myworldofbaseball

The United States college national team won their Japan five game series 3-2 with a 3-1 game five win. They finished with victories in all the series they played against Cuba, Taiwan and Japan.

Pitching was again the key for the U.S. team. Tyler Holton went four innings allowing just an unearned run in the first inning. Patrick Raby went 3.2 innings and Dallas Woolfolk picked up the save, though he made it exciting by putting two runners on. The United States pitchers combined to strike out 11 Japanese hitters.

The offensive hero was Andrew Vaughn who broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI double in the sixth. He later scored in the inning on a Japanese error. Nick Madrigal contributed an RBI single in the third inning that tied the game 1-1.

The United States won the fourth game in ten 3-1 to even their five game series with Japan at two games apiece. What myworld does not like about the international extra inning rule is the predictability of the first at bat. There is always the bunt to move the runners placed on first and second to put them in scoring position. Those teams who are successful with the bunt usually win. Those teams who are not successful lose. Perhaps tinkering the rule and only putting a runner on second may vary the strategy teams use to get the run across.

The United States was successful with their bunt attempt, but credit has to be given to the Japanese team making a throwing error to allow the two runners to score to gift the United States to a 3-1 lead. Daiki Sakamoto came on for Japan after the error and struck out the side to limit the damage. The home team, now down by two runs has to play for more than one run so the bunt may not be the best option. Dallas Woolfolk shut down the Japanese in the 10th as well as the 9th to pick up the victory.

Gianluca Dalatri pitched well in his start for the United States, allowing just two hits and no runs in his four innings. The Japanese starter Katsuki Azuma out did him, tossing seven innings of shutout five hit ball, striking out 11 hitters. The United States was able to score their first run in the eighth once Japan went to the bullpen. Grant Koch smacked the RBI single to tie the game up 1-1.

Yoshitaka Nagasawa drove in the only run for Japan with an RBI single in the fifth. He collected two of the four Japanese hits in the game. The two teams play the deciding fifth game tonight.

Japan evened the five game series at 1-1 with a 10 inning 6-3 win over the United States team. The two teams played by the international rules, putting runners on first and second to begin the tenth inning. A two run double by Keita Nakagawa, his third hit in the game was the key hit in the inning.

The United States pitchers were a bit wild in the game, combining to walk 10 hitters. Tim Cate pitched four hitless innings in relief, walking two and striking out seven. Japanese starter Masato Morishita went six innings, striking out nine. He did allow two runners to score, one of them on a balk.

In the second game Japan rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth to win 5-4. Taishi Kusumoto hit a two run triple to tie the score. A sacrifice fly by Ryosuke Tatsumi drove in the game winner. Tatsumi had tripled earlier in the game and scored a run. Daiki Sakamoto shut down the United States on no hits for his fourth straight inning to close out the game and earn the win.

The United States pitchers had better control in this game walking just three. The Japanese pitchers were a little wild, issuing seven free passes.

An exciting first game in a five game series with Japan. Tyler Frank smacked a one out two run walk off single to give the United States an opening 2-1 win. It seemed ages ago when Japan had scored their first run on a Taishi Kusumoto RBI single in the first inning. Kairi Shimada started the game off with a single in a perfect 4 for 4 day, scoring the first run for Japan.

Katsuki Azuma was denied a victory after the two run single. He pitched four innings without allowing a run, giving up only two hits and striking out 7. The United States Patrick Raby threw four innings of shutout relief, giving up just two hits.

Yoanni Yera worked seven innings and allowed just two runs. Yasmany Hernandez pitched a perfect two innings and got the win after Yordony Samon drove in the go ahead run in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly to give Cuba the 3-2 win. The United States used seven different pitchers to finish the game. Despite the win by Cuba the United States won the series three games to two.

The next opponent for the United States team is a five game series against the Japanese collegiate national team.

The Cuban bats awoke with seven runs and 13 hits in a 7-2 win over the United States collegiate team. The United States has already won the five game series with wins in the first three games. Norel Gonzalez and Juan Torriente each contributed three hits in the game, Gonzalez driving in one run and Torriente two.

Dachel Duquesne pitched seven innings of shutout three hit ball. The United States finally broke through in the ninth inning with two runs off Cuban reliever Leomil Gonzales. Cuba scored three runs in the second inning off United States starter Gianluca Dalatri to score all the runs they needed.

On July 4th the United States blanked Cuba 5-0, Tyler Holton limiting the Cuban bats to three hits in his four innings of work and five different relievers sharing the last five innings with one inning each and not giving up a hit. The Swaggerty and Walker show took the day off from an offensive standpoint, though they each still scored once. Seth Beer drove in two with a first inning double and Grant Koch scored twice to be the offensive heroes. Nick Madrigal connected for a solo shot in the third inning to give the United States an early 3-0 lead. But on this July 4th it was the pitching staff that dominated.

The win clinches a series victory for the United States. They are now 3-0 in the best of five series.

The United States pitching is proving too much for Cuba in this series. Steven Gingery stopped Cuba from crossing the plate in his five innings of work, limiting Cuba to just three hits. The United States bats gave Gingery quick support scoring five runs in the first two innings off Cuban starter Bladimir Banos in the 5-0 win. Travis Swaggerty and Steele Walker repeated their offensive heroics. Swaggerty tagged Banos for a two run homer in the opening frame. Walker doubled in two runs in the third. The duo have now combined for 7 of the 10 RBIs for the United States team in the first two games.

Jose Rodriguez had a good relief outing for Cuba going 5.1 innings of shutout ball. He restricted the United States bats to four hits. The United States bullpen of Jon Olson, Tim Cate, Bryce Tucker and Dallas Woolfolk worked an inning apiece and struck out seven in the four innings of relief.

Based on the names it does appear Cuba has sent the more talented team to North Carolina while another team is playing in the port tournament in the Netherlands. Despite all the defections Cuba is still churning out the ball players.

Seth Beer had the walk off hit in the United States 5-4 win over Cuba, but it took 10 innings to finalize the game. Steel Walker led the United States offense with four hits, including an RBI single in the 10th inning to tie the game. Travis Swaggerty was the offensive jugger naught for the United States early, scoring the first run on a wild pitch and driving in the second run with a single. He also drew a bases loaded walk in the three run tenth inning to force in a run and help secure the victory.

Cuba only got three hits against the United States pitching. One was a solo shot from Raul Gonzalez in the fourth inning. Patrick Raby went a perfect four innings for the United States in the middle frames to keep the game tied. Yoanni Yera went seven innings for Cuba.

This was the first of six games to be played in North Carolina.

The United States college national team completed their sweep against Taiwan with an 8-6 win. It was the most runs scored by Taiwan in the four game series. The runs were scored after the United States had jumped out to an early 7-0 lead after two innings. Seth Beer and Braden Shewmake each drove in two runs to lead the United States offense.

Chung Yu Chen went deep for Taiwan to drive in two runs. The United States next does battle with Cuba in a five game series. The Cubans also have a team playing in the port tournament in Netherlands.