Japan clinched a spot in the World Baseball Classic final after rallying late in the game and beating Mexico 6-5. Shohei Ohtani sparked the ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double, and Munetaka Murakami hit a two-run double, securing Japan’s victory. Rōki Sasaki impressed MLB club officials with his performance and became a sensation in his second season with the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Marines. Sasaki’s entry into the majors is all-but-certainly forthcoming in the future. Masataka Yoshida, who is joining the Boston Red Sox, hit a tying, three-run homer for Japan. Meanwhile, Mexico’s Randy Arozarena wore a large sombrero and cowboy boots while shagging flies before the game, representing the country he settled in after defecting from Cuba in his early 20s.
Japan rallied in the ninth inning, with Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff double igniting the team’s late charge. Munetaka Murakami then hit a two-run double, securing a walk-off win for Japan over Mexico with a score of 6-5. Two-time champion Japan will face the defending champion United States in the World Baseball Classic final. Ohtani went 2 for 4 and scored in the seventh inning when Masataka Yoshida hit a tying, three-run homer off reliever JoJo Romero. Ohtani’s double off losing pitcher Giovanny Gallegos was his fourth of the tournament. He’s batting .450 with nine hits, nine runs, and eight RBIs. After Ohtani got the rally started, Yoshida walked to bring up Murakami. The game began as a pitching duel between Rōki Sasaki and Patrick Sandoval, but Japan’s offensive power proved too much for Mexico’s relievers. Sasaki struck out three in four innings in his first appearance on a global stage.
Rōki Sasaki, the right-hander from the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Marines, delivered an impressive performance that caught the attention of dozens of Major League Baseball club officials. His entry into the majors is anticipated as he threw 26 pitches that exceeded 100 mph, and he has been compared to his Samurai Japan teammate Shohei Ohtani. However, Sasaki gave up five hits, including a three-run homer to Luis Urías, in his four innings of play.
Meanwhile, Patrick Sandoval threw four scoreless innings, striking out six, and allowing only four hits before being replaced by José Urquidy. Japan, known for their offensive power with 10 hits, had Masataka Yoshida hit a home run off JoJo Romero’s 2-2 changeup, bringing the team’s score to a tie. Yoshida, who is joining the Boston Red Sox, has been assigned as the team’s cleanup hitter by manager Alex Cora.
Mexico led by two runs in the eighth inning when Isaac Paredes singled to drive in Jarren Duran. However, Japan bounced back with a sacrifice fly by Hotaka Yamakawa, scoring Takumu Nakano, and bringing the team within a run. Ohtani, who doesn’t usually take batting practice on the field, did so on Monday and hit a ball so hard it bounced off the video board after clearing the second deck at loanDepot Park.
Before the game, Mexico’s Randy Arozarena wore a large sombrero and cowboy boots while shagging flies, representing the country he settled in after defecting from Cuba in his early 20s. He also posed with Ohtani. Japan shortstop Sosuke Genda played with a broken right pinky finger.
The WBC final at loanDepot Park in Miami is set to start at 7:05 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The defending champions, the United States, will play against two-time champions, Japan.
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