TOKYO
Masataka Yoshida turned the game around with a two-run bomb in the seventh inning the other day as Japan battled to a 4-3 win against Australia and improved to 3-0 at the World Baseball Classic.Japan clinched a quarterfinal berth earlier in the day, when Taiwan’s upset of South Korea guaranteed the defending champion a top two finish in Pool C.
The win against Australia at Tokyo Dome ensured skipper Hirokazu Ibata’s team will finish on top of the pool. Despite starting as the heavy favorite, Samurai Japan struggled to generate offense against a gritty Australian outfit that came into the clash unbeaten following wins against Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
Most of the Australian team’s big-league experience came courtesy of manager Dave Nilsson — a former All-Star catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers who also spent a season as Ibata’s teammate at the Chunichi Dragons. Starting pitcher Connor MacDonald laid a solid foundation for the Australians as he limited Japan to one hit over three scoreless innings. Japan, meanwhile, received four strong shutout frames from starter Tomoyuki Sugano, who fanned two against four hits.
The Australian bullpen continued to cause problems for the defending champion, and the underdog stunned the 42,331-strong Tokyo crowd by taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth when Aaron Whitefield came home on a throwing error by catcher Kenya Wakatsuki. Yoshida put Japan on top with his second home run of the tournament, a two-out shot off left-hander Jon Kennedy.
The Boston Red Sox slugger connected with a low slider over the inside corner of the plate and sent it to the stands behind right-center field. “I was trying to make my best swing, and it ended up being a home run, so I was really happy that it worked out,” Yoshida said.Japan extended the lead to 4-1 in the eighth, with Teruaki Sato doubling home a runner and Seiya Suzuki drawing a bases-loaded walk.
