Tien-Mou/Taipei City. Brazil has stunned Mexico with a six-run top of the sixth to erase a three-run deficit en route to a 10-7 win. It was a back and forth affair from the beginning, highlighted by a pair of six-run innings and the first home run of the tournament. Both teams are now 1-1 at the 12U Baseball World Cup.
After both teams exchanged runs in the first, Brazil broke the tie when shortstop Eric Taniguchi homered over the left field fence in the top of the fourth, the first long ball in the tournament. Two more runs crossed the plate for the South Americans. But Mexico wasn’t shocked and answered right away. Six runs in the bottom half of the same frame turned the game around.
Until the 6th. With their last chance for a comeback, Brazil quickly loaded the bases to open the last inning. Mexico’s pitching changes weren’t able to stop the bleeding and a couple of singles evened the score. After an infield fly brought the first out, a shallow fly ball by Gabriel Matsumura dropped to the ground for a RBI fielder’s choice, bringing home the go-ahead run. RBI singles by Pedro Miyamoto and Joao Ferraz added some insurance, which wasn’t needed in the end.
Joao Ferraz ended up with four hits in four at-bats. Victor Guenji drove in three for Brazil. Victor Mascai and Luccas Makita crossed the plate twice. Kevin Garcia scored two of the seven Mexican runs, but also was on the mound for the crucial fly ball turned into a RBI fielder’s choice.
Mexico will be off on Saturday before taking on Chinese Taipei on Sunday afternoon at Tien-Mou Stadium. At the same venue Brazil is facing the Czech Republic on Saturday morning.
