Menu

03/05/13 - Chicago Tribune - Cuba, Japan clinch secondround berths in WBC 

Japan, winner of the first two editions of baseball's elite international
competition in 2006 and 2009, also advanced thanks to a victory over
inexperienced China in Fukuoka, posting a 5-2 victory over them on Sunday.

The reigning champions benefitted from a sterling performance from starting
pitcher Kenta Maeda, who limited China to one hit and struck out six over
five scoreless innings.

Four teams will compete in Tokyo for the right to advance to the final
round at San Francisco's AT&T Park, where the semi-finals and final of the
16-team tournament will be played.

In Pool B play in Taichung, Taiwan, South Korea stayed in the hunt for a
second-round berth by shutting out Australia 6-0 on Monday after taking
charge early with three runs in the top of the first inning.

While Australia is last in Pool B with two losses, it still have a chance
to advance with a victory over the Netherlands and a Taiwan victory against
South Korea.

Taiwan leads the group with two wins, while the Netherlands and South Korea
have one win each.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York, Editing by Frank Pingue)


Original Source / Fuente Original:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-04/sports/sns-rt-us-baseball-worldbre923116-20130304_1_berths-japan-wbc