Kazuma Okamoto homered and drove in five runs to power Japan into the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a 9-3 victory against Italy on Thursday in Tokyo.
Shohei Ohtani (2-0) struck out five batters and allowed two runs on four hits over 4 2/3 innings to earn the victory. He also singled to spark a four-run third inning and scored two runs.
Two-time WBC champion Japan reached the semifinals for the fifth straight tournament. Japan heads to Miami and will meet the winner of Friday’s Puerto Rico-Mexico quarterfinal on Monday.
Okamoto finished 2-for-2 with a double, homer and two walks. Masataka Yoshida homered and drove in two runs, and Munetaka Murakami was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs.
Dominic Fletcher was 3-for-4 and drove in all three runs for Italy, including a solo homer against Yu Darvish in the eighth inning. Joe LaSorsa (0-1) gave up four runs on two hits and two walks.
–Field Level Media
Alex Verdugo’s single with one out in the ninth inning drove home the winning run to give the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals on Monday…
After a tough start to the 2025 campaign, the Atlanta Braves received welcome news Monday. Four-time All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (torn ACL) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday after…
Masyn Winn delivered the go-ahead home run in the seventh inning as the St. Louis Cardinals extended their winning streak to nine games with a 3-2 road victory over the…
Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. to begin rehab assignment
Masyn Winn pushes Cardinals past Phillies for 9th straight win
Tigers shellac Tanner Houck, rock Red Sox 14-2
Guardians RHP Ben Lively leaves start with forearm injury
Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM
