Japan, Australia, Netherlands win in World Baseball Classic
Sports
Japan, Australia, Netherlands win in World Baseball Classic
TOKYO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani allowed one hit in the four innings he pitched, struck out five and was the winning pitcher Thursday in Japan’s 8-1 victory over China in Group B at the World Baseball Classic.
Ohtani also doubled off the left field wall in the fourth to score two at the Tokyo Dome and increase Japan’s lead to 3-0.
The fans got what they came for — Ohtani pitching, hitting and not disappointing the 41,616 who showed up.
Japan eventually won in a game closer than expected until the hosts broke it open late.
Besides Ohtani, the fan favorite was Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals, who made a sprawling catch is center and also led off and hit the first pitch he saw for a single in the first.
China cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth on Pei Liang’s home run, but Japan got it back in the seventh to make it 4-1 on a homer by Shugo Maki.
The Japanese added four runs in the eighth to put the game away.
Japan will next play South Korea on Friday while China takes on the Czech Republic.
