WBC 2013: Dominican Republic Reaches Final With Win Over The Netherlands

WBC News
The Dominican Republic scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and got enough pitching from starter Edinson Volquez to beat the Netherlands 4-1 in semifinal action of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. The Dominicans  remain unbeaten in the tournament and move on to meet Puerto Rico in the WBC  final  who ousted Japan yesterday.

The Dutch, who eliminated the Dominicans in the 2009 edition of the tournament, worked a run across the board in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead in the semifinal at AT&T Park. Samuel Deduno is slated to start for the Dominicans while Giancarlo Alvarado will pitch for Puerto Rico.

Volquez had some of the same control issues he had his last time out against Italy, walking the first two batters of the game to put a runner in scoring position. Andrelton Simmons, the Dutch shortstop who plays for the Braves, walked on four pitches, and Jurickson Profar, the second baseman from the Rangers.

Jose Reyes and Miguel Tejada had two hits each for the Dominicans.  Fernando Rodney pitched a perfect ninth to record his sixth save of the tournament..