TOKYO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani doubled and singled for his second straight two-hit recreation, and Japan overcame a three-run deficit to beat South Korea 13-4 Friday evening for its second straight win on the World Baseball Basic.
Ohtani was deliberately walked as Japan scored 4 runs within the third inning to take a 4-3 lead, doubled and scored in a two-run fifth and hit an RBI single in a five-run sixth. The 2-way star is 4 for 7 with two doubles, three RBIs and 4 walks in Japan’s two video games whereas permitting one hit over 4 scoreless innings on the mound.
Masataka Yoshida had three hits and 5 RBIs for Japan.
The Czech Republic defeated China 8-5 within the different Group B recreation as Martin Muzik hit a go-ahead, three-run homer following a double by his brother Matej in a four-run high of the ninth.
In Group A, Cuba beat Panama 13-4 as Yoán Moncada and Yadil Mujica drove in 4 runs every, and host Taiwan defeated Italy 11-7.
JAPAN 13, SOUTH KOREA 4
TOKYO (AP) — South Korea fell to 0-2 after taking a three-run lead within the third off Yu Darvish.
Masataka Yoshida had three of Japan’s 13 hits and 5 RBIs.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida threw out the ceremonial first pitch, an indication of bettering relations between the Asian neighbors. Kishida was a highschool participant and is a fan of the Central League’s Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The Kishida bounced his ceremonial pitch, which was scooped up by Japan supervisor Hideki Kuriyana.
Euiji Yang hit a two-run homer and Jung Hoo Lee had an RBI single as South Korea jumped forward.
Japan rallied within the backside half on Lars Nootbaar’s run-scoring single and Kensuke Kondoh’s RBI double, which chased loser Kwang Hyun Kim. Ohtani was deliberately walked by Tae-in Gained and, one out later, Yoshida’s two-run single put Japan forward for good at 4-3.
Kensuke Kondoh homered off Gained main off the fifth and Yoshida’s sacrifice fly made it 6-3. Yoshida added an RBI single within the sixth and a bases-loaded stroll within the seventh.
Darvish obtained the win, permitting three runs — two earned — and three hits in three innings. He was taking part in for Japan for the primary time since 2009.
“This is perhaps the final alternative for me to pitch in my residence nation,” he mentioned via a translator.
Kunwoo Park had a solo homer for South Korea off Shota Imanaga within the sixth.
South Korea dropped to 0-2 for the second straight WBC following losses to Israel and the Netherlands in 2017.
CUBA 13, PANAMA 4
TAICHUN, Taiwan (AP) — Yadir Drake had 4 hits, and Moncada and Roel Santos three every as Cuba (1-2) rebounded from a 6-3, 10-inning loss to Italy.
Panama (1-2) overcame a 2-0 deficit with a four-run second, when Rubén Tejada hit a two-run homer and Allen Córdoba had a two-run single.
Drake had an RBI single in a four-run sixth, Moncada adopted with a go-ahead, two-run single that chased loser Matt Hardy and Luis Robert had a run-scoring single for a 6-4 lead.
Moncada added a two-run single in a five-run seventh and walked with the bases loaded in a two-run eighth.
Winner Miguel Romero allowed two hits in three scoreless innings wth 4 strikeouts and no walks.
TAIWAN 11, ITALY 7
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Kuo-Chen Fan broke a 7-7 tie with a run-scoring infield single within the seventh off Joey Marciano and Kungkuan Giljegiljaw hit a three-run homer within the eighth as host Taiwan overcame a three-run deficit and improved to 1-1.
Yu Chang hit a tying, two-run homer within the sixth off loser Stephen Woods Jr..
Winner Yen-Ching Lu pitched two hitless innings of shutout ball, working round three walks
Italy constructed a 7-4 lead as Nicky Lopez had two hits and three RBIs and Brett Sullivan had three hits.
The Netherlands leads the group at 2-0 and Italy fell to 1-1.
“It was in a really troublesome setting to play, very distinctive,” Italy supervisor Mike Piazza mentioned. ”“I nonetheless don’t know what to consider it. I believed it was a little bit little bit of a shock.
CZECH REPUBLIC 8, CHINA 5
TOKYO (AP) — Martin Zervenka’s one-out stroll off loser Hai-Cheng Gong within the ninth began the go-ahead rally because the Czechs overcame a 5-4 deficit to win their WBC debut.
After Martin Muzik’s homer put the Czechs forward, Filip Smola added a run-scoring single for the Czechs, who received their opener.
Winner Marek Minarik closed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings after Jin Yang’s RBI single off Michal Kovala capped a four-run seventh for China (0-2).
The all-amateur Czech workforce has had enjoyable in Japan. Just a few of the gamers even went browsing within the run-up to the match throughout video games in Miyazaki in southwestern Japan.
“We’re having fun with the Japanese keep,” outfielder Marek Chlup mentioned. “At Miyazaki, some gamers swam.”
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