Holland and Japan advance to Baseball World Cup semifinals

The Netherlands upset host Taiwan 6-3 in extra innings, and Japan blanked Australia 3-0 Friday to advance to the Baseball World Cup semifinals.

In the game against the Netherlands, Taiwan moved into a two-run lead in the third inning, which the Dutch cut in half in the sixth. They tied the hosts in the ninth on Vince Rooi's homer, before striking for four runs in the 11th.

The key hits in that frame came from Gregory Halman and Hainley Statia. Halman doubled in two runs, and Statia followed with a two-RBI single.

In the other early game Friday, Japan scored one run each in the third, seventh, and ninth innings to whitewash Australia.

In later Friday action, the U.S. faces South Korea and Cuba meets Mexico.

Mexico replaced Panama in the quarterfinal round after the International Baseball Federation found that the Panamanians failed to insure some of their players during the group stage, contravening IBF requirements. That resulted in the Mexicans vaunting ahead of their central American rivals on the strength of a superior win-loss record.