Japan beat Mexico to reach World Baseball Classic final
Japan came from behind twice to defeat Mexico 6-5 on Monday and set up a World Baseball Classic final showdown with the United States.
Munetaka Murakami drove in a walk-off two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning after Japan superstar Shohei Ohtani launched a late rally that capped a thrilling duel at Miami's LoanDepot Park.
Japan, who trailed 3-0 and 5-3 during Monday's semi, now advance to a mouthwatering final against the star-studded USA in Miami on Tuesday.
Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said after the win he had always believed in his players to dig themselves out of trouble.
"I know the more important the game it is, I think the last players become the more critical," Kuriyama said of the ninth inning rally.
"I always believed there's always the chance at the end, no matter how the game plays out."
Mexico counterpart Benji Gil meanwhile saluted the Japanese.
"We have to take off our hats to the Japanese team," Gil said.
"Neither team deserved to lose, but someone had to win. Both teams had a great performance. I think that Japan moves on, but the world of baseball won today."
Japan are chasing a record third World Baseball Classic crown after winning the tournament in 2006 and 2009.
The Asian powerhouses have been the most consistent side in this year's tournament, averaging more than nine runs per game en route to Monday's semi-final.
But for extended periods it looked as if Mexico were ready to score an upset.
A superb pitching performance from the Los Angeles Angels' Patrick Sandoval stymied Japan's vaunted offensive power through the first four innings.
Mexico meanwhile broke the game wide open in the fourth.
After bagging two outs, Japan prodigy Roki Sasaki gave up singles to Rowdy Tellez and Isaac Paredes on successive pitches before Luis Urias blasted a homer to left centerfield to put Mexico ahead 3-0.
The Houston Astros' Jose Urquidy replaced Sandoval in the fifth and navigated a bases-loaded jam to keep Japan scoreless.
Urquidy emerged unscathed from another bases-loaded situation in the sixth to frustrate Japan again.
But Mexico's resistance finally broke in the bottom of the seventh.
Boston Red Sox new signing Masataka Yoshida smashed a three-run shot to tie it up at 3-3 and Japan were back in it.
Yet Mexico responded well to start the eighth. Randy Arozarena doubled to lead off and then scored when Alex Verdugo doubled.
A Paredes single put Mexico up 5-3 and Japan were again chasing the game.
Hotaka Yamakawa's sac-fly to left field scored Takumu Nakano to trim the deficit to 5-4 heading to the ninth.
After Mexico went scoreless in the top of the inning it was left to Japan's golden boy Ohtani to start the fightback.
Ohtani doubled off Giovanny Gallegos to keep Japan alive and then the pressure piled on the Mexican pitcher as Yoshida walked and was replaced by pinch-runner Ukyo Shuto.
Murakami then stepped up to crush a double to centerfield, and Ohtani and Shuto sprinted home for a stunning walk off win.
(责任编辑:行业动态)
-
Unionized hospital workers pull out from strike
Health care workers at Chosun University Hospital hold signs and chant slogans at the hospital' ...[详细] -
一抹青绿点亮羊城!潮州橄榄亮相广州多个交通枢纽和商圈_南方+_南方plus点击图片查看专题报道千年佳果,亮相广州!近日,潮州橄榄亮屏广州地铁多个核心枢纽和广州市内的多个商圈,为湾区市民奉上冬日橄榄香。 ...[详细]
-
銆€銆€缇庝附鏃跺皻鐨勬境闂ㄥ疀鑻ヤ竴浣嶆懇鐧诲コ閮庝极绔嬪湪绁栧浗澶ч檰鐨勪笢鍗楁部娴凤紝浼樿秺鐨勫湴鐞嗕綅缃互鍙婂揩閫熷彂灞曠殑缁忔祹浣垮緱婢抽棬鎴愪负鍗氬僵澶╁爞锛屾梾娓歌儨鍦帮紝鐢变簬鍙楀湴 ...[详细]
-
闈掑矝鑱旈€氬渾婊″畬鎴?016骞撮槻姹涘伐浣淿涓浗灞变笢缃慱闈掑矝
銆€銆€浠婂勾姹涙湡鍓嶅悗锛岄潚宀涜仈閫氬叕鍙稿鏂瑰姫鍔涳紝鏈洦缁哥吉锛屽渾婊″畬鎴愪簡闃叉睕宸ヤ綔銆侟/p>銆€銆€涓虹‘淇濇睕鏈熺敓浜у拰璐骇瀹夊叏锛岃嚜5鏈堜唤璧凤紝闃叉睕宸ヤ綔渚垮凡绾冲 ...[详细] -
South Korean table tennis player Shin Yu-bin eats a banana before her women's singles semifinal ...[详细]
-
和美生活“种”出来,首届开平月山冬种农业嘉年华开幕_南方+_南方plus(2023首届开平月山冬种嘉年华,时长共2分26秒)冬去春来梦不息,奋蹄扬鞭追未来。12月27日,首届冬种农业嘉年华活动在开平市 ...[详细]
-
10月17日7时30分,搭载海尔航天冰箱的神舟十一号载人飞船在酒泉卫星发射中心成功点火发射。至此,也标志着海尔作为全球唯一四次进入太空且唯一具备航天冰箱研发能力的家电企业,凭借低温制冷等创新技术,打破 ...[详细]
-
10月21日,2016中国国际厨房博览会(简称CIKB)在上海国家会展中心拉开了帷幕。海尔热水器携燃气热水器、电热水器、太阳能热水器、燃气锅炉、净水机等多个品类集体亮相,旨在为用户提供了全屋安全用水解 ...[详细]
-
What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more
Apple's big September event is fast approaching, bringing us all the latest gadget goodies from the ...[详细] -
雅安日报/北纬网讯10月18至20日,由四川省农业科学院分析测试中心、四川省农药检定所、成都土壤肥料测试中心的专家组成评审组,对芦山县县级农产品质量安全监督检验检测站,开展具备检测机构基本条件和能力考 ...[详细]