Santo Domingo. – Although it is not a traditional rivalry, the clashes between the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic have left some of the most surprising and memorable moments in the history of the international tournament.
The first clash between both teams occurred in the 2009 edition, when the Dominican team, considered one of the big favorites and led by figures like Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Hanley Ramírez, was surprised by the Dutch team. On that occasion, the Netherlands achieved a historic double victory with scores of 3-2 and 2-1, the latter in a dramatic game that extended to eleven innings, eliminating the Dominican Republic in the first round of the tournament.
Four years later, in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, the Dominican Republic national team had their chance for revenge. With a team led by Robinson Canó, Nelson Cruz, and José Bautista, the Caribbean team defeated the Netherlands on two occasions, both with a score of 4-1. The first victory came in the second round, while the second came in the semi-final held in San Francisco, where a home run by Nelson Cruz proved decisive in sealing the victory.
These results left the history between both teams tied with two victories each in the World Baseball Classic. In total, the Dominican Republic has scored 11 runs against the 7 of the Netherlands in direct confrontations.
Despite the short history between both teams, the duel has been significant for international baseball. The unexpected Dutch victory in 2009 demonstrated the growth of baseball in territories such as Curaçao and Aruba, while the Dominican response in 2013 was part of the path towards one of the most dominant championships in the history of the tournament, when the Dominican Republic conquered the title undefeated.
