Europe gives it’s best but falls short vs. Samurai Japan

In what is a promotion for Japan’s Olympic baseball bid in 2020, a European All Star team took on Samurai Japan, the team that beat the MLB All Stars in November 2014. The atmosphere in the Tokyo Dome was fantastic. Thousands of enthousiastic Japanese fans in the famous cheering sections.

Rob Cordemans earned the honour to start the game. When he threw the first pitch into the ground, I got a flashback that reminded me of the 2013 WBC game vs Japan. But Cordemans recovered VERY well. He was pulled after two innings in which he threw 36 pitches, gave up two walks, struck out one, but most important, didn’t give up a run. The Europeans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Kalian Sams scored after he had stretched a single into a double. He could score after Oscar Angulo hit into a double play.

Alessandro Maestri, who is pitching in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes, replaced Cordemans in relief. Maestri lasted three innings in which he threw 43 pitches, gave up four hits, walked one and allowed the Samurai to score one run in the fourth. But by then the Europeans had taken a 3-0 lead already when shortstop Oscar Angulo drove the ball deep to left center field for a double that allowed Curt Smith and Fernando Martinez  to score.

In the sixth Europe had a big chance to extend the lead when they loaded the bases but failed to score.

The Japanese proved that a baseball game ain’t over until it’s over.
In the bottom of the eighth, Samurai Japan flexed it’s muscles and scored three runs to take a 4-3 lead over Europe. Escalona was replaced by Shairon Martis. Martis could not record an out, gave up two walks and was tabbed for two runs after he was replaced by Loek van Mil.  Van Mil gave up another run but recovered in a great way by retiring the next three hitters to get out of the inning.

In the fop of the ninth, Yuji Nishino retired the side for the save.

Despite the great effort of the European team, team Japan was the better team in the end. Nevertheless it was a very entertaining game in which the Europeans showed what they are capable of.

First baseman Curt Smith was the best hitter for the Europeans. He collected three hits out of four at bats. Shortstop Oscar Angulo got the most RBI with two.

Loek van Mil was tabbed with the loss after he gave up the third and the fourth run to the Japanese.

Japanese shortstop Sakamoto went 2 for 2. He scored a run and drew two walks. Katsuki Mayatoshi earned the win for Samurai Japan. He pitched in the eighth and retired all three batters he faced.