Japan defeated Australia 7-1 in the last game of the Japanese team in the first round and showing all the strength of their hitters. Hitter Shohei Ohtani hit his first big home run of the tournament in the first inning.
The Anaheim Angels player hit the home run in the same first inning with two runners on the bases.
On account of zero balls and one strike, the Japanese took advantage of a home run that was high to return it to 113.2 miles per hour and it reached a distance of 448 feet from Tokyo Dome.
Japan scored two more runs in the second inning on Lars Nootbaar’s hit and then Kensuke Kondoh’s double. to put the board 5-0. Ohtani drove in his fourth run of the game after drawing a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning.
Another double in the sixth chapter by Yuhei Nakamura drove the seventh race of the match that sealed the victory for the Japanese team. Australia could only knock back a run in the ninth on Alex Hall’s long home run of 383 feet with a speed of 104.8 miles per hour.
With this victory, Japan qualifies in the first position of Group B and will face the Italian team that finished as second place in Group A after defeating the Netherlands in the last round.
Ohtani finished with a .500 batting average with 6 hits, 1 home run, 8 RBIs and 7 walks. He also stole a base and struck out three times. As a pitcher he also had a start and four innings with 5 strikeouts and no runs in his debut against China.
Japan’s next game will be next Wednesday, March 15 at the Tokyo Dome against Italy. This will be the first match of the quarterfinals. The semifinals and the final will be held at the Loan Depot Park in Miami in the United States.
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