After nine wild innings, we still didn’t have a winner. It took until the 11th inning but Puerto Rico took down the Netherlands, 4-3, to advance to the World Baseball Classic finals for the second time in their history. They await the winner of Tuesday’s match-up between the United States and Japan. Puerto Rico remains undefeated in the 2017 WBC.
In a game that featured questionable baserunning, incredible baserunning, huge home runs, and stupendous defense, it was the—ahem—controversial tournament extra innings rule that ultimately made the difference. In order to protect pitchers and limit long games, teams start every inning from the 11th inning on with runners on first and second. That usually means a sac bunt to move the runners over and an intentional walk to create a force at every base. The Dutch were unable to capitalize in the top of the 11th, but Puerto Rico got an Eddie Rosario sacrifice fly that scored Astros shortstop Carlos Correa to send them into the championship game on Wednesday night.
It had every mark of a strange game right from the onset. Andrelton Simmons hit a lead off single for the Netherlands to start the game followed by Xander Bogaerts getting hit by a pitch. With Jurickson Profar at the plate, Puerto Rican catcher Yadier Molina backpicked to second and caught Simmons in a rundown before he was tagged out. Profar managed a hit but got a little too excited:
.@Yadimolina04’s got the ball. Stay woke. https://t.co/uM7eLPzmyf #WBC2017 pic.twitter.com/QWhwUAyoGo
— WBC Baseball (@WBCBaseball) March 21, 2017
And that turned out to be a shame for the Netherlands because human dinger machine Wladimir Balentien stepped to the plate and unleashed a monster home run to make it 2-0, Netherlands. It didn’t stay that way for long, though, as Carlos Correa, who is having quite the WBC himself, did this to a baseball to tie the game at 2:
109.5 mph exit velocity at a projected 441 feet?
— #Statcast (@statcast) March 21, 2017
That’s @TeamCJCorrea for ya. https://t.co/G5E75c5Rpt #Statcast pic.twitter.com/W3QLBptEDR
Mets farmhand T.J. Rivera hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second to make it 3-2, Puerto Rico. The baserunning exploits weren’t done, though. The score was still 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, Cubs utilityman Javier Baez tried to steal third and was called out on the tag. But, when you see the video, you can see why the call was overturned:
.@javy23baez’s checklist:
— WBC Baseball (@WBCBaseball) March 21, 2017
Tagging skills: ✅
Sliding skills: ✅#WBC2017 pic.twitter.com/nWLVSOVjuF
The Puerto Ricans were unable to score, though, and the Dutch made them pay in the very next half inning. Wladimir Balentien hit a two out double off the very top of the wall left-center and Hector Santiago was intentionally walked for Shawn Zarraga. He hit the ball of the top of the wall in left-center, scoring Balentien, but then Puerto Rico strung together this majestic relay to cut down Santiago at the plate.
This is why the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Puerto Rico are tied. #WBC2017 pic.twitter.com/fVM974pV8v
— WBC Baseball (@WBCBaseball) March 21, 2017
That play kept the score at 3-3 and, despite both teams clogging the bases, so it remained through the 10th. Mariners closer Edwin Diaz brought his nasty 98+ mph heat against Balentien and, after coming up and in on him twice, Balentien started jawing at Diaz and the benches (kinda) cleared (for a minute), though nothing came of it.
We’ll have a full preview of Tuesday’s semifinal tomorrow.
Semifinal Schedule for Tuesday, March 21
United States vs. Japan
Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
Time: 7 pm MT
TV: MLB Network
Steaming: MLV.tv
Championship Round
WBC Championship Schedule
Date | Team | vs | Team | Time | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Team | vs | Team | Time | Venue |
Semifinals | |||||
March 20 | Netherlands (3) | vs | Puerto Rico (4) | F/11 | Dodger Stadium |
March 21 | United States (2) | vs | Japan (1) | F | Dodger Stadium |
Finals | |||||
March 22 | United States | vs | Puerto Rico | 7:00 pm MT | Dodger Stadium |
Second Round Recap
WBC Pool E Schedule and Results
Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
March 11 | Cuba (1) | vs | Israel (4) | Tokyo Dome | |
March 12 | Japan (8) | vs | Netherlands (6) | Tokyo Dome | |
March 13 | Netherlands (12) | vs | Israel (2) | Tokyo Dome | |
March 14 | Cuba (5) | vs | Japan (8) | Tokyo Dome | |
March 14 | Netherlands (14) | vs | Cuba (1) | Tokyo Dome | |
March 15 | Israel (3) | vs | Japan (8) | Tokyo Dome |
Pool E Standings
Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
1 | Japan | 3 | 0 | 24 | 14 |
2 | Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 32 | 11 |
3 | Israel | 1 | 2 | 9 | 21 |
4 | Cuba | 0 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
WBC Pool F Schedule and Results
Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Team | v | Team | Time | Venue |
March 14 | Dominican Republic (1) | vs | Puerto Rico (3) | Petco Park | |
March 15 | Venezuela (2) | vs | United States (4) | Petco Park | |
March 16 | Venezuela (0) | vs | Dominican Republic (3) | Petco Park | |
March 17 | United States (5) | vs | Puerto Rico (6) | Petco Park | |
March 18 | Puerto Rico (13) | vs | Venezuela (2) | Petco Park | |
March 18 | United States (6) | vs | Dominican Republic (3) | Petco Park | |
March 19 | TBD | TBD | N/A | Petco Park |
Pool F Standings
Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Team | Wins | Losses | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
1 | Puerto Rico | 3 | 0 | 22 | 8 |
2 | United States | 2 | 1 | 15 | 11 |
3 | Dominican Republic | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
4 | Venezuela | 0 | 3 | 4 | 20 |