The script couldn’t be better: Shohei Ohtani pitched in the bottom of the ninth with a full count of three balls and two strikeouts to Mike Trout, his teammate in the Los Angeles Angels, to decide the title of the World Baseball Classic in Miami.
Ohtani took a deep breath, set up a powerful pitch and only watched as Trout swung the bat to celebrate amid the frenzy of Japan, which won its third WBC title by beating the favored but resilient United States 3-2 on Tuesday at Lod Depot. The rise
This was Otani’s first shutout game since 2016 and what better time to do so than to go undefeated and to join the championship streak as the defending champions of the United States.
“The world won baseball tonight,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa told the media after the game. “Even though our players are disappointed there, I couldn’t be more proud of how they performed over the two-and-a-half weeks before facing each other. They were hard games, easy games, whatever, really with the team, and they enjoyed it.”
Japan won its first title in the first edition of the tournament in 2006 against Cuba and repeated against South Korea in 2009.
Trea Turner led the Americans’ scoring in the top of the second with a home run off pitcher Shota Imanaga. It didn’t take long for the Japanese to break even in the bottom of the second through Munetaka Murakami’s homer of Merrill Kelly.
Still in the second, Kelly found himself in trouble with the bases loaded. Aaron Lupi Kelly took the mound and singled Lars Nootbaar for Kensuke Kondoh to make it 2-1 for Japan.
The Japanese scored again in the bottom of the fourth on a home run by Kazuma Okamoto to make it 3-1. The United States got on the scoreboard with a home run by Kyle Schwarber, who scored Yu Darvish in the eighth to make it 3-2.
“If I was writing like you’re writing today, with Mike and Ohtani, I’d rather we go,” DeRosa said. “This is true, it’s true in the WBC, the whole world has got Ohtani in a great place and the battle… I really would prefer that everything went through. It was written.’
This is how we live the great game that established a new champion in the World Baseball Classic. Thank you for visiting us!
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USA 2-3 Japan
9th inning
High:
Ohtani’s voice in Japan.
McNeil walks in the 1st with four balls.
Witt Jr. came to change the runner for McNeil at 1st.
Betts connects to short and it’s a double play. 2 outs.
You are a ponchado trout. 3 outs.
The spoils are over and Japan is the champion of the World Baseball Classic!
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8ava entrance
Baja:
Williams on the mound for the USA.
Murakami was smitten when he was approached. 1 TO HIS
Okamoto was hit with a lunge. 2 outs.
Yamada walks the 1st with four balls.
Genda al bate Yamada cloak 2nd
Genda connects with a short left and is rocked. 3 outs.
High:
Darvish now takes the mound for Japan.
Arenado connected on a fly ball to center and was driven out. 1 TO HIS
Schwarber hit a home run and the USA got closer to score 3-2.
The turn connects the center and reaches the First.
Realmuto connects with the flying ball and is struck. 2 outs.
Mullins connects, flies out and is struck. 3 outs.
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7th Entry
Baja:
Now Bednar to the mound in the USA.
Kondoh hits a fly ball and is thrown out. 1 TO HIS
Ohtani connects to center and reaches first.
Yoshida connects and it’s a double story. 3 outs.
High:
Ota in Japan at the mound.
McNeil walks in the first four balls.
Betts singles to center and reaches 1st, McNeil to 2nd.
Trout throws to the right and is struck. 1 TO HIS
Goldschmidt connects at short and it’s a double play. 3 outs.
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6th entry
Baja:
Adam on the pitch for the USA.
Murakami was struck by a blow. 1 TO HIS
Okamoto was hit with a lunge. 2 outs.
Yamada hits first through four balls.
Genda al bate Yamada roba base.
Genda walks to first on four balls. men in 1st and 2nd
Yamakawa walks to 1 on four balls. A full house.
Nootbaar connects high and is struck. 3 outs.
High:
Itoh in the mound of Japan.
Turner was hit with a fly ball. 1 TO HIS
Realmuto connects with a left and is first hit a second time. 2 outs.
Mullins is beaten, beaten. 3 outs.
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5th entry
Baja:
Freeland in the stands for the USA.
Nootbaar is hit by a fly ball. 1 TO HIS
Kondoh reached first through four balls.
short and ohtans were struck. Nootbaar reaches 2nd. 2 outs.
short and Yoshida is struck. 3 outs.
High:
Takahashi at the mound of Japan.
Betts connects and reaches 1st.
The trout is shaken. 1 TO HIS
Goldschmidt was hit with a swing. 2 outs.
Arenado joins the left and reaches the first division. Men to 1st and 2nd.
Schwarber hit a fly ball and was thrown out. 3 outs.
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4th entry
Baja:
Freeland in the stands for the USA.
Okamoto hit a homerun and made Japan 3-1.
Yamada connects high and gets hit. 1 TO HIS
Genda was struck by a blow. 2 outs.
Yamakawa connects short and is struck. 3 outs.
High:
Togo on the mound of Japan.
Realmuto was struck by a blow. 1 TO HIS
Mullins connects with a right and gets hit. 2 outs.
Anderson was hit on the right. 3 outs.
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3 era Entrada
Baja:
Freeland is currently on the mound for Team USA.
Ohtani was hit by a hit. 1 TO HIS
Yoshida reached first through four balls.
Murakami connects with a short ball and it’s a double play. 3 outs.
High:
Togo on the mound of Japan.
The trout was struck by striking. 1 TO HIS
Goldschmidt hits a fly ball to the left. 2 outs.
Arenado first walked on four balls.
Schwarber walked to 1. four balls.
Turner was struck by a blow. 3 outs.
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2nd Entry
Baja:
Kelly on the mound for the United States.
Murakami with a hit and sent flying for a HOME RUN. Japan evened things up 1-1.
Okamoto connected to the right and reached the 1st.
Yamada dodges to the right and gets hit. 1 TO HIS
Genda connected to left field and reached 1. men in 1st and 2nd
Yamakawa walked 1 in four balls. A full house.
Now the makeup urn, in the hendrerit eros.
Nootbaar is connected in short and is eliminated before 1 e. Japan scored 2-1. men in 2nd and 3rd 2 outs.
Kondoh ran away and was hit. 3 outs.
High:
Imanga in the mound of Japan.
Schwarber is struck by striking. 1 TO HIS
Turner hit a home run and the USA made it 1-0.
Realmuto connected to left field and 1st.
Mullins struck a blow. 2 outs.
Anderson connected in the middle and reached first. men in 1st and 2nd
Betts connected on a left fly and was struck out. 3 outs.
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1st Entry
Baja:
Merrill Kelly took to the mound for the United States.
Nootbaar hit with a fly to the left. 1 TO HIS
Kondoh shorted up the middle and struck out before 1st. 2 outs.
Ohtani walked the first four balls.
Yoshida is hit by a punch. 3 outs.
High:
Shota Imanaga at the Japanese mound.
Betts hits a fly ball. 1 TO HIS
Trout ran to right field and reached second.
Goldschmidt striking himself with a poncho. 2 outs.
Arenado connected with short and tight. 3 outs.
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The United States team will ask for the title obtained from the 2017 World Baseball Classic against Japan, who returned from Mexico on Monday, having earned the right to fight for the championship in an exciting tournament that did not disappoint.
The Japanese are seeking their third title in the tournament, after winning the first two editions of the four that have been held so far this year.
Despite coming out on top in the first period, the United States did not show the dominance expected from the start of the tournament. Their four matches fell to Mexico and we almost won against Colombia to advance to the next season. In the playoffs, the Americans looked more comfortable and were stronger to show their potential.
You will get Inning x inning highlights LIVE from the exciting finale, starting at 4pm PT.
