US Edition
Japan Finishes World Baseball Classic Group Unbeaten, Tops Czechs 9-0 Behind Murakami's Grand Slam
- On Tuesday, defending champion Japan beat the Czech Republic 9-0 at the Tokyo Dome, completing an unbeaten 4-0 run in Pool C.
- After seven scoreless innings, Japan erupted for nine runs in the eighth, sparked by a Kenya Wakatsuki double, a William Escala error, Ukyo Shuto's three-run homer, and Munetaka Murakami's 425-foot grand slam.
- After Satoria's outing, Michal Kovala kept Japan scoreless in the eighth but stumbled, while Yumeto Kanemaru earned the win with five strikeouts in two perfect innings.
- Japan now advances to a quarterfinal on Saturday in Miami against Venezuela or the Dominican Republic, while Czech players finished 0-4 and were outscored 39-5.
- Many Czech players hold day jobs, including Ondrej Satoria, who is retiring and working as an electrician, and manager Pavel Chadim, a neurologist who wore the 2025 European championship bronze medal.
36 Articles
36 Articles
Japan Sails into Knockout Stage with Late-Inning Rally
Team Japan routed Czechia in their round-robin finale at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The Asian side was poised to cruise past the European squad. Judging by the final score, it certainly seemed that way.But upon closer inspection, the Japanese squad, which played without superstar Shohei Ohtani, struggled to get on the board.It wasn’t until Japan erupted for a nine-run rally in the eighth inning that the game was finally out of reach.Czechi…
thepress.net
Japan survive Czech scare to stay unbeaten at World Baseball Classic
Already qualified Japan were made to sweat by the Czech Republic's part-time team of teachers and firefighters before the defending World Baseball Classic champions ended pool play with a 9-0 win on Tuesday.
Japan upsets Czech Republic 0-0 in the top of the 8th inning... 9 runs scored including Murakami's grand slam in the bottom of the 8th to advance to the WBC Group C with a 4-0 record... Japan will face the 2nd place team in Group D in the quarterfinals in Miami, USA on the 15th. Japan won all 4 games in Group C of the first round of the 2026 WBC World Baseball Classic. Japan is 1
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