2024 Premier 12

The 2024 Premier 12 was the third Premier 12.

The event ran from November 9-November 24, 2024. It was co-hosted by two cities apiece from Japan, Mexico and Taiwan. The top 12 men's teams in the WBSC Baseball World Rankings at the end of 2023 qualified for the event:  Japan,  United States,  South Korea,  Chinese Taipei,  Cuba,  Mexico,  Australia,  Netherlands,  Venezuela,  Panama,  Puerto Rico and  Dominican Republic. Panama was in for the first time, replacing Canada.

See also 2024 Premier 12 (Rosters)

Pool Round

November 9

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Panama	0	2	2	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	8	11	0
Netherlands	0	2	0	1	0	3	1	1	0	1	9	15	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Juan Carlos Sulbaran (1-0) Loss: Alberto Baldonado (0-1)
Home Runs
Panama: José Ramos, Rubén Tejada Netherlands: Denzel Richardson, Jonathan Schoop
Umpires
HP: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico); 1B: Shane Cannon (USA); 2B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 3B: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia)
Time of Game: 3:29 Attendance: 347

The tournament opened with a much smaller attendance than last year's opener, but with an exciting contest. Both teams turned to former big leaguers as their starting hurlers but neither had a strong day, Panama going with Jaime Barría and the Dutch with Shairon Martis. Newcomer Panama got the first runs of this year's tournament, as 1B Carlos Quiroz singled in the second and CF José Ramos had Panama's first Premier 12 dinger. The Dutch answered in the bottom of the inning as C Hendrik Clementina doubled and 3B Sharlon Schoop singled him in (the first of the three hits today for the veteran). 1B Eugene Helder hit into a double play, which proved troublesome as RF Denzel Richardson then homered.

SS Rubén Tejada drew a one-out walk in the third then LF Jhonny Santos doubled. RF Luis Castillo grounded in one run and Quiroz doubled in another for a 4-2 lead. The Central Americans expanded their lead the next frame. C Fernando González, the #9 hitter, started this rally with a one-out double. 2B Edgar Muñoz and 3B Johan Camargo loaded the bases with back-to-back singles. With Martis having allowed nine hits in 3 1/3 IP, Evert-Jan 't Hoen went to his bullpen, summoning Kevin Kelly. He walked Tejada on a full count to bring in one run then a sac fly from Santos put it at 6-2. A wild pitch put the Europeans down by five. Their bullpen tightened things up after that as Kelly, Franklin Van Gurp, Ryan Huntington and Jaydenn Estanista blanked Panama from the 4th through the 8th, providing much-needed relief.

The Netherlands got one back in the bottom of the 4th on a Schoop single and a Richardson double. They kept up scoring in even-numbered innings when Schoop homered to lead off the 6th. Helder's single chased Barría in favor of Alberto Guerrero. Richardson remained hot with a double for his third extra-base hit of the day. Dwayne Kemp had a pinch-hit RBI single and CF Ray-Patrick Didder hit into a run-scoring double play and it was now a 7-6 contest. The Netherlands got their first run in an odd-numbered inning in the 7th. 2B Jonathan Schoop drew a walk from Guerrero and advanced on back-to-back grounders. A wild pitch by Abdiel Mendoza then tied the contest.

The Netherlands took their first lead in the bottom of the 8th. Helder singled and Delano Selassa pinch-run. He took second on a ground-out and third on another ground ball. Didder's single to center put the Netherlands ahead, 8-7. Now it was Panama's turn to tie it up when Tejada went yard off Juan Carlos Sulbaran in a contest between two players in their third decade representing their countries. Sulbaran retired the next three in order and Alberto Baldonado got three of four in the bottom of the inning, sending the opening game of the Premier 12 into extra innings.

To open the 10th, Sulbaran issued a four-pitch walk to Ramos, loading the bases as two runners started aboard due to the Schiller Rule. In a tight situation, Sulbaran came through, retiring DH Rodrigo Orozco Jr., González and backup 2B Joshwan Wright without any of the runners advancing. In the bottom of the inning, Selassa led off with a single; Panama challenged the call but it was upheld on instant replay. Baldonado struck out the game's big star to that point, Richardson as well as LF Rushenten Tomsjansen. Didder got his second big hit in three innings though as he singled on a 97 mph heater to drive in Clementina with the winner.

at the Coloso del Pacifico
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	4	0
United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Raymond Burgos (1-0) Loss: Sam Benschoter (0-1) Save: Luis Cruz (1)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Sabin Ceballos
Umpires
HP: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 1B: Kengo Iwashita (Japan); 2B: Tim Meyer (Germany); 3B: Pedro Tun (Mexico)
Time of Game: 3:07 Attendance: 7,820

Attendance was way up for the second game, which was also an exciting contest - one contrast was it was a pitching duel rather than a slugfest. Puerto Rico skipper Juan González turned to a pitching by committee approach and it paid off. Jonathan Bermúdez struck out 6 and allowed 2 hits and a walk in 4 shutout innings and was followed by Raymond Burgos, Osvaldo Berrios, Jorge Benítez, Luis Cintrón and Luis Cruz. They successfully blanked the US all day long. The US pitchers also put on a strong showing, giving up just four hits. Rich Hill and Darrell Thompson threw the first five scoreless. Sam Benschoter entered to pitch the 6th. He struck out the first two but 3B Sabin Ceballos then smacked one over the center-field wall on the first pitch he saw, the lone run of the game.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	3	0	0	1	3	1	0	0	8	12	0
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	4	9	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Ricardo Pinto (1-0) Loss: Manny Bañuelos (0-1) Save: Anthony Vizcaya (1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Jermaine Palacios 2 Mexico: Chris Carter, Alan Trejo
Umpires
HP: Keith McConkey (Canada); 1B: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia); 2B: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea); 3B: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 3:24 Attendance: 9,758

The pool hosts got off to a rough start. 3B Jermaine Palacios went deep off Manny Bañuelos to open the second and SS Diego Castillo doubled in a pair four batters later to chase Mexico's starter. Venezuela built a 7-0 lead before allowing their first run, Palacios again connecting on a long ball in the 7th. Ricardo Pinto pitched five shutout innings (3 H, 3 BB, 6 K) and Alfredo Zarraga threw a scoreless sixth. By the time Mexico got on the board, the game was out of reach.

November 10

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	0
Panama	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	x	4	6	4
Pitchers of Record
Win: Kenny Hernández (1-0) Loss: Nivaldo Rodríguez (0-1) Save: Enrique Burgos Jr. (1)
Home Runs
Panama: Jhonny Santos, Carlos Quiroz
Umpires
HP: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea); 1B: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico) ; 2B: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia); 3B: Keith McConkey (Canada)
Time of Game: 2:36 Attendance: 414

Panama gets it first Premier 12 win despite a poor day defensively. Venezuela went ahead in the first when CF Alexi Amarista had a one-out single off Dario Agrazal and RF Ramón Flores contributed a two-out RBI double. Panama evened it up the next inning against Jesús Vargas. Vargas had retired his first five batters but 1B Carlos Quiroz then took him deep.

In the third, DH Robert Mullen led off with a double for Panama. After an out, 2B Edgar Muñoz singled him in but was thrown out trying to stretch it to two. Venezuela tied it in the 4th. 3B Jermaine Palacios singled and took second on a throwing error by Agrazal. 2B Ehire Adrianza drew a walk and LF Angel Reyes hit into a miscue by veteran SS Rubén Tejada, one of Panama's four errors today. A balk tied it, though Agrazal settled down to get the next two batters and Kenny Hernández closed out the inning without further harm. Hernández and Enrique Burgos Jr. shut out Venezuela over the final five innings with strong relief work.

It remained deadlocked until the 6th. Nivaldo Rodríguez came in to relieve Vargas and Muñoz greeted him with a two-bagger. 3B Johan Camargo's grounder advanced Muñoz and Tejada's sacrifice fly brought him in the winner. LF Jhonny Santos then added insurance with the team's second long ball of the day.

at the Coloso del Pacifico
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Netherlands	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	0
United States	2	0	3	0	0	0	4	3	12	13	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Antonio Menendez (1-0) Loss: Kaj Timmermans (0-1)
Home Runs
Netherlands: Didi Gregorius USA: Matt Shaw, Luke Ritter, Ryan Ward
Umpires
HP: Tim Meyer (Germany); 1B: Hideto Fuke (Japan) ; 2B: Kengo Iwashita (Japan); 3B: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico)
Time of Game: 2:32 Attendance: 5,133

Things did not start well for the US as SS Didi Gregorius led off the game with a homer off Casey Lawrence. 2B Jonathan Schoop followed with a single, advanced on a wild pitch and a balk and scored on a grounder by 1B Juremi Profar. Three batters into the game, the Dutch were up 2-0. The rest of the game belonged to the Americans. Lawrence, Antonio Menendez, Spencer Patton and Austin Vernon gave up five hits and no walks or runs the remainder of the day.

It didn't take the US long to catch up. 1B Luke Ritter and DH Ryan Ward drilled back-to-back home runs off Kaj Timmermans with two outs in the bottom of the inning. In the third, 2B Termarr Johnson drew a walk from Timmermans then RF Chandler Simpson and 3B Matt Shaw singled. A sacrifice fly from Ritter brought in the winning run, but the US was far from done as they tacked on more runs this game to end it with a mercy rule win. Shaw finished 4-for-5 with a double, homer, steal, three runs and seven RBI and Simpson and Johnson each scored three times as well.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	3	0	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	7	9	0
Puerto Rico	0	0	4	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	10	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Luis Rodriguez (1-0) Loss: Jason García (0-1) Save: R.J. Alaniz (1)
Home Runs
Mexico: José Rojas
Umpires
HP: Shane Cannon (USA); 1B: Keith McConkey (Canada); 2B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 3B: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea)
Time of Game: 3:32 Attendance: 2,921

The hosts got their first win as all six teams in the pool ended the day tied at 1-1. Mexico struck quickly against Dereck Rodríguez. RF Alonso Gaitan drew a walk (he would reach four times today) and SS Andrés Álvarez singled. 1B José Rojas then delivered a three-run shot to right. 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games star Wilmer Ríos blanked Puerto Rico for the first two but things went sour for him in the third. LF Edgardo Villegas had a one-out single then the islanders rapped three straight doubles, by 2B Javier Vaz, 3B Sabin Ceballos and RF Carlos Cortes. 1B Ezequiel Pagán singled and Puerto Rico had themselves a 4-3 lead.

It didn't last long. Jason García hit C Alexis Wilson to open the 4th. With one away, CF Juan Pérez walked and Gaitan greeted reliever Andrés Santiago with a two-run double to make it 5-4. Álvarez then singled to put Mexico ahead 6-4. The game quieted down from there, the next scoring coming in the 6th. Osvaldo Berríos hit 2B C.J. Hinojosa, Pérez bunted into a force at second and Gaitan came through again, this time with a RBI double. Puerto Rico got one back but that was it, when Villegas drew a walk from Victor Gonzalez and Ceballos and Cortes had two-out singles. R.J. Alaniz allowed two hits in the 9th but also struck out the side to get the save.

November 11

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	3	5	2
Venezuela	0	0	1	1	0	3	0	0	x	5	7	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Mario Sanchez (1-0) Loss: Eric Adler (0-1) Save: Oddanier Mosqueda (1)
Home Runs
USA: Matt Shaw (2)
Umpires
HP: Pedro Tun (Mexico); 1B: Kengo Iwashita (Japan) ; 2B: Hideto Fuke (Japan); 3B: Tim Meyer (Germany)
Time of Game: 2:52 Attendance: 7,018

This one began as a pitching duel as Mario Sanchez and Zac Grotz combined to retire the first 14 batters before 2B Termarr Johnson singled. In the bottom of the 3rd, LF Angel Reyes and DH Francisco Arcia had Venezuela's first two hits and C Carlos Pérez delivered a sacrifice fly. The US tied it in the 4th as the red-hot third baseman Matt Shaw cracked his second homer of the event.

Venezuela came right back in the bottom of the inning. CF Herlis Rodríguez had a two-out single off Cam Vieaux and SS Diego Castillo brought him in with a double. The North Americans counterpunched in the 6th as RF Chandler Simpson singled and went to third on Sanchez's error, then came home on Shaw's fly.

The South American team got the lead for good in the bottom of the 6th. Facing reliever Eric Adler, 1B Carlos Pérez singled (the team did have two of the three former major leaguers named Carlos Pérez in the lineup!) RF Ramón Flores drew a four-pitch walk and 3B Jermaine Palacios bunted the runners over. Rodríguez singled and it was 3-2. Castillo laid down a bunt and US catcher Willie MacIver fired to second but SS Carson Williams was charged with an error for not covering the bag and the run scored. Reyes then bunted in Rodríguez for a 3-run inning and a 5-2 cushion.

Sanchez and six relievers kept the US batters generating strikeouts today as the US whiffed 16 times. They were still down 5-2 entering the 9th, having gotten only four hits so far. 1B Luke Ritter singled off Anthony Vizcaya and LF Ryan Ward walked. After Williams struck out, Alfredo Zarraga relieved. He walked CF Justin Crawford and DH Colby Thomas to force in a run and put the potential go-ahead run aboard. Venezuela tried its third hurler of the inning, going to Oddanier Mosqueda. He outperformed his predecessors, getting backup C Drake Baldwin for the 15th K and Johnson for the 16th.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	9	0
Mexico	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Abdiel Mendoza (1-0) Loss: Jesús Cruz (0-1) Save: Alberto Baldonado (1)
Home Runs
Mexico: Alonso Gaitan, Tres Barrera
Umpires
HP: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia); 1B: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico) ; 2B: Keith McConkey (Canada); 3B: Omar Peralta (Cuba)
Time of Game: 3:09 Attendance: 1,921

In a rough day for the North American teams, the hosts fall as well, starting strong before fading. RF Alonso Gaitan homered on Wilfredo Pereira's first pitch of the game (launching it over the scoreboard) and C Tres Barrera went deep to lead off the second, but Mexico had only four other hits and would not score again. Panama got six shutout relief innings from Steven Fuentes, Abdiel Mendoza, Miguel Gómez and Alberto Baldonado.

Teddy Stankiewicz pitched three shutout innings for Mexico but Panama got to him in the 4th. SS Rubén Tejada led off with a double and RF Luis Castillo had a one-out single. Tejada scored on a grounder by 1B Carlos Quiroz and CF José Ramos singled to plate Castillo and tie it.

Edwin Fierro blanked Panama in the 6th and 7th. In the 8th, Mexico went with Jesús Cruz. Tejada reached on an error by his counterpart, Alan Trejo, and Castillo had another one-out single during a Panamanian rally. Quiroz again drove in a run with an out, contributing the game-winning sacrifice fly. Gómez had a 1-2-3 8th, Baldonado had a 1-2-3 9th and Panama had its second win.

November 12

at the Coloso del Pacifico
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Panama	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	3	9	1
United States	4	3	0	0	0	0	2	0	x	9	12	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Sam Benschoter (1-1) Loss: Bryan Caceres (0-1)
Home Runs
Panama: Rubén Tejada (2), Jhonny Santos (2), Rodrigo Orozco Jr. USA: Ryan Ward (2)
Umpires
HP: Kengo Iwashita (Japan); 1B: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 2B: Pedro Tun (Mexico); 3B: Hideto Fuke (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:12 Attendance: 4,320

Panama briefly took the lead in the first when SS Rubén Tejada went deep off Touki Toussaint, the first of three solo shots that produced all of Panama's offense today. By the time they got their second of those blasts, though, the US was far ahead, both teams thus finishing the day at 2-2. Panamanian starter Bryan Caceres lasted only 1/3 of an inning; with one out, 3B Matt Shaw walked, 1B Luke Ritter doubled, DH Ryan Ward had a two-run single, LF Colby Thomas was plunked and 2B Termarr Johnson walked. Gilberto Chu took over but the US onslaught continued. Ward finished with five RBI while CF Chandler Simpson was 4-for-4 after being retired to open the game.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Netherlands	2	5	4	5	1	0	3	20	24	1
Puerto Rico	1	1	0	0	1	3	2	8	11	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Tom de Blok (1-0) Loss: Agnel Miranda (0-1)
Home Runs
Netherlands: Didi Gregorius (2), Hendrik Clementina 2, Sharlon Schoop Puerto Rico: Ezequiel Pagán, John Montes
Umpires
HP: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea); 1B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 2B: Shane Cannon (USA); 3B: Keith McConkey (Canada)
Time of Game: 2:46 Attendance: 622

Having taken the only mercy rule loss so far this event, the Netherlands now deliver the second one, in grand fashion. They set Premier 12 records for runs and hits in their romp past Puerto Rico. The two teams combine to set a single-game combined run record as well.

SS Didi Gregorius set the tone when he had his second leadoff homer in two games, taking Agnel Miranda deep. He finished with 4 hits, 4 runs and 3 RBI. 2B Jonathan Schoop (3 R, 3 H, 4 RBI), C Hendrik Clementina (3 H, 2 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI), 1B Juremi Profar (4 H) and LF Dwayne Kemp (4 R) all did more than a fair share of damage. Andrés Santiago was the best of Puerto Rico's five hurlers, yielding nine runs in four innings.

November 13

at the Nagoya Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	6	1
Japan	1	1	1	2	0	0	1	3	x	9	13	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Haruto Inoue (1-0) Loss: Lewis Thorpe (0-1)
Home Runs
Australia: Rixon Wingrove, Ulrich Bojarski
Umpires
HP: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 1B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 2B: Angel Campos (USA); 3B: Alessandro Spera (Italy)
Time of Game: 3:13 Attendance: 30,691

Pool B opened with a huge increase in crowd size. The Japanese fans had plenty to cheer about in an expected win. Haruto Inoue, Rikuto Yokoyama, Shoma Fujihira, Sora Suzuki and Tatsuya Shimizu combined to strike out 16 batters. RF Shota Morishita was 3-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, three runs and two RBI to lead a balanced offense. Australia tried 12 pitchers to stop the bleeding and spread out the workload; none worked more than one inning. They got all their offense on a solo homer by LF Ulrich Bojarski and a two-run shot by 1B Rixon Wingrove. Both managers were at the stadium where they had been teammates 24 years prior - Dave Nilsson and Hirokazu Ibata had both played for the Chunichi Dragons, who play their home games at the Nagoya Dome.

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	3	6	8	0
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Joely Rodriguez (1-0) Loss: Leodan Reyes (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Yuta Suyama (Japan); 1B: Christian Madero (Mexico); 2B: Sung-chul Kim (South Korea); 3B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:09 Attendance: 255

The two American teams in Pool B squared off and the Dominicans staged a comeback win in their opener. Both starting pitchers turned in excellent performances; Cuba's Yoennis Yera allowed three hits in six scoreless innings while the Dominicans' Wily Peralta had yielded three hits and no runs over his first five. In the 6th, DH Alfredo Despaigne (the oldest position player in the tourney at age 38) singled to chase Peralta with one out. Gerald Ogando entered and plunked DH Ariel Martínez then RF Yadir Drake singled. Ogando's short day ended when Joely Rodriguez was summoned from the bullpen. He threw a wild pitch that let in the game's first run but escaped further damage. Robert Corniel and Diego Castillo threw hitless ball over the next three.

After Yera exited, Cuba's pitchers struggled. They first turned to Leodan Reyes, who retired the first two batters but walked RF Pedro González. He then had a long duel with CF Ricardo Céspedes, who finally walked on the 15th pitch of the plate appearance. Pinch-hitter Arismendy Alcántara singled in one run and throwing error by CF Yoelkis Guibert also let Céspedes score, with what would be the winning run. They got an insurance run in the 8th off Frank Álvarez, again with two outs; 3B Kelvin Gutiérrez walked, DH Andretty Cordero doubled and 1B Rainer Nuñez had a RBI single. They then doubled their run total in the 9th. Céspedes singled against Yankiel Mauris and Alcántara walked. 2B Michael De Leon bunted the runners over and C Frank Rodriguez hit into a run-scoring fielder's choice. With two away, Gutiérrez smacked a two-run triple to cap the scoring.

at the Taipei Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	3	3	0
Chinese Taipei	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	x	6	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yi Chang (1-0) Loss: Young-pyo Ko (0-1) Save: Chun-Wei Wu (1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Seung-yeup Na Taiwan: Chen-Wei Chen, Chieh-Hsien Chen
Umpires
HP: Edgar Huerta-Morales (Mexico); 1B: Alejandro Pecero (Panama); 2B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands); 3B: Kenichi Umeki (Japan)
Time of Game: 2:56 Attendance: 34,258

Taiwan started off with an upset win of the top team from the first two Premier 12s (South Korea had won one and finished second in the other). They did it with a dominating second inning and strong pitching. 3B Chieh-Kai Pan had a one-out single off Young-pyo Ko to begin the attack. After a strikeout, Taiwan then had the next five batters reach. #8 hitter 2B Kai-Wei Lin singled and SS Kun-Yu Chiang drew a four-pitch walk. LF Chen-Wei Chen then hit a grand slam. After RF Li Lin doubled, CF Chieh-Hsien Chen also went yard and the hosts had a 6-0 cushion. That was more than enough as their hurlers yielded only three hits. South Korea got a couple back in the 4th off Yu-Min Lin and one off Kuan-Wei Chen in the 7th but that's enough.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
Venezuela	0	3	0	1	0	0	1	0	x	5	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Liarvis Breto (1-0) Loss: Luis Cruz (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Carlos Pérez, Hernán Pérez
Umpires
HP: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia); 1B: Keith McConkey (Canada); 2B: Shane Cannon (USA); 3B: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea)
Time of Game: 2:53 Attendance: 533

Puerto Rico was the first team to be eliminated, while Venezuela was the first team to three wins. Max Castillo started off wild as 8 of his first 10 pitches were balls in walking CF Ezequiel Pagán and 2B Javier Vaz. After a strike, another throw went errant as he hit 3B Sabin Ceballos to load the bases. RF Carlos Cortés hit into a run-scoring force but DH John Montes struck out on a play where Vaz was out at home on a delayed double steal attempt, Puerto Rico only getting one run out of a bases-loaded, no-out start. In the second, LF Edgardo Villegas singled and C Juan Centeno walked, chasing Castillo in favor of Liarvis Breto. A passed ball and a fielder's choice made it 2-0. Venezuela's bullpen threw 7 2/3 shutout innings of relief, though. Breto, Jose Alvarez, Nivaldo Rodríguez, Oddanier Mosqueda and Enderson Franco combined on the relief effort, striking out 11.

Venezuela took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. They also started off by capitalizing on walks. Luis Cruz issued free passes to RF Ramón Flores and 3B Jermaine Palacios. Catcher Carlos Pérez singled in a run and advanced on a bunt. After a fly-out, DH Hernán Pérez (the #9 hitter) drove in a run when the 33-year-old beat out a comebacker. A wild pitch gave Venezuela their lead. They got insurance in the 4th and 7th when two of their three Pérezes hit homers, one by catcher Carlos Pérez (off Osvaldo Berríos) and one by Hernán Pérez (against Raymond Burgos).

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	8	7	0
Netherlands	0	0	0	0	3	2	1	0	0	6	16	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Jesús Cruz (1-0) Loss: Eric Mendez (0-1) Save: R.J. Alaniz (2)
Home Runs
Mexico: Juan Pérez The Netherlands: Denzel Richardson (2), Ray-Patrick Didder, Dwayne Kemp
Umpires
HP: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 1B: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea); 2B: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico); 3B: Shane Cannon (USA)
Time of Game: 3:20 Attendance: 2,257

The teams evened at 2-2 to make a four-way tie for second in a tight Pool A ending into their final day. The pool hosts stayed alive with the exciting win. They wasted no time in getting to Lars Huijer. RF Alonso Gaitan drew a leadoff walk and 2B Andrés Álvarez laid down a bunt hit. 1B José Rojas hit a fly that was deep enough to score Gaitan from second! With two away, 3B Phillip Evans and LF Julian Ornelas both walked and SS Alan Trejo cleared the bases with a double for a 4-0 lead. Kevin Kelly succeeded Huijer in the second and the veteran turned in a strong effort, with shutout ball from the 2nd through the 7th.

That gave the Netherlands a chance to come back. After being blanked for four by Jorge Pérez, CF Ray-Patrick Didder singled and LF Dwayne Kemp homered to close it to 4-2. With one out, SS Didi Gregorius and 2B Jonathan Schoop delivered back-to-back doubles but reliever Gerardo Reyes escaped further damage. Against César Gómez in the 6th, 1B Juremi Profar singled for the Dutch and DH Denzel Richardson doubled, Profar thrown out at home. That proved to be a big play when Didder took a 98-mph heater deep for a 5-4 lead; it would've been 6-4 had Profar not been out. The Netherlands loaded the bases but failed to score as Fernando Salas struck out C Hendrik Clementina in the clutch. They would have numerous blown chances today as they outhit Mexico 16-7 (and outhomered them 3-1 as well) but were still outscored. In the 7th, Richardson delivered the third Dutch dinger, a solo shot off Salas.

Mexico rallied in the 8th to the delight of the home crowd. DH Chris Carter drew a walk from the flagging Kelly and Ornelas had a one-out single. Eric Mendez came in but walked PH Tres Barrera with two away and then gave up the game-deciding grand slam to CF Juan Pérez. Gregorius had a one-out single off Jesús Cruz in the bottom of the 8th but Jonathan Schoop hit into a double play then R.J. Alaniz sealed the deal by going 1-2-3 in the 9th. Gregorius and Didder both finished with four hits in a losing effort.

November 14

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	4	8	0
South Korea	0	6	0	0	0	1	1	0	x	8	9	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Hyeong-jun So (1-0) Loss: Liván Moinelo (0-1)
Home Runs
Cuba: Yoelkis Guibert, Rafael Viñales South Korea: Do-yeong Kim 2
Umpires
HP: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 1B: Yuta Suyama (Japan); 2B: Shao-Wei Lin (Taiwan); 3B: Christian Madero (Mexico)
Time of Game: 3:16 Attendance: 2,225

A day after being destroyed by a six-run second inning featuring a grand slam, South Korea turns the tables, pulling off the feat themselves. 2024 Pacific League ERA leader Liván Moinelo was roughed up for all six runs, with 3B Do-yeong Kim's grand salami being the capping blow. Kim finished with two homers, a double and five RBI. Been Gwak pitched four shutout innings; he teamed with six relievers to strike out 11. South Korea led 8-1 by the time Cuba got back-to-back bombs from CF Yoelkis Guibert and C Rafael Viñales in the 8th, too little and too late.

at the Taipei Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	6	0
Dominican Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	5	3
Pitchers of Record
Win: Tzu-Peng Huang (1-0) Loss: Pedro Fernandez (0-1) Save: Chun-Wei Wu (2)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Kun-Yu Chiang
Umpires
HP: Kenichi Umeki (Japan); 1B: Edgar Huerta-Morales (Mexico); 2B: Sung-chul Kim (South Korea); 3B: Alejandro Pecero (Panama)
Time of Game: 3:00 Attendance: 25,000

Taiwan continued their strong start by topping a fellow baseball-focused island nation. SS Kun-Yu Chiang homered to deep left off fellow CPBL player Pedro Fernandez with two outs in the third, after Fernandez had faced the minimum to that point; it was the only run he allowed in six but he still took the loss. That was because Tzu-Peng Huang was even better, pitching no-hit ball through six and walking only one. When Huang cramped up in the 7th, Kai-Wei Lin took over. With two outs, DH Andretty Cordero broke up the no-hit bid, but the Dominicans failed to score. In the 8th, Taiwan got what would be a crucial insurance run. CF Ricardo Céspedes dropped Chiang's fly for a two-base error. LF Chen-Wei Chen singled but this time the Dominican outfield defense came up big, left fielder Luis Mieses firing home to nab Chiang at the plate; Chen took second on the throw, then third on a wild pitch. That enabled him to score on a fly from RF Li Lin. Kuan-Wei Chen and Kuan-Yu Chen each allowed a single in the 8th but kept the Dominicans off the board. Taiwan carried their 2-0 lead into the 9th, turning to closer Chun-Wei Wu. SS José Devers and 3B Kelvin Gutiérrez greeted him with back-to-back singles, bringing the potential winning run to the plate with no outs. Alen Hanson (who had pinch-run for Cordero and stayed in at DH) bunted the runners over, putting the potential tying run into scoring position. 1B Rainer Nuñez grounded in Devers and make it a one-run game, sending the tying run 90 feet from the plate. Wu struck out RF Arismendy Alcántara to save the game.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Venezuela	4	0	4	1	1	1	X	11	14	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Ricardo Pinto (2-0) Loss: Shairon Martis (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Hernán Pérez (2), Herlis Rodríguez, Ehire Adrianza 2
Umpires
HP: Shane Cannon (USA); 1B: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia); 2B: Omar Peralta (Cuba); 3B: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 1:59 Attendance: 239

The hot Dutch offense goes cold at the wrong time, as Ricardo Pinto turns in his second dominant start of the event. After having shut down Mexico in the opener, he allows three hits and no walks in five shutout innings today. Pedro García, Ricardo Rodríguez and Yohander Mendez then combine on perfect relief over the final two innings to help Venezuela finish atop Pool A. While their pitchers excelled, so did their batters. 2B Ehire Adrianza went deep twice and drove in five, while DH Hernán Pérez was 4-for-4 (a triple shy of a cycle) and scored three times. The Netherlands was eliminated.

at the Coloso del Pacifico
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	6	0
Panama	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	x	4	6	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Alberto Baldonado (1-1) Loss: Rubén Ramírez (0-1)
Home Runs
Puerto Rico: Ezequiel Pagán (2), Sabin Ceballos (2) Panama: Edgar Muñoz, Luis Castillo
Umpires
HP: Hideto Fuke (Japan); 1B: Tim Meyer (Germany); 2B: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 3B: Pedro Tun (Mexico)
Time of Game: 2:52 Attendance: 7,240

Puerto Rico lost all four of its games after its strong shutout of the US in the opener, but this one was a close affair. 2B Edgar Muñoz homered on Jonathan Bermúdez's first pitch of the game to put Panama in front. Jaime Barría yielded a solo shot to CF Ezequiel Pagán in the third to tie it. Panama retook the lead in the 5th when CF José Ramos walked and came home on a double by 3B Joshwan Wright, chasing Bermúdez. Kenny Hernández took over for Barría in the 6th; with one away, 2B Javier Vaz singled and 3B Sabin Ceballos cracked a two-out, two-run homer to put Puerto Rico back in front. Panama again struck back in the roller-coaster game, this time in the bottom of the 8th. Muñoz singled off Rubén Ramírez. After a fly-out, LF Jhonny Santos hit into a force. CF Luis Castillo blasted one to deep right for the game-winning homer. After a scoreless 8th, Alberto Baldonado stayed in and closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth. Panama would finish their first Premier 12 at a solid 3-2.

at the Estadio Panamericano
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
United States	0	2	2	2	5	1	0	12	16	2
Mexico	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	5	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Antonio Menendez (2-0) Loss: Luis Miranda (0-1)
Home Runs
USA: Ryan Ward 2 (4), Termarr Johnson, Justin Crawford Mexico: Alan Trejo (2)
Umpires
HP: Keith McConkey (Canada); 1B: Gye-sung Lee (South Korea); 2B: Kelvin Bultron (Puerto Rico); 3B: Ramiro Alfaro (Colombia)
Time of Game: 1:59 Attendance: 9,721

The US punched their ticket to Tokyo by avenging their two losses to Mexico from the 2019 Premier 12, including in the Bronze Medal Game. RF Chandler Simpson, 2B Termarr Johnson and CF Justin Crawford each had three hits, the latter going deep, and Johnson had three runs and two RBI. DH Ryan Ward homered twice and drove in three. Rich Hill, Antonio Menendez, Anthony Gose and Dan Altavilla combined to strike out 11.

November 15

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Australia	0	0	2	1	0	1	1	0	x	5	9	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Coen Wynne (1-0) Loss: Luis Vargas (0-1)
Home Runs
Australia: Robbie Perkins
Umpires
HP: Alessandro Spera (Italy); 1B: Shao-Wei Lin (Taiwan); 2B: Chieh Hsu (Taiwan); 3B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico)
Time of Game: 2:41 Attendance: 1,112

Australia's pitchers were absolutely dominant. Warwick Saupold began with three no-hit innings, walking only one, then Sam Holland followed with two perfect frames. After Luke Wilkins walked two to begin the 6th, Coen Wynne got a strikeout and a double play then had a 1-2-3 7th, adding two more Ks. The Dominicans got their lone hit in the 8th, when LF Ricardo Céspedes had a one-out single off Jon Kennedy - only to be erased on a double play. Dan McGrath closed it out with a perfect 9th. C Robbie Perkins had a two-run homer to start the scoring and drove in their next two runs as well for a strong performance, to say the least.

at the Nagoya Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
South Korea	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3	10	0
Japan	0	2	0	0	2	0	2	0	x	6	11	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chihiro Sumida (1-0) Loss: Do-gyu Kwak (0-1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Dong-won Park Japan: Shohei Morishita
Umpires
HP: Angel Campos (USA); 1B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 2B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 3B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands)
Time of Game: 3:31 Attendance: 20,028

In a rematch of the championship game from the last Premier 12, Japan again prevails, but South Korea had the lead halfway through. They scored in the second off Hiroto Takahashi when C Dong-won Park doubled with one out, CF Ju-hyoung Lee added a one-out single and LF Chang-ki Hong singled in Park. Japan answered in the bottom of the inning against Seung-yong Choi. RF Shota Morishita and 3B Ryoya Kurihara both singled. The next two batters were retired, the runners advancing to scoring position, enabling them to come home on a single by SS Kotaro Kurebayashi to put the hosts ahead. South Korea tied it in the 4th when Dong-won Park homered.

They then took the lead in the 5th against Chihiro Sumida. 2B Min-jae Shin singled, advanced on a grounder and stole third. With two away, pinch-hitter Dong-hee Yoon doubled to give his country their second lead of the day. It vanished in the bottom of the inning just like their first lead had. With two away, Do-gyu Kwak walked CF Ryosuke Tatsumi and Morishita then hit Kurihara on the 9th pitch of the plate appearance, loading the bags. Young-ha Lee relieved and 1B Shugo Maki greeted him with Japan's second two-run single of the day. They got insurance in the 7th; 2B Kaito Kozono singled off Ji-min Choi and Morishita hit a one-out homer off Hai-young Jung for his third run of the day.

November 16

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	8	1
Cuba	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	x	4	11	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Andy Vargas (1-0) Loss: Blake Townsend (0-1) Save: Raidel Martínez (1)
Home Runs
Australia: Robbie Glendinning Cuba: Yadir Drake
Umpires
HP: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands); 1B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 2B: Alessandro Spera (Italy); 3B: Chieh Hsu (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:19 Attendance: 1,418

Cuba was the last team to pick up a win in this tournament. Australia started quickly against Dario Sarduy. With one out, they got three straight singles - from CF Aaron Whitefield, SS Robbie Glendinning and 1B Rixon Wingrove - to make it 1-0. Sarduy struck out veteran RF Tim Kennelly but 3B Darryl George had their fourth single, giving them a 2-0 edge. Andy Vargas took over and whiffed DH Alex Hall to escape the inning. Australia had already gotten half their hit total for the day.

The Caribbean team also had three straight singles in their half of the first, as LF Roel Santos singled off Tim Atherton to start the inning then RF Yadir Drake and CF Yoelkis Guibert added their own hits to close it to 2-1. Atherton got out of it by striking out DH Alfredo Despaigne and getting 1B Ariel Martínez to hit into a double play. Australia loaded the bases in the third but Vargas got Wingrove on a fly to keep it a one-run game.

Blake Townsend took over for Atherton in the third. 3B Jean Walters hit into a two-base error by George and Santos laid down a bunt hit. Drake then hit a big three-run smash to left. Luke Wilkins, Steve Kent, Will Sherriff and Josh Guyer blanked Cuba from then on, but the hole was too big for them to get out of it given Cuba's fine relief. Glendinning's 5th-inning homer off Vargas cut the gap to one, then Frank Álvarez, Geonel Gutiérrez, Leodán Reyes and Raidel Martínez yielded just one hit the remainder of the game.

at the Taipei Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Japan	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	0
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	4	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Hiroto Saiki (1-0) Loss: Po-Ching Chen (0-1) Save: Taisei Ota (1)
Home Runs
Japan: Sosuke Genda Taiwan: Pei-Feng Dai
Umpires
HP: Christian Madero (Mexico); 1B: Sung-chul Kim (South Korea); 2B: Alejandro Pecero (Panama); 3B: Edgar Huerta-Morales (Mexico)
Time of Game: 3:19 Attendance: 34,882

The two unbeaten teams squared off and Japan emerged triumphant in their first road game. They got to Po-Ching Chen in the opening inning. LF Masayuki Kuwahara, fresh off being the 2024 Japan Series MVP, hit into an error by 3B Chieh-Kai Pan. 2B Kaito Kozono walked and CF Ryosuke Tatsumi hit into a force at second. RF Shota Morishita's sacrifice fly brought in Kuwahara with the first run. In the third, C Shogo Sakakura walked and advanced on a grounder and a fly. Tatsumi's double to left brought him in.

Japan got their final run in the 4th when SS Sosuke Genda took Chen yard. En-Sih Huang, Chih-Hsuan Wang, Kuo-Hao Chiang, Hsin-Yen Chuang and Kuan-Wei Chen contained Japan over the final 5 2/3 innings but their offense could not stage a sufficient comeback. Hiroto Saiki blanked Taiwan for the first 5 2/3 and was succeeded by Shota Suzuki and Koki Kitayama. C Pei-Feng Dai homered off Kitayama for Taiwan's lone run then Kitayama and Taisei Ota got the last seven in order to close out the win.

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Dominican Republic	0	1	0	3	1	1	0	0	0	6	14	1
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	5	X	9	9	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yeong-hyun Park (1-0) Loss: Diego Castillo (0-1)
Home Runs
Dominican Republic: Arismendy Alcántara 2
Umpires
HP: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan); 1B: Kenichi Umeki (Japan); 2B: Shao-Wei Lin (Taiwan); 3B: Angel Campos (USA)
Time of Game: 3:36 Attendance: 3,387

South Korea kept their hopes alive with a big comeback win. RF Arismendy Alcántara began an excellent game with a second-inning walk from Chan-kyu Im then stole second. LF Luis Mieses walked and the Dominicans did a double steal. C Frank Rodriguez drew their third walk in a row. SS Michael De Leon hit into a double play that brought in the game's first run. In the fourth, 1B Rainer Nuñez doubled and Alcántara went deep to knock out Im. Hyeong-jun So came in and got an out but Rodriguez and De Leon singled. With two away, 2B Alen Hanson singled (one of his three hits today) to make it 4-0.

The Dominicans continued to pad their lead in the 5th. Alcántara homered off Byeong-hyeon Jo to give him three runs and three RBI to that point, two homers and two steals. In the 6th, CF Ricardo Céspedes doubled and Hanson singled him in to put the Dominicans ahead, 6-0. Franklyn Kilomé, meanwhile, had allowed only one hit in five shutout innings. His bullpen couldn't keep it up, though. Héctor Pérez relieved and issued walks to SS Seong-han Park and CF Won-jun Choi and they advanced on a grounder. Joely Rodríguez was the next relief pitcher. 2B Min-jae Kim hit into a two-run error by the newcomer to put the Koreans on the board. After a strikeout, DH Bo-gyeong Moon and C Dong-won Park delivered back-to-back doubles to make it a game, 6-4.

After a scoreless 7th, South Korea continued their comeback in the 8th. 1B Seung-yeup Na singled off Robert Corniel and Diego Castillo took over. Moon grounded PR Whee-jip Kim to second and Dong-won Park singled to put men on the corners; he too was lifted for a pinch-runner. 3B Sung-mun Song (taking over for the injured Do-yeong Kim) singled to cut the deficit to one. Castillo struck out RF Dong-hee Park, putting the Dominicans four outs from victory. It was not to be as SS Seong-han Park tripled to give his team a 7-6 lead. CF Won-jun Choi, the 9th hitter, doubled Park in, chasing Castillo. Victor Lopez entered and LF Chang-ki Hong greeted him with a single that gave the Koreans a five-run inning and a 9-6 edge. Yeong-hyun Park allowed a De Leon single to open the 9th but got a fly-out then Hanson, who had done his damage today, hit into a game-ending double play.

November 17

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	1	0	3	2	0	0	6	10	1
Japan	0	1	1	1	2	1	0	1	X	7	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Tatsuya Shimizu (1-0) Loss: Liván Moinelo (0-2) Save: Shoma Fujihira (1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Alejandro Pecero (Panama); 1B: Chieh Hsu (Taiwan); 2B: Edgar Huerta-Morales (Mexico); 3B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 4:07 Attendance: 4,955

Japan remained undefeated but their got closest scare yet. Raymond Figueredo hit RF Shota Morishita to open the second and Morishita stole second. SS Sosuke Genda drew a two-out walk and DH Keita Sano singled to put Japan up, 1-0. The next inning, LF Masayuki Kuwahara and 2B Kaito Kozono singled and CF Ryosuke Tatsumi drew a walk. Yusniel Padrón took over for Figueredo and Morishita greeted him with a sacrifice fly. Geonel Gutiérrez struck out the next two to escape further harm.

Cuba closed it back to one run in the 4th. CF Roel Santos tripled off Takahisa Hayakawa and RF Yadir Drake plated him with a single. Japan got the run back in the bottom half. Genda and Sano singled off Gutiérrez and C Toshiya Sato's fly scored Genda. In the 5th, Tatsumi's leadoff single chased Gutiérrez in favor of Frank Medina. After Morishita grounded the runner over, 3B Ryoya Kurihara was intentionally walked. Maki singled in Tatsumi for a 4-1 lead. Dario Sarduy became the 5th Cuban hurler of the day and walked Genda to load the bases. Sano contributed Japan's third sac fly of the day and they had a 5-1 edge.

The Caribbean team got closer in the 6th. Santos and Drake again teamed up, this time with a walk and a RBI double. With one out, Hayakawa walked DH Alfredo Despaigne and was replaced by Rikuto Yokoyama. He got an out then SS Erisbel Arruebarruena singled to cut it to 5-3. Yoán Moncada had a pinch-hit RBI single then PH Yadil Mujica walked to load the bases. Shota Suzuki relieved and struck out 2B Jean Walters with the bases juiced to preserve the lead, now down to a run. In the bottom of the inning, Kuwahara drew a walk from a hurler he had just seen in the 2024 Japan Series, Liván Moinelo. Kozono singled him over; with one out, Morishita was plunked to load the bases. Kurihara drew a bases-loaded walk for a 6-4 Japanese lead then Moinelo got Maki to ground into a rally-ending double play.

Cuba struck back in the 7th. Santos and Drake once again started it off, the former walking and the latter singling. Suzuki got an out then Tatsuya Shimizu entered. Despaigne hit into a two-run error by Shimizu as Cuba tied the game for the first time, 6-6. It remained deadlocked until the bottom of the 8th. Kozono reached on an error by Arruebarruena and Tatsumi was hit by a Moinelo offering. Morishita hit into a force at second, putting men on the corners with two away. Kurihara again drove in a run without a hit, contributing the game-winning sacrifice fly off his Softbank Hawks teammate, scoring pinch-runner Ryota Isobata. Cuba kept it lively in the 9th against Shoma Fujihira. Despaigne had a one-out single and 1B Ariel Martínez also singled. Arruebarruena was plunked to load the bases but Fujihira came back to strike out Moncada and C Andy Cosme in the clutch to end the game.

at the Taipei Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	1	1	0	2	1	0	3	0	3	11	15	0
Australia	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	3	9	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yi Chang (2-0) Loss: Mitch Neunborn (0-1)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Li Lin, Giljegiljaw Kungkuan Australia: Robbie Perkins (2), Solomon Maguire
Umpires
HP: Sung-chul Kim (South Korea); 1B: Angel Campos (USA); 2B: Christian Madero (Mexico); 3B: Yuta Suyama (Japan)
Time of Game: 4:07 Attendance: 34,166

With one day left in Pool B, the final four had already been set as Japan and Taiwan were joining Venezuela and the US in the last round. RF Li Lin went 5-for-6 with 3 runs, 4 RBI and a homer, Giljegiljaw Kungkuan had a pinch-hit, three-run homer and CF Chieh-Hsien Chen had 3 walks and 3 runs. Chun-Lin Kuo, Hsin-Yen Chuang, Yi Chang, Kai-Wei Lin, Kuan-Yu Chen and Chun-Wei Wu struck out 12 Aussies. Australia tried nine different pitchers; one bright spot was the three-hit day by RF Tim Kennelly.

November 18

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Australia	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	5	3
South Korea	0	0	1	2	0	2	0	0	X	5	10	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Hyeong-jun So (2-0) Loss: Steve Kent (0-1) Save: Yeong-hyun Park (1)
Home Runs
South Korea: Do-yeong Kim (3)
Umpires
HP: Shao-Wei Lin (Taiwan); 1B: Alessandro Spera (Italy); 2B: Yuta Suyama (Japan); 3B: Hua-Wen Chi (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:21 Attendance: 1,799

While South Korea had its worst finish yet in a Premier 12, they did salvage third place in their pool, one game shy of the final four, Asian teams finishing 1-2-3 in Pool B. With both teams out of contention, they cycled through their pitchers, 15 different hurlers taking the mound today.

South Korea got the game's first run, off Steve Kent in the third. LF Chang-ki Hong singled, was bunted over and scored on a hit from DH Do-yeong Kim, back in action. SS Seong-han Park opened the 4th with a nine-pitch walk from Josh Guyer then Hong had a two-out infield single. 2B Min-jae Shin hit into a Guyer error to make it 2-0 and Kim singled for his second RBI of the day and 8th in 5 games.

Australia struck back in the 5th. Young-chan You walked 3B Darryl George and C Alex Hall, then 2B Liam Spence singled to load them up. Seung-yong Choi came in relief and struck out PH Ulrich Bojarski. SS Jarryd Dale hit into a force at home. 2B Travis Bazzana, the #1 pick of the 2024 amateur draft, coaxed a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-1. Young-ha Lee was the next hurler and struck out CF Aaron Whitefield to escape the inning.

In the 6th, Australia got as close as they would. 1B Rixon Wingrove had a one-out double and George a single. Lee was yanked in favor of Taek-yeon Kim, who retired Hall. Spence singled to cut the gap to one, but it's as close as the Aussies got. In the bottom of the inning, Shin had a two-out single off Warwick Saupold and Do-yeong Kim made it a four-RBI day (and a 10-RBI, 3-homer tournament in 5 games) by launching a Sam Holland offering into deep left.

at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Japan	1	0	1	0	3	0	1	0	5	11	14	2
Dominican Republic	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	8	2
Pitchers of Record
Win: Haruto Inoue (2-0) Loss: Héctor Pérez (0-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Chieh Hsu (Taiwan); 1B: Edwin Louisa (Netherlands); 2B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 3B: Sung-chul Kim (South Korea)
Time of Game: 3:22 Attendance: 2,572

The Dominicans' tourney came to an end, hanging with Japan for four innings before the defending champs ran away with it in a rain-marred contest. RF Shota Morishita continued his superb tournament, going 3-for-3 with a walk and 3 runs, while DH Toshiya Sato added three hits as well. Shosei Togo, Haruto Inoue, Chihiro Sumida, Rikuto Yokoyama and Koki Kitayama struck out 11. The Dominicans used nine hurlers in their last game of the contest. CF Alen Hanson had three hits for the Dominicans, two of them doubles.

at the Taipei Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Chinese Taipei	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	X	2	9	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chih-Hsuan Wang (1-0) Loss: Yoennis Yera (0-1) Save: Chun-Wei Wu (3)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Christian Madero (Mexico); 1B: Angel Campos (USA); 2B: Edgar Huerta-Morales (Mexico); 3B: Kenichi Umeki (Japan)
Time of Game: 2:59 Attendance: 30,924

Cuba's offense was limp in their final game, mustering only four hits off seven Taiwanese hurlers, who struck out 11 in the event's adieu to the Taipei Dome. Tzu-Peng Huang, Chih-Hsuan Wang, Kuan-Wei Chen, En-Sih Huang, Kai-Wei Lin, Kuan-Yu Chen and Chun-Wei Wu turned in the fine pitching display. Cuba's hurlers did a fine job but it was not enough, given their run support. In the third, 2B Tung-Hua Yueh drew a one-out walk from Yoennis Yera and scored on a two-out double by DH Giljegiljaw Kungkuan for the winning run. They got the other run in the 4th as LF Song-En Tseng walked, 3B Chieh-Kai Pan and C Pei-Fong Dai singled and SS Cheng-Yu Chang hit into a run-scoring force.

Super Round

November 21

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	1
Venezuela	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	X	2	6	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Oddanier Mosqueda (1-0) Loss: Tzu-Peng Huang (1-1) Save: Enderson Franco (1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Carlos Pérez (2)
Umpires
HP: Angel Campos (USA); 1B: Tim Meyer (Germany); 2B: Chikara Tsugawa (Japan); 3B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan)
Time of Game: 2:39 Attendance: 6,790

Both teams were in the final four for the first time. Venezuelan skipper Omar Lopez turned to eight different pitchers, who combined on a 13-strikeout, one-walk shutout. Nivaldo Rodríguez, Ricardo Rodríguez, Liarvis Breto, Pedro García, José Álvarez, Anthony Vizcaya, Oddanier Mosqueda and Enderson Franco did the mound honors; CF Chieh-Hsien Chen went 3-for-3 but his teammates were 4-for-29. Taiwan also had pretty good pitching, but in the 4th, RF Ramón Flores singled off Tzu-Peng Huang and C Carlos Pérez homered for the game's only runs.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	2
Japan	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	3	X	9	11	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Chihiro Sumida (2-0) Loss: Darrell Thompson (0-1) Save: Enderson Franco (2)
Home Runs
USA: Colby Thomas Japan: Kaito Kozono 2
Umpires
HP: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 1B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 2B: Hoon-kyu Oh (South Korea); 3B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan)
Time of Game: 3:07 Attendance: 25,428

Rich Hill allowed one hit and no walks in four shutout innings, striking out five, while his counterpart (half his age!) Hiroto Takahashi was also dominant (8 K, 2 H, 0 R in 4 IP). Chihiro Sumida took over in the 5th and yielded a solo homer to LF Colby Thomas to give the US the lead. Japan struck back quickly versus Darrell Thompson in the bottom of the inning; with one out, SS Sosuke Genda and DH Keita Sano both singled and C Shogo Sakakura doubled in the tying run. Austin Vernon relieved and got an out but 2B Kaito Kozono smacked a two-run triple. Kozono later added two homers to finish with 11 total bases and 7 RBI as the hosts pulled away for a romp. Takahashi, Sumida, Koki Kitayama, Shoma Fujihira and Rikuto Yokoyama combined to strike out 16.

November 22

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	2	1	0	5	0	0	8	14	1
United States	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	8	1
Pitchers of Record
Win: Kuo-Hao Chiang (1-0) Loss: Sam Benschoter (1-2)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Chieh-Kai Pan USA: Colby Thomas (2)
Umpires
HP: Chikara Tsugawa (Japan); 1B: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 2B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 3B: Hoon-kyu Oh (South Korea)
Time of Game: 3:29 Attendance: 9,472

The US's second Super Round game looked a lot like their first - shutout starting (Zac Grotz only went 2 2/3 though), relief pitchers not providing much relief (Spencer Patton allowed five runs while retiring none) and a homer by LF Colby Thomas being about all the offense they would get. 1B Chieh-Kai Pan reaches all five times, homering once, and SS Kun-Yu Chiang delivered a three-run triple as every spot in the Taiwanese batting order had at least a run or RBI. Taiwan used eight different pitchers, starting with two scoreless from Po-Ching Chen and ending with four zeroes spread between Yi Chang, Kai-Wei Lin, Kuan-Yu Chen and Chun-Wei Wu.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Venezuela	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	6	11	0
Japan	3	0	0	0	0	6	0	0	X	9	13	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Haruto Inoue (3-0) Loss: José Álvarez (0-1)
Home Runs
Venezuela: Carlos Pérez (3), Angel Reyes Japan: Shugo Maki, Shogo Sakakura
Umpires
HP: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 1B: Angel Campos (USA); 2B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 3B: Tim Meyer (Germany)
Time of Game: 3:52 Attendance: 33,300

The teams with the top two records, 6-0 Japan and 5-1 Venezuela, squared off. Venezuela turned to Ricardo Pinto, who was 2-0 with ten shutout innings so far. Japan found him not so challenging; with one out, 2B Kaito Kozono doubled and CF Ryosuke Tatsumi doubled him in (the first of his 3 hits today). RF Shota Morishita singled for a 2-0 lead and 3B Ryoya Kurihara drew a walk. When Pinto walked 1B Shugo Maki as well, Omar Lopez gave him the hook, summoning Yohander Mendez. SS Sosuke Genda hit into a run-scoring force but Mendez retired DH Keita Sano to escape further harm.

In the second, Venezuela closed the gap to one. RF Ramón Flores drew a one-out walk from Hiroto Saiki and LF Angel Reyes hit a two-out homer. It remained 3-2 until the 6th, when Haruto Inoue took over for Saiki. CF Herlis Rodríguez had a one-out single (one of his three hits) and DH Carlos Pérez homered for a 4-3 lead. With two away, 3B Jermaine Palacios walked then Reyes and C Francisco Arcia both singled to make it 5-3; Reyes was trapped in a run-down trying to score as well. While Inoue had by far the worst day of Japan's six pitchers, he wound up with the win as they had a big bottom-of-the-sixth.

Sakakura's homer off Liarvis Breto started Japan's big comeback inning. With two away, José Álvarez took over on the mound, the third hurler of the inning for Venezuela. He walked Kozono and then Tatsumi singled. Venezuela turned to Pedro García as their 4th pitcher of the inning but he promptly walked Morishita to load the bases and Kurihara to force in a run. Maki then smacked a grand slam and Japan had retaken the lead, 9-5, with a six-run frame.

Venezuela had their chances after that. They got two hits in the 7th but no runs and three hits in the 9th. That inning, Arcia singled off Taisei Ota but was erased on a critical double play as the next two batters both singled in 1B Alexi Amarista and the other Carlos Pérez, the DH. With a passed ball in between the hits, Amarista was in scoring position and came in on Pérez's single. That brought up Rodríguez, who was 3-for-4 so far today. Ota came through, whiffing him on five pitches, to end the day.

November 23

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	6	9	0
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3	0	5	9	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Zane Mills (1-0) Loss: Enderson Franco (0-1)
Home Runs
USA: Ryan Ward (5) Venezuela: Carlos Pérez, Diego Castillo
Umpires
HP: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan); 1B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 2B: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 3B: Chikara Tsugawa (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:18 Attendance: 8,868

The US avenged their round-one loss to Venezuela in a close contest. They got to Jesús Vargas in the second as SS Termarr Johnson and C Drake Baldwin led off with walks, then 1B Luke Ritter had a bunt single to load the bases. With one away, RF Chandler Simpson singled in Johnson and 3B Matt Shaw hit into a run-scoring force. Touki Toussaint continued the trend of fine US starting pitching in the Super Round, working four shutout innings, and Antonio Menendez followed with 1 1/3 shutout innings of relief.

The US lead increased in the 6th. Baldwin greeted Anthony Vizcaya with a double and Ritter walked; both runners advanced on a grounder. Simpson hit a sacrifice fly and Shaw singled in a run. SS Carson Williams doubled to make it 5-0, chasing Vizcaya. The leaky US bullpen let Venezuela get back into the game. In the bottom of the 6th, 2B Alexi Amarista singled off Cam Vieaux, DH Hernán Pérez walked and CF Herlis Rodríguez singled to make it 5-1. C Carlos Pérez, their top slugger in recent days, hit into a double play to stop that rally.

In the 7th, Venezuela's comeback continued. Eric Adler walked RF Ramón Flores but got a crucial double-play grounder from LF Angel Reyes as the other Carlos Pérez went deep. Mike Scioscia turned to Darrell Thompson in the 8th. Hernán Pérez had a one-out single and C Carlos Pérez a two-out single. Diego Castillo came off the bench and swatted a three-run homer to tie the game up.

US DH Ryan Ward, the Pool A star, hit his 5th homer of the tournament, taking Enderson Franco deep with one out in the 9th to put the US back in front, 6-5. Zane Mills got two quick outs in the bottom of the inning but then walked PH Francisco Arcia and Amarista. That brought up Hernán Pérez, who was 8-for-14 in the event so far. Mills got him on a pop-up to first to give the US their first win of the Super Round.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	1	0	2	2	0	0	1	6	7	0
Japan	4	0	0	0	3	2	0	0	X	9	10	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Koki Kitayama (1-0) Loss: Po-Ching Chen (0-2)
Home Runs
Taiwan: An-Ko Lin Japan: Itsuki Murabayashi
Umpires
HP: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 1B: Hoon-kyu Oh (South Korea); 2B: Tim Meyer (Germany); 3B: Angel Campos (USA)
Time of Game: 3:18 Attendance: 41,674

Japan won to remain unbeaten, while Taiwan wound up tied with the US and Venezuela for second in the Super Round; they won the tiebreaker, though, to earn a rematch with Japan in the title game. Japan again beat Po-Ching Chen, who allowed four runs in 1/3 of an inning, and never trailed, though Taiwan closed the gap to one in the 5th. 1B Toshiya Sato reached three times and scored twice for the victors. For the losing side, Chih-Cheng Chiu drove in a pair.

Finals

November 24

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
United States	0	0	2	0	0	2	0	2	0	6	8	0
Venezuela	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	5	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Casey Lawrence (1-0) Loss: Mario Sanchez (1-1)
Home Runs
None
Umpires
HP: Hoon-kyu Oh (South Korea); 1B: Chikara Tsugawa (Japan); 2B: Chan-Jung Chang (Taiwan); 3B: Kazuyuki Shirai (Japan)
Time of Game: 3:07 Attendance: 8,386

The teams had split their first two games. Just like yesterday, the US scored six runs off Venezuela; this time, their pitching was far sharper so instead of a nail-biter, it was an easy win. Casey Lawrence went six shutout innings, allowing four hits and no walks while fanning seven. Mario Sanchez, who had beaten the US in the round-robin, blanked the US for two but they got to him in the third. They scored twice that inning without getting a hit. C Chris Okey and CF Justin Crawford drew walks, among the ten issued by Venezuelan hurlers today. After an out, 3B Matt Shaw walked and a sac fly by SS Carson Williams scored Okey. Oddanier Mosqueda came in but walked DH Ryan Ward and hit LF Colby Thomas to make it 2-0.

It was still 2-0 entering the 6th. 2B Termarr Johnson had a one-out single off Nivaldo Rodríguez that inning and 1B Luke Ritter got plunked. Venezuela turned to José Álvarez but Okey greeted him with a single. A two-out single by RF Chandler Simpson drove in Johnson. Venezuela next tried Ricardo Rodríguez but he threw a wild pitch and it was 4-0.

Ritter drew a leadoff walk from Alfredo Zarraga in the 8th and Okey hit into a force. With two away, Simpson walked and Williams doubled them both in to put the US up by six. Venezuela got their lone run in the bottom of the inning against Anthony Gose. Pinch-hitter Hernán Pérez drew a walk and Carlos Pérez had a one-out, pinch-hit double. 2B Alexi Amarista hit a sacrifice fly as Venezuela avoided a shutout. They still had gotten their best Premier 12 finish yet, though closing with three sraight losses after their 5-1 start left them medal-less.

at the Tokyo Dome
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	4	11	0
Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Pitchers of Record
Win: Yi Chang (3-0) Loss: Shosei Togo (0-1)
Home Runs
Taiwan: Chieh-Hsien Chen (2), Chia-Cheng Lin
Umpires
HP: Angel Campos (USA); 1B: Rubén Ramos (Puerto Rico); 2B: Alan Izaguirre (Mexico); 3B: Tim Meyer (Germany)
Time of Game: 2:57 Attendance: 41,827

Japan had been 8-0 entering this game, but the hosts' bats were quieted today in an upset win for Taiwan. Yu-Min Lin, 2019 Premier 12 All-Star P Yi Chang, Kuan-Yu Chen and Kai-Wei Lin combined on a four-hitter. Other than one inning, Japan's hurlers also turned in shutout ball, striking out 15 today. Shosei Togo contained Taiwan for the first four innings. In the 5th, C Chia-Cheng Lin (hitting .130 entering today's game) took Togo deep for the winning hit. With one away, LF Chen-Wei Chen singled and RF Li Lin drew a walk. CF Chieh-Hsien Chen drilled a three-run homer, one of his three hits today; he would win the MVP. That ended a 27-game winning streak for Japan on the international stage.

Awards

• MVP: Chieh-Hsien Chen, Taiwan OF
• Outstanding Defensive Player: Chieh-Hsien Chen

All-World Team

• SP: Rich Hill, USA (1 UER, 14 K in 10 1/3 IP)
• RP: Oddanier Mosqueda, Venezuela (1-0, 1.42, 1 H, 12 K in 6 1/3 IP)
• C: Shogo Sakakura, Japan (.444/.615/.667)
• 1B: Carlos Pérez, Venezuela (.360/.407/.560)
• 2B: Kaito Kozono, Japan (.387/.441/.677, 8 RBI)
• SS: Didi Gregorius, Netherlands (.500/.500/.818)
• 3B: Matt Shaw, USA (.412/.500/.706, 14 RBI)
• OF: Chandler Simpson, USA (.459/.500/.514, 8 R)
• OF: Chieh-Hsien Chen, Taiwan (.625/.700/.917)
• OF: Shota Morishita, Japan (.357/.459/.571, 13 R, 9 RBI)
• DH: Ryan Ward, USA (.308/.406/.885, 5 HR, 11 RBI)

Further Reading

• Michael Clair: "Premier12 super-round results", mlb.com, November 24, 2024. [1]
• Michael Clair: "Chinese Taipei wins gold in Premier12 with stunning upset over Japan", mlb.com, November 24, 2024. [2]