Olympic Preliminaries, Friday Aug 15

China 8, Chinese Taipei 7
You’ll always be Chinese Taipei to us, bitches! Serious historical overtones in this matchup. China gets its first ever Olympic baseball win. It might also be their last, as baseball will be cut from the Olympics in 2012 and, up until this game, China had yet to score. This epic dogfight went 12 innings. Tied at three heading into the top of the 12th, Taiwan lit up Chinese relief pitcher Jiangang LV for four runs and seemed to have the victory in hand. But in the bottom half of the inning, Fenglian Hou singled with the bases loaded, scoring two, and an error by Taiwanese rightfielder Chien-Ming Chang allowed the winning run to score. (Hou notched the first ever hit for China on Tuesday; here he helps China win its first ever Olympic baseball game. Give that man a bungalow!) Some notable performances include Chinese centerfielder Lingfeng Sun, who went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, including a double. Catcher Wei Wang also homered. Taiwan pitcher Wei-Lun Pan came out dealing, striking out eight over a scoreless 6 1/3, but his bullpen let him down in extras. Taiwanese leftfielder Kuo-Hui Lo went 2-for-2 with a dinger. Boxscore.


Cuba 5, United States 4
This was maybe the most anticipated baseball matchup of the Olympics. Both teams came ready to play. The lead went back and forth and the game was tied heading into the 11th inning. With the new extra-inning rules in effect (that's slow-pitch softball style, in case you're wondering)the US scored one in the top half, but a two-run single in the bottom of the 11th by third baseman Michael Enriquez won the game for Cuba. USA second baseman Jayson Nix—who homered in the eighth to tie the game—later fouled a ball off his eye on an inside pitch that some on the US side felt was intentionally thrown at him. Nix’ status for the remaining games is doubtful. Cuban Alfredo Despaigne continues to tear it up--he hit a long homerun to centerfield. Cuba now stands at 3-0 and will certainly advance into the next round. The US will most likely need to win out in order to make the semi-finals. Boxscore.


Korea 1, Canada 0
Canada had been putting some runs on the board up until this game, when they ran into the buzz saw that is Korean starting pitcher Hyunjin Ryu. Ryu went the distance, allowing five hits, walking three and striking out six. The only run came on a solo shot by second baseman Keunwoo Jeong. Canadian rightfielder Michael Saunders continues to swing a hot bat, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base. Actually, if there’s a bright side for the Canucks, it’s that starter Mike Johnson went 6 1/3, allowing only one run on three hits, four walks and three Ks—he might be candidate to follow Chris Begg if the Canadians manage to advance. Korea is now 2-0, having beaten both North American teams. Boxscore.


Japan 6, Netherlands 0
Man, the Netherlands these days make everyone look like Cy Young. Japanese starter Sugiuchi went seven innings and struck out six. Both centerfielder Norichika Aoki and DH Masahiko Morino went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. And in case you’re keeping score at home, that’s 27 scoreless innings and counting now for the Dutch. I don’t know what the record for Olympic futility is, but we’ve got to be getting close here. Where’s Thor, God of Thunder, when you need him? Boxscore.