Venezuela defeated China Taipei 2-0 today in a game played at the Tokyo Dome, in the debut of both teams in the super round of the third edition of the Premier 12 baseball tournament.
The team coached by Omar López, assistant first baseman of the Houston Astros in U.S. professional baseball, relied on the work of their pitchers to impose their favoritism, after finishing first in the American group in the qualifying phase.
After being dominated for three innings by the defeated starter Tzu-Peng Huang, the South Americans scored twice at the end of the fourth inning, when Ramón Flores hit a single and catcher Carlos Pérez disappeared the ball into left field.
Enough for a parade of eight pitchers, moved like chess pieces by the management of the team, a strategy that has allowed the Venezuelans to sign their best performance in the history of these tournaments by securing a place among the big four.
Nivaldo Rodríguez made an opening of four unblemished episodes with three hits allowed and five runs batted in, but the success went to the fourth reliever, José Álvarez, who pitched an inning and two thirds.
Oddanier Mosqueda got five outs and Enderson Franco dominated the last opponent with a strikeout to complete the 13 that the Asians took during the entire game, and get the save.
In the same scenario, the duel between the Japanese hosts, undefeated in the qualifying round of the Asian key, and the United States, second in the American section, is scheduled for this day.
