Japan ? Taiwan 3-4 (11)

TPE 002 000 100 01* 4* 9 2

JPN 000 102 000 00* 3 10 1

Box score

Taiwan opened the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands with a 4-3 win over Japan thanks to a RBI single by Kun-Sheng Lin in the top of the eleventh frame. Earlier Japan had taken a short-lived 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run single by Yuta Siozawa. But Ming Jen Kuo answered right away with a leadoff homerun in the seventh to tie the contest. Syohei Tsuruta (JPN) started and allowed four hits, two runs and two walks in three innings. Chih-Lung Huang (TPE) opposed him and conceded five hits and a run in five frames. Ching Ming Wang (not him) picked up the win, Yoichi Sakamoto took the loss.

Netherlands ? Cuba 0-1

CUB 001 000 000* 1 9 0

NED 000 000 000* 0 4 1

Box score

After the hoopla around the leaving Aroldis Chapman all day, Cuba still had a nice start into the WPT thanks to a RBI single by Rolando Merino in the top of the third, beating the Dutch team 1-0.* Starters Miguel A. Gonzalez and Diegomar Markwell silenced the offenses for most of the time. Gonzalez received the win after allowing just two hits and three walks in six scoreless innings. He no-hit the Netherlands for the first five frames. Markwell had to take the tough loss, issuing seven hits, a run and a bb in eight solid innings.

Schedule for Friday, July 3rd:
14:00 Cuba ? Japan
19:00 Taiwan ? Netherlands

For more information go to www.worldporttournament.nl