Dominican Republic and USA capture wins on Day 1 of WBSC action at Clover Park
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Photo courtesy of Ryan Dowd
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. – The WBSC Baseball Americas Qualification Event for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020 at Clover Park in St. Lucie County saw higher-ranked seeds, in #10 Dominican Republic and #2 United States, take wins in the opening day of competition. The Dominican Republic outlasted #11 Puerto Rico while the host, Team USA, used an early lead to down #15 Nicaragua 7-1.
#10 Dominican Republic 5 - #11 Puerto Rico 2: (Box Score)
Prior to the opening contest of the WBSC tournament, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and Puerto Rico native Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez was on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Dominican Republic charged out the gate in the opening frame. Three straight two-out singles gave the D.R. the 1-0 lead. An infield chopper by right fielder Julio Rodriguez recorded the first hit of the tournament. Two pitches later, a slice to left field by first baseman José Bautista put runners on the corners. On the first pitch designated hitter Juan Francisco saw, the left hander slapped a liner up the middle to plate Rodriguez, giving the D.R. an early 1-0 edge.
Puerto Rico bounced back an inning later to take the 2-1 advantage. After a one-out single by first baseman Kevin Luciano, designated hitter Bultron Reynaldo Luis Navarro crushed a two-run home run over the left field fence.
In the bottom of the third, the 10th-ranked Dominican Republic squad used a two-out RBI-double by third baseman Diego Goris to tie the game at 2-2. The gapper plated Rodriguez, who led off the inning with his second single of the day.
Three innings later, Dominican Republic rallied to take the 4-2 lead. Centerfielder Luís Liberato lifted a solo home run to deep center field, making it 3-2, while an RBI-double by second baseman Emilio Bonifacio scored Gustavo Núñez, who reached previously with a triple down the right field line.
Two defensive miscues by the Puerto Ricans allowed D.R. to add an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, increasing its tilt to 5-2. Núñez singled up the middle to drive in the fifth Dominican Republic run of the contest.
Raúl Valdés picked up the victory in the 5-2 win, going seven innings, as the left-hander surrendered just two earned runs on three hits while striking out five. Puerto Rico’s skipper Juan Gonzalez used seven pitchers in the game, as Luis Leroy Cruz was credited with the loss.
#2 USA 7 - #15 Nicaragua 1: (Box Score)
Prior to the night cap of the WBSC tournament, former Major Leaguer and Nicaraguan native Dennis “El Presidente” Martinez and Dr. Timothy Moore, the President of Indian River State College, were on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitches.
Team USA jumped out to quick 2-0 lead in the first inning of play, capitalizing on two singles and a wild pitch to start the game. With runners on second and third, third baseman Todd Frazier gave the Stars and Stripes the 1-0 lead, lifting a sacrifice fly to center. Two pitches later, right fielder Eric Filia slapped an RBI-single to shallow right, scoring centerfielder Jaren Duran from third.
Nicaragua cut the deficit in half, 2-1, in the bottom of the second inning as a bases loaded chopper to second by second baseman Benjamin Alegria scored catcher Melvin Novoa.
The second-ranked USA squad regained a two-run advantage, 3-1, in the top of the fourth as catcher Mark Kolozsvary led off the inning with a solo shot off the batter’s eye in center field at Clover Park. Later in the sixth, Team USA padded its lead with an RBI-single by Filia, bringing the advantage to 4-1.
In the ninth, Team USA added three insurance runs to clinch the 7-1 win over Nicaragua. An RBI-single by left fielder Luke Williams and two-run single by Duran wrapped up the Stars and Stripes victory.
Team USA’s starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore picked up the win, allowing one earned run on five hits. The left-hander struck out four, recording just one walk in five innings. USA relievers Brandon Dickson, Anthony Gose, and Marc Rzepczynski were unhittable, striking out a combined five batters in four innings of work. Nicaragua’s Carlos Teller was credited with the loss as the southpaw hurler surrendered three earned runs on seven hits, lasting just three and one-third innings.
Group B Results
In other WBSC action at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, eighth-ranked Venezuela outlasted a ninth-inning rally to upset seventh-ranked Cuba 6-5. During the contest, Venezuela’s designated hitter Carlos Perez had a four-RBI day, going 3-for-4 at the plate where he tallied a three-run home run and an RBI-single in the squad’s 6-5 win. Venezuela’s Robinson Chirinos also displayed power at the plate, crushing a solo home run over the left field fence in the top of the eighth.
Canada had the top highlight of day one of competition as Andrew Albers, Brendan McGuigan, and Ben Onyshko combined for a no-hitter en route to the 7-0 win. Albers, who carried a no-hitter through seven innings before being relieved by manager Ernie Witt, silenced the Colombian bats, tallying seven strikeouts. The 13th-ranked club plated six runs in the first two innings of play and added another off a solo home run by third baseman Eric Wood in the seventh inning to defeat #15 Colombia. Notably, left fielder Jacob Robson drove in three runs in the second inning with a triple.
Up Next
All four squads of Group A head south to West Palm Beach on Tuesday, June 1 in day two of the tournament. Puerto Rico will serve as the home team against Nicaragua while the United States will host the Dominican Republic.
Clover Park will welcome Group B squads, in #13 Canada, #15 Colombia, #7 Cuba, and #8 Venezuela, on Tuesday.
The complete schedule for the Baseball Americas Qualification Event for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020 can be accessed below:
Game Schedule at Clover Park
- Game 1 - FINAL: Puerto Rico 2 - Dominican Republic 5 (Box Score)
- Game 3 - FINAL: USA 7 – Nicaragua 1 (Box Score)
- Game 5: Colombia vs. Venezuela, June 1 at 1:00 p.m.
- Game 7: Canada vs. Cuba, June 1 at 7:00 p.m.
- Game 9: Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic, June 2 at 1:00 p.m.
- Game 11: Puerto Rico vs. USA, June 2 at 7:00 p.m.
- Game 15: Group A2 vs. Group B2, June 5 at 1:00 p.m.
- Game 16: Group A1 vs. Group B1, June 5 at 7:00 p.m.
After group play concludes on Wednesday, June 2, the top two finishers from each group will advance to the Super Round, where they will each play two games. Head-to-head contests among these teams from the opening round will carry over into the Super Round standings.
The team with the best Super Round record will be declared the winner and become the fifth National Team to advance to the Tokyo Olympic baseball tournament, joining world #1 Japan, #3 Korea, #5 Mexico and #18 Israel, who have already punched their ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Games.
The second and third place teams will qualify for the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier, scheduled from June 16-20 in Taiwan at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium and Douliou Baseball Stadium in Douliu City.
Tickets for the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier for Tokyo can be purchased by visiting https://oaqbaseball.com.
About Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism
Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism (formerly Treasure Coast Sports Commission) offers event owners and managers access to outstanding sport facilities, special pricing on hotels from our partners and grants to help fund your event. Located on the East Central Coast of Florida comprising Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties, the Treasure Coast is 45 minutes north of the Palm Beaches and the West Palm Beach International Airport, 90 minutes north of Ft. Lauderdale, 120 minutes north of Miami, and 120 minutes south of Orlando. Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism is the official home of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, located at the MIDFLORIDA Event Center in Port St. Lucie. For more information, visit
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