Japan uses long ball to beat Cuba
Tetsuto Yamada hits 2 home runs in 8-5 victory as Japan moves 1 win from championship round
TOKYO — Tetsuto Yamada hit two home runs to lead Japan to an 8-5 win over Cuba in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday. Pinch hitter Seiichi Uchikawa broke a 5-5 tie on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Yamada made it 8-5 with a two-run shot to centre field at Tokyo Dome.
Yamada also hit a leadoff homer in the first inning.
“I wasn’t pleased with my batting in the first four games,” Yamada said. “I was determined to do better today. I felt good in batting practice and felt this could be my day.”
Two-time champion Japan improved to 2-0 in Pool E and can advance to the March 20-22 championship round in Los Angeles with a win over Israel (1-1) today. The top two teams in the group advance.
The Netherlands (1-1) faces Cuba (0-2) in the other game.
Cuba took a 4-2 lead in the fourth on Victor Mesa’s single to left. Japan tied it in the fifth on RBIs by Norichika Aoki and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo.
Tsutsugo also had a big game at the plate for Japan. His three hits in his first three at-bats included game-tying singles in the third and fifth innings.
Japan, which finished third at the 2013 WBC, improved to 5-0 this year.
“We have some regrets from the last tournament,” Uchikawa said. “So we’ll be looking to win (today’s) game and go to the U.S. undefeated.”
Even a win over the Dutch wouldn’t guarantee the Cubans a chance to move on. They will need to wait for the result of the Japan-Israel game.
RED SOX 5, JAYS 4
FT. MYERS, Fla. (CP) — Steve Selsky’s two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning led the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in pre-season baseball action Tuesday.
Boston’s Mitch Moreland had a two-run single in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game 2-2, and Dustin Pedroia put the Red Sox ahead with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Darwin Barney’s RBI single in the seventh tied the game 3-3 before Selsky put Boston ahead two runs heading into the ninth.
Mike Ohlman hit a solo homer off Erik Cordier to pull the Jays within a run, but Shawn Haviland came on and struck out the side as the Jays left the bases loaded.
Toronto opened an early 2-0 lead on a Melvin Upton Jr. solo homer in the first inning and a Barney sacrifice fly in the second.
Cordier picked up the win while Haviland registered a save for Boston (8-10).
Danny Barnes took the loss for Toronto (5-11).