Japan slugged its way to a narrow 8-6 victory over Korea in front of a sold-out crowd at the Tokyo Dome, improving to 2-0 in Pool C play at the World Baseball Classic.
Japan fell behind 3-0 early, but rallied behind the long ball. Seiya Suzuki homered twice, while Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida each added a home run of their own to spark the comeback.
Suzuki was the focal point of the offense throughout the night, also drawing a go-ahead bases-loaded walk in the seventh for his fourth RBI.
Korea jumped on Yusei Kikuchi quickly, opening the game with three straight singles to take a 1-0 lead. With two outs and two runners on, Bo Gyeong Moon lifted a low fly ball to center that Suzuki dove for but could not catch, allowing two more runs to score.
The play raised more questions about manager Hirokazu Ibata’s decision to start the natural right fielder in center field, but Suzuki quickly made amends in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer off Young Pyo Ko to cut the deficit to one.
Japan surged ahead in the bottom of the third with a barrage of home runs. Shohei Ohtani started it with a game-tying solo shot, Suzuki followed with his second homer of the game, and Masataka Yoshida went back-to-back to make it 5-3.
Ko exited after 51 pitches in 2 ⅔ innings, surrendering four runs. Kikuchi completed three innings on 63 pitches, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out four.
Korea responded in the fourth when Hyeseong Kim tied the game with a two-run home run off Hiromi Itoh, who struck out six over three innings.
Atsuki Taneichi took over in the seventh and struck out the side on just 15 pitches as the game remained tied at five.
Japan went back ahead in the bottom of the seventh as Suzuki drew a bases loaded walk, and Yoshida followed with a two-run single to push the lead to 8-5.
Korea threatened in the eighth against Yuki Matsumoto. Ju Won Kim drove in a run with an RBI single, and Korea loaded the bases with the tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first. But Matsumoto escaped the jam by striking out Hyeseong Kim looking to end the threat.
Taisei closed it out in the ninth for the save. Ukyo Shuto made a stellar jumping catch in center field on a drive by Jahmai Jones for the second out of the inning, and Jung Hoo Lee grounded out to Kazuma Okamoto at first to end the game.
Japan, who have scored 21 runs in its first two games, will face Australia tomorrow night in a matchup of undefeated teams before wrapping up Pool C play against Czechia on Tuesday.
Korea, now 1-1, will take on Chinese Taipei, currently 1-2, tomorrow before meeting Australia in a pair of crucial games that will determine whether they advance to the knockout stage.
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Photo: South Korea’s Kim Hye-seong tries to tag Japan’s Shohei Ohtani during the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game between Japan and South Korea on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
