Puerto Rico and Japan will play the U-23 Baseball World Cup Final
World No. 1 and defending champion Japan will face No. 10 Puerto Rico in the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 Final on Sunday, 15 September.
World No. 1 Japan defeated No. 17 Nicaragua in the afternoon game on Friday, taking sole possession of second place. Puerto Rico defeated No. 6 Korea in a thriller, maintaining their perfect Super Round record.
Puerto Rico (four wins) is out of reach for everybody. Only Nicaragua could tie Japan at three wins, but they would be third in any case after losing the head-to-head.
No. 24 China came from behind to beat No. 5 Venezuela. Both teams still have a chance to play for the bronze medal.
Read more about the Placement Round
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China-Venezuela 6-5
China came from behind to beat Venezuela and earn a chance to play in the bronze-medal game. Venezuela had the potential tying run at second in the bottom of the seventh.
Venezuela picked right-hander Miguel Olivares as the starting pitcher. China handed the ball to left-hander Cairang Huadan.
Huadan got some help from his third baseman Aiqi Zhang to get out of the first.
There was nothing China's defence could do when catcher Giovanni Rivero drove the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence for a two-run homer.
China struck right back and tied the game in the top of the third. Shortstop Qirui Wu hit a one-out triple with a runner at first, and second baseman Tyanyuan Hu followed with a two-out RBI double to make it a new game.
China took their first lead in the top of the sixth. Reliever Adrian Luna took the mound with a runner at second and one out. Wentao Zhang singled to put China ahead. Another run scored on a bases-loaded walk.
China added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh on a two-RBI double by Yi Zhou.
Venezuela didn't give up and came within one run from sending the game to the extra innings thanks to RBI singles by Lewis Castillo and Pedro Martinez and Brainer Bonaci's sacrifice fly.
With the potential tying run at second and the hitter representing the potential winning run, left-hander Xiang Wang got Alexander Pena to ground into a force-out giving China their first Super Round win.
GAME REPORT
Puerto Rico-Korea 3-1
A three-run homer by second baseman Jankel Ortiz gave Puerto Rico the win over Korea and a pass for the World Championship Final on Sunday, September 15.
Right-hander Agnel Mirands started for Puerto Rico, while Korea chose righty Kiho Park.
The two starters took the game through four innings with no score. The two lineups combined for two hits.
Korea scored the go ahead run without a hit. Pinch runner Sangwoo Lim scored from third on a squeeze bunt perfectly executed by second baseman Daein Hong.
The lead didn't last long. Second baseman Jankel Ortiz put Puerto Rico ahead with a three-run home run in what was just his seventh at bat in the tournament.
Korea had a runner at second in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn't advance him further.
Reliever Wonpyo Hong avoided more damage when he got out of a bases-loaded jam thanks to an inning-ending double play.
GAME REPORT
Japan-Nicaragua 9-1
Japan outscored Nicaragua allowing them only four hits while recording ten. The defending U-23 World Champions are now in sole possession of the Super Round second place.
Right-hander Kosuke Sasamori took the mound for Japan. Nicaragua handed the ball to right-hander Angel Canales.
Japan scored in their first at bat. With runners at second and first, third baseman Takanori Takahashi hit a ground-rule double to right field that gave Japan the lead.
Takuya Yamada extended Japan's lead when he homered with Shinnosuke Nishimura at third in the top of the second.
Nicaragua handed the ball to right-hander Jared Albir to end the inning.
Enmanuel Aburto recorded Nicaragua's first hit in the bottom of the third, but couldn't get beyond second base.
Left-hander Carlos Rodriguez took the mound for Nicaragua with runners at second and first and no outs in the top of the fourth. He used two pitches to get out of the at-bat. On the first, he got Ryo Arima to ground into a double play.
Japan opened the score with two outs in the top of the fifth. Kaito Yoshikawa hit an RBI single and Shinnosuke Nishimura followed with a two-RBI double to shallow right field.
Rodriguez left for Francisco Robleto, but Kenta Aiba turned the right-hander's fifth pitch into an RBI single, extending Japan's lead to 7-0.
Nicaragua got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh taking advantage of a wild approach to the game by reliever Aren Sato. The right-hander hit two batters, putting them in scoring position with a wild pitch. Nicaragua scored on a groundout.
Pinch-hitter Kazuhiro Ura made it a 9-1 game with an inside-the-park home run in the top of the seventh.
Wataru Matsuda pitched the seventh for Japan.
Alejandro Gonzalez pitched a perfect bottom of the seventh and picked up the save for Puerto Rico.
GAME REPORT
