Asia Winter League: Europe recovers but loses still

After the 24-3 defeat vs the NPB talents, the European team did a lot better today.

In another high scoring game, the Europeans took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. In the top of the second inning (yes Europe was the road team once again….), they extended their lead to six runs but the CPBL team bounced back in the bottom of the same inning by scoring four runs.

After Sebastiano Poma got on base on a single in the top of the first, Alberto Mineo hit a single that drove in Poma for the opening run. With the bases loaded, shortstop Mattia Mercuri drew a bases loaded walk, followed by a ground ball single to right field hit by Maik Ehmke, team Europe took a 4-0 lead. One inning later Sabastiano Poma drove in two more runs with a single. But as he tried to stretch the single into a double, he was tagged out at second base.

The CPBL delegation scored four runs in the bottom of the second, followed by four more in the fourth, giving them a two run lead over the Europeans. But in the fourth inning, reliever Owen Ozainich wasn’t helped by the umpire and by his defense either. First of all the umpire didn’t call a couple of strikes with which Ozainich could have gotten out of the inning, but also his defense couldn’t field some hits cleanly as shortstop Mattia Mercuri and third baseman Rachid Gerard committed errors that lead to four unearned runs.

A solo homerun hit by catcher Chris Howard in the seventh inning, brought Europe within one run of team CPBL.

With runners on third and second and one out, Urving Kemp hit a fly ball to shallow right field that wasn’t enough to drive in the game tying run. But a wild pitch allowed Luca Martone to score from third after he replaced Rashid Gerard as a pinch runner.

A bases loaded sac fly in the ninth drove in Huang Jun for the walk off win.

Matz Schütte pitched the final 2.1 innings and gave up the game winning run to team CPBL. Schütte gave up one run on one hit, walked one and struck out three.

Catcher Chris Howard had a great day at bat as he went 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Europe collected ten hits: Urving Kemp (1 for 5), Sebastiano Poma (2 for 4), Alberto Mineo (1 for 5), Maik Ehmke (1 for 2), Rashid Gerard (1 for 4) and Premek Chroust (1for 1).

Europe committed four errors in total, leading to six unearned runs. Despite the loss, Europa managed to stay in the game until the very last moment.