto, Yasuaki Yamasaki, Hirotoshi Masui and Hirokazu Sawamura went five innings with only two hits, no walks or runs and six whiffs.

Japan started their comeback in the 4th. 2B Tetsuto Yamada had a one-out single off Jarrett Grube; after an out, he advanced on a wild pitch, then came home on a double by LF Yoshitomo Tsutsugo. Grube left with a 2-1 lead after 5 but his bullpen was not as strong as Japan's. In the 6th, Seth Simmons walked Yamada with one out and DH Takeya Nakamura singled. Veteran Dana Eveland relieved and served up a run-scoring double to Tsutsugo, then a three-run dinger to 1B Sho Nakata to put Japan ahead.

Japan got more in the 7th. Akiyama drew a leadoff walk and Cody Satterwhite relieved Eveland. SS Hayato Sakamoto laid down a sacrifice, then Yamada drew one of his three walks on the day (scoring 3 runs). Tsutsugo singled for his third hit and third RBI, making it 6-2. Nakata coaxed a walk, then 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda delivered a grand slam for the final 10-2 score.

at the Douliou Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Canada	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	X	4	5	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Jared Mortensen (1-0) Loss: Luis Lugo (0-1)
Home Runs
Canada: Tyler O'Neill (3)
Umpires
HP: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 1B: Kinji Nishimoto (Japan); 2B: Mark Winters (USA); 3B: Osmel Pimentel (Venezuela)
Time of Game: 2:29 Attendance: 500

In a game in which Canada won a spot in the next round and Italy was eliminated from that round, each team got only five hits, but Canada made the most of theirs and also took advantage of three crucial walks. In the bottom of the first, 3B Pete Orr drew a walk from Luis Lugo with one away and LF Tyler O'Neill followed with a two-run shot, his third long ball in four games. In the bottom of the 4th, DH Brock Kjeldgaard walked, CF Tyson Gillies drew a one-out walk, Lugo threw a wild pitch, 2B Skyler Stromsmoe added a sacrifice fly and SS Sean Jamieson laid down a bunt down the third base line that caught Italy off-guard and wound up as a run-scoring single-plus-error (by 3B Juan Carlos Infante).

Meanwhile, the Canadian hurlers turned in a strong show, as Jared Mortensen needed 83 pitches only to work 7 innings (5 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 3 K) and Kyle Lotzkar wrapped it up (2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K). Carlos Teran provided fine relief for Italy, facing the minimum over three innings of work.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	11	0
Chinese Taipei	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	X	4	12	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Wei-Lun Pan (1-0) Loss: José Angel García (0-1) Save: Hung-Wen Chen (1)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Chih-Sheng Lin (3)
Umpires
HP: Hideshi Honda (Japan); 1B: Jairo Mendoza (Nicaragua); 2B: Trevor Grieve (Canada); 3B: Paul Guillie (USA)
Time of Game: 3:33 Attendance: 17,503

The hosts got their best win of the tournament, downing Cuba late. In the bottom of the second, LF Kuo-Hui Kao singled off Yoannis Yera for the first of his three hits. 3B Yung-Chi Chen hit into a force, C Jin-De Jhang singled and with two away, CF Dai-Kang Yang singled in Chen. Chia-Hao Sung allowed his only run in 6 1/3 IP in the top of the 6th; with two away, 3B Yulieski Gourriel tripled and DH Alfredo Despaigne hit into an error by SS Yen-Wen Kuo.

In the bottom of the 6th, Jhang hit a one-out double and RF Po-Jung Wang singled and stole second. With two away, reliever José Angel García walked Kuo intentionally then fanned 2B Chih-Sheng Lin to escape the jam. In the top of the 8th, CF Yuniesky Gourriel hit a one-out double off Chia-Jen Lo. Despaigne had a two-out single off Wei-Lun Pan, but Kao's throw home nailed Gourriel at the plate to keep it 1-1.

In the bottom of the 8th, Wang walked. Danny Betancourt relieved Garcia and Yang bunted Wang over. Following their approach in the 6th, they intentionally walked Kuo. This time the moved did not work, as Chih-Sheng Lin smashed a three-run homer that would decide the game. In the bottom of the 9th, C Yosvani Alarcón singled off Hung-Wen Chen for his third hit. PH Osvaldo Vázquez walked to bring the potential tying run up, but 2B Yorbis Borroto and PH Yurisbel Gracial both grounded out.

November 15

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	3	0	2	0	1	1	0	2	0	9	14	1
Dominican Republic	0	0	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	6	12	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Mark Serrano (1-0) Loss: Onassis Sirrett (0-1) Save: Daniel Rodriguez (1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Rudy Flores Dominican Republic: Jonathan Gálvez
Umpires
HP: Seth Buckminster (USA); 1B: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); 2B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 3B: Brett Robson (Australia)
Time of Game: 3:21 Attendance: 1,000

Mexico got the win they needed to advance, as well as the required Venezuelan loss later in the day. They began the day with a bang against AAA hurler Víctor Mateo. 2B Kevin Medrano and 1B Tim Torres opened with back-to-back doubles; with two away, RF Yadir Drake doubled as well for a 2-0 lead. DH Rudy Flores hit into a run-scoring error by SS Omar Luna to make it 3-0. They had a chance for more as 3B Brandon Macias walked and LF Juan Perez was hit. SS Jerome Pena fanned to end the inning, though.

In the third, Mexico added more offense as Flores homered, Macias was hit, Perez singled him to third and Pena hit a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0. The Dominicans got a couple back in the bottom of the 3rd off Enrique Garcia. LF Ayendy Pérez doubled, 2B Yeixon Ruiz tripled and Luna grounded in Ruiz. They came closer in the 5th. 1B Jonathan Gálvez singled with one out and RF Yeicok Calderón walked. Garcia was replaced by Martin Viramontes, who walked C Mario Mercedes to load them up. Ayendy Pérez drew a four-pitch bases-loaded walk. Mark Serrano replaced the wild Viramontes; with two away, Luna grounded into a run-scoring error by Tim Torres to make it a one-run game, 5-4.

In the top of the 5th, Flores was hit by a Dioni Soriano pitch, Macias singled and Juan Perez had a sacrifice fly for a 6-4 edge. In the bottom of the 5th, the Dominican Republic had its third straight two-run inning to even the score. DH Robinzon Díaz singled and Gálvez hit a one-out home run off Serrano.

It was not tied for long. In the top of the 6th, facing Onassis Sirrett, Medrano and Tim Torres singled (Medrano's 3rd hit) and LF Roberto Lopez hit a sacrifice fly. In the top of the 8th, Mexico added insurance. Tim Torres had a two-out double off Miguel Fermín for his third hit. Julio de Paula relieved and allowed a single to Lopez, who stole second. C Humberto Sosa singled in Torres, then Drake singled home Lopez for a 9-6 score. The Dominicans staged a rally in the bottom of the 9th as Luna singled and 3B Anderson Féliz doubled for his third hit, bringing up the potential tying run. Daniel Rodriguez relieved Serrano. Díaz grounded into an out at the plate. RF Aneury Tavarez (who had moved from CF when Calderón left the game) struck out. That brought up backup 1B Pedro Feliz, but Rodriguez retired the veteran slugger to save the day.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	4	10	0
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	7	10	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Randy Fontanez (1-0) Loss: Wei-Lun Pan (1-1)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Chih-Sheng Lin (4) Puerto Rico: Aldo Méndez (2)
Umpires
HP: Paul Guillie (USA); 1B: Trevor Grieve (Canada); 2B: Hideshi Honda (Japan); 3B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 4:41 Attendance: 17,436

Puerto Rico pulled off a dramatic finish, their second exciting extra-inning game of the tournament. Both teams stranded runners on third in the second inning. In the top of the 4th, 2B Chih-Sheng Lin homered off Andrés Santiago to put the hosts ahead. In the bottom of the fourth, Puerto Rico got the run back. LF Joiset Feliciano doubled off Chun-Lin Kuo. 1B Jorge Jiménez bunted Feliciano over, then Kuo threw a wild pitch to tie it. From there, Santiago and Kuo allowed nothing further, Santiago lasting 6 1/3 IP and Kuo 8 (10 K, 6 H, 0 BB).

Taiwan did have a chance in the top of the 5th. C Jin-De Jhang doubled and RF Po-Jung Wang singled, then CF Dai-Kang Yang was plunked to load the bases with none out, but SS Yen-Wen Kuo hit into a 3-2-3 double play. Puerto Rico opted to intentionally walk Chih-Sheng Lin, who had four homers on the tourney, to face cleanup man/DH Hung-Yu Lin, another slugger. The move paid off as Santiago fanned Hung-Yu Lin.

Neither team would score again until the 11th. Emilio Pagán had pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings of relief for Puerto Rico but left in favor of Nelvin Fuentes. 1B Yi-Chuan Lin bunted the starting runners over and LF Chien-Ming Chang was intentionally walked, but 3B Chih-Hsien Chiang singled to make it 2-1. Randy Fontanez relieved Fuentes and served up a run-scoring single to backup C Chih-Kang Kao, but Wang hit into an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the 11th, against Hung-Wen Chen, PH Jay González bunted a single to load the bags, then Jiménez delivered a two-run double to tie it and put the potential winning run on third. Chen intentionally walked DH Juan Medina, then C Omir Santos hit into a force at home. Kuan-Yu Chen relieved and retired PH José Rivera on a pop-up to the catcher. Wei-Lun Pan then came in to pitch and got SS Jack Lopez to force a 12th frame.

In the top of the 12th, Yang advanced the starting runners with a bunt, then Kuo was intentionally walked. Chih-Sheng Lin fanned, but a wild pitch by Fontanez scored Kao with the go-ahead run. In the bottom of the 12th, a bunt hit by Silva loaded the bases, then CF Aldo Méndez (hitless on the day) hit a game-ending grand slam to advance Puerto Rico into the quarterfinals over Taiwan.

at the Tien-Mou Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
United States	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	7	1
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	6	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Seth Simmons (1-1) Loss: Kyu-min Woo (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Atsushi Kittaka (Japan); 1B: Winfried Berkvens (Netherlands); 2B: Chung-Hung Wang (Taiwan); 3B: Edgar Estivison (Panama)
Time of Game: 4:08 Attendance: 2,000

The USA managed a winning record in pool play and clinched second seed in the pool by beating South Korea in extra innings. Zeke Spruill and Kwang-hyun Kim both pitched shutout ball for the first four innings. In the top of the 5th, LF Matt McBride doubled off Kim and DH Joe Sclafani walked, then 3B Tyler Pastornicky singled in McBride. C Dan Rohlfing doubled to make it 2-0.

Spruill was untouched through six innings (3 H, 2 BB, 7 K) before John Church relieved. DH Dae-ho Lee drew a walk, then PH Ah-seop Son walked as well. 1B Jae-won Oh bunted them over, then RF Byung-hun Min hit a two-run single to tie it. After that, JB Wendelken, Joey Denato, Jake Barrett and Seth Simmons would allow no further Korean runs in the next 3 2/3 IP.

South Korea had a great scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 9th. With one out, Oh singled, Min walked and Jae-kyun Hwang singled to load the bases. Simmons retired PH Sung-bum Na and 2B Keun-woo Jeong to escape that jam, though. In the top of the 10th, versus Kyu-min Woo, 2B Adam Frazier bunted and Woo made a great play, throwing to third to get one and the relay catching the other runner at second. Frazier stole second, though, and RF Brett Eibner singled him in for what would be the winning run. In the bottom of the 10th, Simmons retired CF Yong-kyu Lee and LF Hyun-soo Kim but walked 1B Byung-ho Park to load the bases. C Min-ho Kang grounded out to end the game.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	5	9	0
Japan	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	2	6	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yuki Matsui (1-0) Loss: Fernando Nieve (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Ray Olmedo, Juan Apodaca (2)
Umpires
HP: Kevin Sweeney (USA); 1B: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan); 2B: Jong-chul Park (South Korea); 3B: Bin-Shun Chen (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:22 Attendance: 6,547

Japan survived a scare to remain unbeaten and eliminate Venezuela, which needed a win to make the quarterfinals. 3B Ray Olmedo homered off Yuki Nishi to open the contest. In the bottom of the second, Samurai Japan tied it when LF Yoshitomo Tsutsugo drew a walk from Freddy García, 1B Sho Nakata singled, a wild pitch advanced the runners and RF Ryosuke Hirata hit a one-out RBI single.

Venezuela retook the lead in the top of the 4th. With one away, 1B Luis Jiménez singled and C Juan Apodaca launched one out for a 3-1 edge. Nishi left at inning's end and relievers Yudai Ono (1 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 R in 3 IP) and Kazuhisa Makita (1 BB in a scoreless 8th) provided fine relief. In the bottom of the 4th, Japan got closer when 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda and Hirata singled, C Motohiro Shima hit into a double play (advancing Matsuda to third) and CF Shogo Akiyama singled in the run.

No baserunners reached from the bottom of the 5th through the top of the 8th. In the bottom of the 8th, Japan rallied. 2B Tetsuto Yamada had a one-out single, chasing veteran García after 123 pitches. Jesús Martínez relieved and served up a double to DH Shingo Kawabata. After an intentional walk to Tsutsugo, Luis Sojo summoned Yoel Hernández from the pen. Nakata greeted him with a two-run double to put Japan ahead for the first time, 4-3.

In the top of the 9th, Yuki Matsui replaced Makita and continued to struggle this tournament. Apodaca hit a one-out single, then DH Francisco Caraballo singled as well. 2B Renny Osuna walked to load the bases. PH José Yépez delivered a two-run double down the left-field line to put Venezuela back in charge, 5-4. In the bottom of the inning, Fernando Nieve came in try to close it. He gave up a single to PH Kenta Imamiya, then hit Akiyama. Backup SS Takuya Nakashima bunted the runners over, then Yamada was intentionally walked. Nieve uncorked a wild pitch that scored Imamiya with the tying run. After another intentional walk, this one to Kawabata, Yosue Castellano relieved Nieve but backup RF Akira Nakamura greeted him with a game-ending single to left.

at the Douliou Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Italy	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
Cuba	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	7	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Liván Moinelo (1-0) Loss: Trey Nielsen (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Kinji Nishimoto (Japan); 1B: Mark Winters (USA); 2B: Osmel Pimentel (Venezuela); 3B: Fabrizio Fabrizi (Italy)
Time of Game: 2:21 Attendance: 1,200

Cuba won a pitching duel to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals, beating out Taiwan for that slot. Italy had a great chance in the top of the first, loading the bases with one out against Yosvany Torres. SS Erick Epifano singled, 2B Alessandro Vaglio doubled and DH Mario Chiarini was hit by a pitch. 1B Alex Sambucci grounded into a rally-killing 6-4-3 double play, though. Italy did score in the next inning when RF Nick Morreale singled, LF Freddy Noguera bunted him over, Torres balked and C Alberto Mineo had a RBI single.

In the bottom of the second, Cuba tied the contest. 1B Alexander Malleta singled off Alessandro Maestri; with one out, Maestri threw two wild pitches. DH Osvaldo Vázquez then singled in Malleta. After that, Torres was blanking Italy and Maestri and Trey Nielsen were shutting out Cuba. In the bottom of the 7th, Cuba got the run it needed off Nielsen. SS Yordan Manduley walked and advanced on a grounder by 2B Lourdes Gourriel Jr. With two away, 3B Yulieski Gourriel walked. LF Alfredo Despaigne singled in Manduley. Luca Panerati relieved Nielsen and escaped the inning but the damage had been done. Liván Moinelo tossed 2 1/3 perfect innings to get the win.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Canada	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	3	4	0
Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chris Leroux (2-0) Loss: Diegomar Markwell (0-1) Save: Dustin Molleken (3)
Home Runs
Canada: Sean Jamieson
Umpires
HP: Marcus Pattillo (USA); 1B: Jairo Mendoza (Nicaragua); 2B: Masao Yanada (Japan); 3B: Liang-Kuei Hsieh (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 2:31 Attendance: 218

Canada locked up the top spot in the pool with a win over the Netherlands. International veterans Chris Leroux and Diegomar Markwell traded goose eggs for five innings. In the top of the 6th, Canada got to Markwell. 2B Skyler Stromsmoe was hit and was bunted over by SS Sean Jamieson. 3B Pete Orr flew out, then LF Tyler O'Neill was intentionally walked. 1B Jordan Lennerton hit a two-run double down the right field line.

In the bottom of the 6th, LF Chris Garia singled off Leroux and DH Wladimir Balentien hit a one-out double to score him and make it 2-1. Canada added insurance in the top of the 8th when Jamieson homered off Juan Carlos Sulbaran. Leroux left after 7 innings (5 H, 0 BB, 8 K, 1 R) and was succeeded by Phillippe Aumont (1 H, 1 HB in the 8th), then Dustin Molleken fanned 1B Curt Smith, RF Kalian Sams and C Shawn Zarraga in order in the 9th to end it.

First-round standings

Pool A

1.  Canada 5-0
2.  Cuba 3-2
3.  Netherlands 3-2
4.  Puerto Rico 2-3
5.  Chinese Taipei 2-3
6.  Italy 0-5

Pool B

1.  Japan 5-0
2.  United States 3-2
3.  South Korea 3-2
4.  Mexico 2-3
5.  Venezuela 2-3
6.  Dominican Republic 0-5

November 16: Quarterfinals

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	4	7	1
Canada	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	6	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Andrew Romo (1-0) Loss: Phillippe Aumont (0-1) Save: Brennan Bernardino (2)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Mark Winters (USA); 1B: Osmel Pimentel (Venezuela); 2B: Paul Guillie (USA); 3B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); LF: Fabrizio Fabrizi (Italy); RF: Min-Tsung Wu (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 2:43 Attendance: 150

After dominating pool play with a 5-0 run, Canada suffered a stunning loss to 2-3 "Mexico" in the quarterfinal opener, eliminating one of the top teams of the tournament. Mexico got on the board in the first off Scott Diamond when 2B Kevin Medrano hit into an error by SS Sean Jamieson, 1B Roberto Lopez had a one-out single and C Humberto Sosa singled in a run. Diamond allowed only two hits and no walks or runs while lasting through the 7th, recovering from the rocky start.

Meanwhile, Miguel Pena was also pitching very sharply. From the bottom of the 2nd through the top of the 5th, Diamond and Pena only faced the minimum each frame. In the bottom of the 6th, Pena finally folded. 3B Pete Orr hit a one-out single, LF Tyler O'Neill hit into a force, Pena threw a wild pitch, 1B Jordan Lennerton walked and RF Rene Tosoni singled to tie it. DH Brock Kjeldgaard smacked a two-run double, then C Kellin Deglan singled him to third. Pena retired CF Tyson Gillies to escape further harm but Canada had a solid 3-1 lead.

In the top of the 8th, Canada brought in former top prospect Phillippe Aumont to relieve Diamond and he struggled, hitting LF Jose Torres, followed by a hit by SS Juan Perez. CF Alfredo Lopez laid down a bunt and Deglan fired to third to get the runner there, but Orr made an error on his following throw, putting two men in scoring position. Medrano singled to load the bases, then DH Tim Torres hit a RBI single to make it 3-2. Lopez grounded into a force at home. Sosa grounded to short, but Jamieson made the game-deciding two-run error, his second miscue of the day. Meanwhile, relievers Andrew Romo and Brennan Bernardino retired all nine batters they faced, four by strikeout, to save the win.

at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	7	13	0
Cuba	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	7	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chang-min Lim (1-0) Loss: Frank Montieth (0-1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Eui-ji Yang
Umpires
HP: Jairo Mendoza (Nicaragua); 1B: Kinji Nishimoto (Japan); 2B: Marcus Pattillo (USA); 3B: Trevor Grieve (Canada); LF: Masao Yanada (Japan); RF: Hideshi Honda (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:30 Attendance: 370

South Korea romped past Cuba to win a rematch with Japan. They had a huge second. It began when 1B Byung-ho Park tripled off Frank Montieth and RF Byung-hun Min singled him in. After a single by 3B Jae-kyun Hwang, Montieth got the quick hook, replaced by Liván Moinelo. He served up a run-scoring single to C Eui-ji Yang, a sacrifice to SS Jae-ho Kim and a two-run single to 2B Keun-woo Jeong. That was it for Moinelo, who was succeeded by Norberto González, who only last two batters. CF Yong-kyu Lee hit into a force then LF Hyun-soo Kim walked. Miguel Lahera became the 4th Cuban hurler of the inning and gave up a RBI single to DH Dae-ho Lee to make it 5-0. Lahera would then give them some stability with 4 2/3 shutout innings after that, the only one of the 9 Cuban pitchers today to work over an inning.

Won-jun Jang blanked Cuba for four innings. In the 5th, though, he gave up a single to 1B Alexander Malleta, a walk to DH Osvaldo Vázquez and a RBI single to RF Styler Hernández. With two outs, 2B Lourdes Gourriel Jr. walked. Chang-min Lim relieved and gave up a RBI single to CF Yuniesky Gourriel. Cuba would not score again versus Lim, Woo-chan Cha, Tae-hyon Chong and Hyun-seong Lee. South Korea would get some insurance in the top of the 8th when Yang took Jonder Martínez deep. Yoelkis Cruz relieved and gave up a single to Jae-ho Kim, then walked Jeong on nine pitches. Yoannis Yera came in and got Yong-kyu Lee to hit into a force, but Hyun-soo Kim singled for a 7-2 lead. Yunier Cano then relieved, giving Cuba its second inning employing four different pitchers, and ended the frame.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Netherlands	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	4
United States	0	0	0	0	3	0	2	1	X	6	8	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Zack Segovia (2-0) Loss: Orlando Yntema (0-1) Save: Brooks Pounders (1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 1B: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan); 2B: Seth Buckminster (USA); 3B: Edgar Estivison (Panama); LF: Jong-chul Park (South Korea); RF: Jorge Perez (Cuba)
Time of Game: 2:56 Attendance: 503

The Netherlands suffered a setback before the game began, when announced starters Jair Jurrjens' father Carl Jurrjens died the night before, meaning Jair left to return home. Instead of Jurrjens, a former All-Star with over 50 MLB wins, the team had to go with Tom Stuifbergen, who had peaked at AAA. Stuifbergen did well, though, holding the US to 3 hits, one walk and no runs in 3 2/3 IP but he was then troubled by re-aggravating an ankle injury.

In the top of the third, the Netherlands got on the board first against Zack Segovia. RF Kalian Sams singled and advanced on grounders by 2B Hainley Statia and SS Carlton Daal. CF Randolph Oduber struck out, but a wild pitch on the play allowed him to reach and Sams to score.

The US went ahead in the 5th thanks to some sloppy defense. Facing Jim Ploeger, 3B Tyler Pastornicky hit a fly to left, but LF Curt Smith dropped it for a two-base error. Orlando Yntema relieved Ploeger. C Dan Rohlfing laid down a bunt but Yntema threw it into left field for a run-scoring error to tie the game. SS Elliot Soto bunted as well, and this time Yntema threw the ball into right field for a run-scoring error to put the US ahead. CF Jacob May singled to make it 3-1. 2B Adam Frazier bunted, and Yntema made his third error in four plays and the 4th Dutch error in a five-play span. What made it more unusual is that they only had one error in the first five games.

The Americans padded their lead in the 7th. Berry van Driel hit May and Frazier doubled him in. After an out, 1B Matt McBride's sacrifice fly off Loek van Mil scored Frazier. In the 8th, LF Brett Phillips tripled and Pastornicky hit a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.

at the Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	7	1
Japan	1	0	1	2	0	1	2	2	X	9	13	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Kenta Maeda (1-0) Loss: Luis Cintrón (0-2)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Joiset Feliciano (1)
Umpires
HP: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); 1B: Brett Robson (Australia); 2B: Kevin Sweeney (USA); 3B: Atsushi Kittaka (Japan); LF: Winfried Berkvens (Netherlands); RF: Chung-Hung Wang (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:14 Attendance: 8,000

Unlike the other unbeaten team from round one, Japan cruised in the quarterfinals as the Pool B teams swept the Pool A teams today. Japan got going quickly against Luis Cintrón. CF Shogo Akiyama opened with a single, 2B Tetsuto Yamada drew a one-out walk and DH Yoshitomo Tsutsugo singled in Akiyama. In the 4th, against Miguel Martinez, RF Akira Nakamura walked, C Motohiro Shima reached on a fielder's choice and SS Hayato Sakamoto drove them both in with a one-out double for a 3-0 lead.

Japan kept tagging other pitchers for runs for their final three innings. In the 6th, against Gabriel Hernández, Nakamura singled, Shima was plunked and Sakamoto had a one-out RBI single. After a wild pitch, Yamada was intentionally walked to load the bases. José Carlos Burgos came in and escaped that jam, but allowed a run in the 7th. LF Ryosuke Hirata tripled and 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda hit a sacrifice fly. Nakamura walked. Arturo Martoral relieved and threw a wild pitch, then Shima singled in a run. In the 8th, facing Nick Valenza, Tsutsugo singled and 1B Sho Nakata hit into a force. With two away, Matsuda singled. Following a wild pitch, Nakamura had a two-run single for a 3-run, 2-RBI, 2-for-3 with two walk day.

Meanwhile, Kenta Maeda (4 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 7 K in 7 IP) and Takahiro Norimoto (1-2-3 8th) were stifling the Puerto Rican offense. They finally got some late runs off Hirotoshi Masui. LF Juan Silva and CF Aldo Méndez singled, then DH Joiset Feliciano cracked a one-out, three-run homer so Puerto Rico did not bow out with a shutout loss.

November 19: Semifinal 1

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	4	6	1
Japan	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chang-min Lim (2-0) Loss: Takahiro Norimoto (1-1) Save: Hyun-seong Lee (2)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Marcus Pattillo (USA); 1B: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); 2B: Paul Guillie (USA); 3B: Seth Buckminster (USA) ; LF: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan) ; RF: Kevin Sweeney (USA)
Time of Game: 3:50 Attendance: 40,258

Japan returned home after a great run in Taiwan to play in front of a packed house at the Tokyo Dome. They then dominated South Korea for eight innings before a painful collapse in the 9th as Korea advanced to the finals instead.

In the bottom of the 4th, Japan got to Dae-eun Rhee. 1B Sho Nakata walked, RF Akira Nakamura had a one-out single on a hit-and-run, then LF Ryosuke Hirata singled in Nakata. C Motohiro Shima hit into a run-scoring error by SS Jae-ho Kim. Woo-chan Cha relieved and walked CF Shogo Akiyama, then SS Hayato Sakamoto hit a sacrifice fly. Cha, Chang-min Shim, Woo-ram Jung, Chang-min Lim, Tae-hyon Chong and Hyun-seung Lee then shut out Japan the rest of the way, led by 2 2/3 innings from Cha.

Shohei Otani was even more dominant than in his game 1 dazzler against South Korea, fanning 11 and walking none in 7 innings. He hit one batter and allowed just one hit, a Keun-woo Jeong single to open the 7th. Despite his dominance and only having thrown 85 pitches, he was replaced by Takahiro Norimoto in the 8th. Norimoto pitched a 1-2-3 8th. In the 9th, though, Norimoto ran into trouble. PH Jae-won Oh and PH Ah-seop Son both singled, then Jeong doubled in Oh. Norimoto hit CF Yong-kyu Lee to put the potential go-ahead run aboard. Yuki Matsui relieved despite a 2.67 WHIP. He walked LF Hyun-soo Kim on five pitches to force in a run and make it 3-2. Hiroki Kokubo now tried Hirotoshi Masui instead. DH Dae-ho Lee greeted him with a two-run single to put Korea ahead for good. 1B Byung-ho Park lined out, then RF Byung-hun Min singled to load the bases. Masui retired 3B Jae-kyun Hwang and Oh but Japan now trailed.

In the bottom of the 9th, Korea turned to veteran submariner Chong. He fanned 2B Tetsuto Yamada (fresh off a 30-30 season) and cleanup hitter/DH Yoshitomo Tsutsugo. Nakata singled to keep Japan alive and bring up the potential winning run in PH Takeya Nakamura. Hyun-seung Lee relieved Chong and retired the slugging Nakamura on a grounder to Hwang to end it.

November 20: Semifinal 2

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	2
United States	0	0	0	5	1	0	0	0	X	6	9	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Zeke Spruill (1-0) Loss: Mark Serrano (1-1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Humberto Sosa
Umpires
HP: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 1B: Jong-chul Park (South Korea); 2B: Mark Winters (USA); 3B: Hideshi Honda (Japan) ; LF: Trevor Grieve (Canada) ; RF: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:07 Attendance: 5,105

The US cruised in the other semifinal. After both teams stranded runners and produced no runs over three innings, Mexico got on the board in the 4th when C Humberto Sosa took Zeke Spruill deep. It was the only run Spruill allowed in five innings, though, and Seth Simmons and Jake Barrett would provide four shutout innings of relief. In the bottom of the 4th, the US got through to Mark Serrano and continued in a big way. With one out, 1B Matt McBride singled and DH Dan Black doubled, but McBride was caught in a rundown. The US then got the next six men aboard. 2B Adam Frazier singled past a diving Kevin Medrano (his counterpart at 2B) to score Black. Frazier stole second while 3B Tyler Pastornicky walked. Gerardo Sanchez relieved but C Dan Rohlfing hit a two-run double to put the US ahead. SS Elliot Soto singled in Rohlfing and advanced all the way to third on an error by 1B Rudy Flores on the play. CF Jacob May singled in Soto, then LF Brett Phillips walked before RF Brett Eibner grounded out to end the inning. It was the first time this tournament Eibner did not drive in a run. In the 5th, the US got the last run. Black hit into a one-out error by Medrano and Frazier singled, then Pastornicky hit a sacrifice fly.

November 21: Finals

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	2	1
Japan	1	7	0	0	0	1	2	11	11	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0) Loss: Miguel Pena (1-1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Juan Perez Japan: Shogo Akiyama, Tetsuto Yamada 2, Sho Nakata (3), Nobuhiro Matsuda (2)
Umpires
HP: Kevin Sweeney (USA); 1B: Seth Buckminster (USA); 2B: Trevor Grieve (Canada); 3B: Jong-chul Park (South Korea); LF: Marcus Pattillo (USA); RF: Mark Winters (USA)
Time of Game: 2:26 Attendance: ??

After the 9th-inning implosion against South Korea, Japan was back in dominating form, hitting five homers and allowing only two hits in a mercy-rule romp in the Bronze Medal game after barely beating Mexico in round one. 2B Tetsuto Yamada started the scoring with a two-out homer off Miguel Pena in the bottom of the first. DH Yoshitomo Tsutsugo and 1B Sho Nakata walked, then LF Ryosuke Hirata singled. Pena fanned 3B Nobuhiro Matsuda to end that threat. In the second, it got worse for Mexico. RF Akira Nakamura doubled (one of his three hits today). With two outs, SS Hayato Sakamoto hit into a run-scoring error by 3B Brandon Macias. Yamada homered again for a 4-0 lead. Tsutsugo singled, chasing Pena in favor of Cesar Carrillo. Nakata hit a home run to make it 6-0. Hirata walked and stole second, then Matsuda hit Japan's third two-run homer of the inning for a 7-run frame altogether.

Mexico got their lone run in the 6th. After being shut out for 3 innings by Shota Takeda (1 H, 2 BB, 3 K) and two perfect frames by Tomoyuki Sugano, CF Juan Perez took Sugano deep to open the 6th. He would have both of Mexico's hits today as Yasuaki Yamasaki went 1-2-3 in the 7th. Enrique Garcia shut out Japan on two hits and a walk from 2 outs in the 2nd through 2 outs in the 5th. In the bottom of the 6th, Tsutsugo and Nakata drew walks from Alex Caldera and Hirata doubled in Tsutsugo. Japan finished the mercy rule win in the bottom of the 7th against Esau Madrigal as C Yuhei Nakamura was hit by pitch and CF Shogo Akiyama homered.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	1	0	1	5	0	0	0	0	1	8	13	0
United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Kwang-hyun Kim (1-1) Loss: Zack Segovia (2-1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Byung-ho Park (2)
Umpires
HP: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 1B: Hideshi Honda (Japan); 2B: Kota Kawaguchi (Japan); 3B: Paul Guillie (USA); LF: Chien-Wen Su (Taiwan); RF: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:39 Attendance: 40,411

For the championship game, South Korean skipper In-sik Kim turned to Kwang-hyun Kim, whose 5.14 ERA was the team's highest to this point. US manager Willie Randolph countered with Zack Segovia, who was 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA. Today, though, Kim outperformed Segovia. 2B Keun-woo Jeong opened the game with a single, stole second and was doubled in by CF Yong-kyu Lee. With one out, Segovia walked DH Dae-ho Lee and hit 1B Byung-ho Park but RF Ah-seop Son hit into a twin killing.

In the third, Segovia issued a walk to Yong-kyu Lee and LF Hyun-soo Kim doubled him in. Brooks Pounders relieved Segovia, who had lasted just two innings. South Korea really put it away in the 4th. SS Jae-ho Kim had a one-out double off Pounders, Jeong singled and Yong-kyu Lee got plunked. Hyun-soo Kim doubled again, this one making it 4-0. After an out, Byung-ho Park smacked a three-run dinger.

The US almost got a run in the 4th. LF Matt McBride doubled off Kwang-hyun Kim and 3B Tyler Pastornicky grounded one in front of the plate. Pitcher Kim fielded it and hit Pastornicky in the back with his throw to first. Had it been interference, McBride would have scored. The umpire, though, called Pastornicky out for interference since he was running inside the foul line.

South Korea almost scored in the 8th off Dana Eveland. Jeong singled (his third hit) and Yong-kyu Lee singled as well, sending Jeong to third. Hyun-soo Kim (who had 3 hits)'s fly to left was caught by McBride, who fired home to get Jeong at the plate. In the 9th, Korea got the last run of the tournament. Backup RF Byung-hun Min had a one-out single off Casey Coleman and PH Jae-won Oh drew a walk. With two away, Jae-ho Kim singled. Jeong coaxed a walk to force in a run.

The US tried 8 pitchers today. After Kwang-hyun Kim's 5 IP (4 H, 0 BB, 5 K), South Korea used Chang-min Lim, Woo-chan Cha, Tae-hyon Chong and Sang-woo Cho to wrap up the shutout.

Awards

• MVP: Hyun-soo Kim, South Korea LF
• Outstanding Defensive Player: Hayato Sakamoto, Japan SS

All-World Team

• SP: Shohei Otani, Japan (1-0, 3 H, 2 BB, 21 K, 0 R in 13 IP)
• RP: Dustin Molleken, Canada (3 Sv, 2.45 ERA)
• C: Humberto Sosa, Mexico (.346/.433/.577, 6 RBI)
• 1B: Sho Nakata, Japan (.429/.528/.786, 8 R, 15 RBI)
• 2B: Adam Frazier, USA (.355/.371/.548, 7 R)
• SS: Carlton Daal, Kingdom of the Netherlands (.348/.348/.435)
• 3B: Jae-kyun Hwang, South Korea (.276/.323/.483)
• OF: Matt McBride, USA (.500/.520/.773)
• OF: Randolph Oduber, Kingdom of the Netherlands (.500/.536/.875, 7 R, 7 RBI)
• OF: Hyun-soo Kim, South Korea (.333/.378/.515, 13 RBI)
• DH: Dae-ho Lee, South Korea (.222/.343/.333, 7 RBI)

Sources

• 2015 Premier 12 Official site
• Baseball Canada
• Marco Stoovelaar's Dutch baseball site
• Yakyu Baka
• Mister Baseball
• Baseball Fever
• Taiwan Baseball Wiki
• USA Baseball