Netherlands stunned Dominican Republic 3-2 on Saturday in their opening game at the World Baseball Classic, scoring three unearned runs to give the Dutch their greatest win in the sport.
New York Yankees pitcher Sidney Ponson, an Aruban-born right-hander with 11 years of Major League Baseball experience, allowed five hits in four innings before four Dutch hurlers threw five innings of shutout relief to take the win.
"It's a huge thing. We upset one of the best teams," Ponson said. "I told these guys don't believe they're an all-star team because they are an all-star team. Believe in yourself and throw strikes and good things will happen."
Dutch manager Rod Delmonico described the matchup as David versus Goliath with Ponson aiming the slingshot at the Dominican major league giants.
"I told you Sidney had a rock in his back pocket," Delmonico said. "I forgot to tell you that some of our bullpen had rocks in their back pockets, too. And I think that was the key."
The Dominicans, considered among the Classic favorites with a squad filled with millionaire major-league stars, must now win Sunday against the loser of a later game between Panama and Puerto Rico simply to stay in the 16-team event.
"We are against the wall. The team knows it," Dominican manager Felipe Alou said. "As I understand it, the Dominican team lost the first inning of the first Classic and then the team launched. We are forced to do the same here."
Alou blamed the weak Dominican hitting effort on the brief preparation time for the Classic but admitted the team should have batted better.
"We're not batting the ball like a Dominican team should bat. We've fallen from lethargy in bats," Alou said. "I do not see how a team with such talent cannot continue batting and not batting timely."
The shocking Dutch, who have produced less than a handful of US major leaguers, will face the Puerto Rico-Panama winner on Monday to determine the first second-round qualifier for Miami from the group.
"We've got a lot of baseball left. We're just starting the tournament," said Delmonico. "Our goal now is to get to Miami. So we've got to enjoy this and focus tomorrow at practice and get ready for Monday."
An error by Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez brought home two of the three Dutch runs in the first inning and the Netherlands rode solid defensive work and skilled relief pitching for the victory.
"I did not think we were going to get three runs and that was going to hold it with that club," Delmonico said. "We were very fortunate. Our bullpen pitched extremely well."
Rob Cordemans hurled 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and together with fellow unknowns Alex Smit, Leon Boyd and Curacao native Dennis Neuman baffled a star-studded Caribbean squad led by David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada.
"It's probably even better that they didn't know us," Cordemans said. "We've never really faced them. I don't throw 90 mph. I've got to put something else in there, change-up. It probably helps."
Tejada homered off Ponson in a losing cause. The Dominicans used ace pitcher Pedro Martinez to contain a Dutch team whose core has spent a decade together but the favorites could not overcome the poor start.
"Hopefully young kids in the Netherlands, Curacao and Aruba, will see the Netherlands just beat the Dominicans," Ponson said. "There's probably a lot of talent in the Netherlands but they don't know it yet because they like soccer."
The Dominicans were without third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball, due to a to a hip injury. The New York Yankees star confessed last month to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003.
Alou asked for faith from the Dominican's devoted fans that they could move through the losers' bracket into the next round.
"You should not bow your heads or give up. Just have faith in these guys, because they played very hard," Alou said. "I am not bowing my head. I'm disappointed. And I do trust my team."
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
