In a scenario worthy of a major Japanese film, the phenomenon Shohei Ohtani and his teammates defeated the defending champion’s Americans to win the finals of the World Baseball Classic 3-2 in Miami on Tuesday night.
• Also read: All of Japan watched the World Classic!
Los Angeles Angels star Ohtani capped the win by defeating American teammate Mike Trout, who was used as a substitute to end the game.
“I’m just excited to play against this formation,” Ohtani had hinted before the game. It’s a wonderful thing for Japanese baseball.”
With the win in hand and this historic ending to the game, Ohtani couldn’t have said it better.
For the third time
Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto hit the long ball for the Japanese, but it was the Japanese pitchers who led their country to the long-awaited victory. With plenty of slingshots, Japan’s Gunners were able to outmaneuver powerful American batsmen all night. In order on the hill: Shota Imanaga, Shosei Togo, Hiroto Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh, Taisei Ota, Yu Darvish and… Ohtani
This is Japan’s third triumph in five editions of the tournament, following 2006 and 2009. Since then, the Dominican Republic had won in 2013, then the United States in the last competition, which lasted until 2017.
This final between the United States and Japan had been awaited by many baseball fans around the world. They were tens and millions of people watching the game on TV, mostly in North America and Asia. The Japanese should watch this game mostly over lunch.
In short, Japanese wisdom and strategy triumphed over American power. Hats off to Japanese manager Hideki Kuriyama!
Murakami is making a name for himself
Trout, the second batter in that game, looked to set the tone in the first inning by stretching a singles in doubles. However, his teammates couldn’t push him onto the pay plate.
After letting Japan win over Mexico the day before, Murakami leveled the game 1-1 with a solo homer late in the second set. Yakult Swallows color bearer in Tokyo, Murakami is already a big star in Japan. The 23-year-old hit 56 homers in 141 games last season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly was on the mound to start the game for the Americans. However, he had to be replaced by left-hander Aaron Loup at the end of the second inning when the cushions were all taken with just one out on the clock. The Japanese took the opportunity to score with an optional second point. Therefore, in an inning and a third of work, Kelly conceded two earned runs, three hits and two walks.
- Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced Tuesday that the World Baseball Classic will return in three years, in 2026. The Canadian team’s participation is already guaranteed as they finished in the top four teams in their group. Taiwan, China, Colombia and Nicaragua must pass the qualification.
- Japan reached the final on Monday evening after a spectacular 6-5 victory over Mexico. Munetaka Murakami had then played the Heroes at the bottom of the ninth inning with a hit that allowed teammates Shohei Ohtani and Ukyo Shuto to cross home plate and win. Ohtani had started this push himself with a brace.
- Canada shouldn’t be ashamed of their performance at this World Classic as they recorded two wins and two losses in Group C. Quebecers Édouard Julien, Otto Lopez and Abraham Toro, and pitcher Phillippe Aumont were instrumental in these results achieved in Arizona, winning against Great Britain and Colombia, then losing to the United States and Mexico.