(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
   Samurai Japan wins third game against MLB All Stars
Nederlands
 MINAMI-KU, HIROSHIMA (Japan) -
Samurai Japan recorded another come-from-behind victory on Tuesday (November 12) against the Major League Baseball All Star Team to win 5-3.
For the Japanese team, this was its third victory in four games of this years MLB Japan All-Star Series.
The MLB Team lost the first two games in Tokyo.
On Friday, the Japanese All Stars won 7-6 and on Saturday, the team recorded a convincing 12-6 victory.
On Sunday, the MLB All Star Team won its first game.
In the third game in Tokyo, the All Stars win 7-3.
The two teams now will travel to Nagoya where the final two games will be played on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Monday, the MLB Team visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome, a commemorative site that honors the victims of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city on August 6, 1945 at the end of World War 2.
The team was accompanied by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui.
Manager Don Mattingly and players Mitch Haniger and Kenta Maeda placed wreaths near the cenotaph in the park on behalf of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Thereafter, the team visited the Peace Memorial Museum.
After conclusion of the tour, Mattingly signed the official visitors book on behalf of the MLB Team.
...Kenta Maeda pitching for Japan vs. Netherlands...
...during the 2013 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
At the MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima, the home of Hiroshima Toyo Carp, the MLB All Star Team led 2-0 after seven innings on Tuesday.
Samurai Japan cut the deficit in half in the eighth inning, but the home-playing MLB Team got the run back in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 3-1 score.
However, Japan then rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth to win 5-3.
The MLB Team collected only five basehits, the Japan Team recorded ten.
Five pitchers held Japan scoreless in the first seven innings.
Kenta Maeda (Los Angeles Dodgers) started for the MLB Team.
That was a special moment for the Japanese righthander, as he had pitched nine seasons in Hiroshima before coming to the Major League.
Maeda pitched the first two innings and struckout two batters.
The MLB Team opened the score in the bottom of the second inning when Rhys Hoskins (Philadelphia Phillies) homered with two outs.
In the next four at bats, the MLB Team was retired in order three times.
The team then added its second run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Lead-off hitter Ronald Acuña, Jr. (Atlanta Braves) reached on an error, then stole second base.
Moments later, he scored when Juan Soto (Washington Nationals) followed with a double.
On Monday, Acuña was named Rookie of the Year in the National League.
Japanese pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels) won the Award in the American League.
...Ryosuke Kikuchi hitting for...
...Japan vs. Netherlands during...
...the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the eighth inning, Japan scored its first run off of reliever Collin McHugh (Houston Astros).
With one out, Shigo Akiyama hit an inside-the-park-homerun to make it a 2-1 score.
Hereafter, Ryosuke Kikuchi doubled, which was followed by a pitching change.
Vidal Nuño (Tampa Bay Rays) took over.
He walked the next batter, but then closed with two strikeouts.
The MLB Team got the run back in its eighth at bat off of new pitcher Yuki Matsui.
Amed Rosario (New York Mets) led off with a double.
He moved to third base after J.T. Realmuto (Miami Marlins) lined out to rightfield, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Santa (Philadelphia Phillies).
The 3-1 lead was not enough, as Japan then rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth to turn the game its way.
Reliever Kirby Yates (San Diego Padres), who had taken over in the previous inning, began with a walk for pinch-hitter Kazuki Tanaka.
He then stole second base and scored when next batter Seiji Uebayashi singled.
The latter advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Tsubasa Aizawa and scored the tying run on a following single by Kosuke Tanaka.
Next, Tanaka also stole second base and moved to third base on a throwing error by catcher J.T. Realmuto.
To create a force play, next batter Shogo Akiyama was walked intentionally.
Hereafter, John Brebbia (St. Louis Cardinals) took over the pitching.
With runners on first and third base, Tanaka scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice bunt by Ryosuke Kikuchi, who himself ended up on first base with a fiielder's choice.
Akiyama and Kikuchi then advanced on a passed ball and the first then scored the fifth run for Japan on a grounder by Yuki Yanagita.
Brebbia then hit next batter Hotaka Yamakawa with a pitch.
The inning then ended with a force out, but the MLB Team now trailed 5-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, Yasuaki Yamasaki took over the pitching for Japan.
He gave up an one-out single to Eugenio Suárez (Cincinnati Reds), but then retired the next two batters to end the game.
(November 12)
Related Articles:
 MLB All Stars win 1st game in Japan after 2 losses. (November 11)
MLB All Stars empty-handed vs. Samurai Japan. (November 10)
Hensley Meulens Bench Coach MLB All Stars for Japan Tour. (October 31)
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