TOKYO, Japan – After winning its Premier12 opener against Australia in Nagoya, Samurai Japan traveled west to Taipei to play the remainder of its Group B games. Japan’s biggest rival, Korea, was its next challenger. The sides exchanged blows early, but Japan went ahead in the 5th inning and didn’t relinquish the lead again. The dominant pitching was the story again, as the Japanese arms combined for 17 strikeouts.
Chunichi Dragons ace Hiroto Takahashi, who led NPB with a 1.38 ERA this season, showed some rust in the early going, allowing five hits in the first two innings. Chang-Ki Hong gave Korea the lead in the 2nd with an RBI single into center field off a 97 mph fastball.
But Hirokazu Ibata’s lineup picked up Takahashi with a rally in the bottom frame as Shota Morishita and Ryoya Kurihara reached on singles, Kotaro Kiyomiya moved them along with a grounder to first, and Orix Buffaloes shortstop Kotaro Kurebayashi drove them home with a two-run single into left field to flip the score. Starter Seung-Yong Choi got the early hook as LG Twins closer Young-Chan You relieved him with two outs in the 2nd.
Kotaro Kurebayashi flips the score in Japan’s favor with a 2-run single
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) November 15, 2024
Takahashi found his groove in the 3rd, striking out the side on 13 pitches, but catcher Dong-Won Park homered to left with one out in the 4th to tie the game at two. The 22-year-old allowed just one home run in NPB during the 2024 season, but the veteran KBO catcher turned on an 89 mph cutter and dispatched it. Notably, the Premier12 ball has more carry than NPB’s dead ball.
Takahashi finished his day with seven hits and two runs allowed across four innings, though he also struck out eight batters, including superstar Do-Yeong Kim twice.
Seibu Lions southpaw Chihiro Sumida entered the game in the 5th. Speedster Min-Jae Shin led off the frame with a base hit before getting to second on a grounder and stealing third. Sumida struck out cleanup man Bo-Gyeong Moon, but pinch-hitter Dong-Hee Yoon split the gap in left-center for an RBI double to put Korea back in front, 3-2.
Korea got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning, but 20-year-old reliever Do-Gyu Kwak struggled to finish the job, walking Ryosuke Tatsumi and Morishita and drilling Kurihara. That brought up superstar Shugo Maki with the bases loaded as Young-Ha Lee entered the game. On a 1-1 count, he shot a fastball back up the middle to drive in two runs, giving Japan a 4-3 lead.
Shugo Maki delivers!
A two-run single in the 5th flips the score in favor of Japan once again.
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) November 15, 2024
In the 7th, Shota Morishita hit the Samurai’s first long ball of the tournament with a two-run bomb to left to provide Japan with two crucial insurance runs.
🇯🇵💪 Shota Morishita, ladies and gents! #Premier12 || @Premier12 pic.twitter.com/7Q9zaKo95W
— WBSC ⚾🥎 (@WBSC) November 15, 2024
Sumida settled in and pitched three strong innings in relief, striking out six. Shoma Fujihira struck out the side in the 8th. He’s punched out nine consecutive batters since the exhibition versus Czechia over the weekend. Yomiuri Giants closer Taisei threw a clean 9th to record the save, securing Japan a 6-3 victory against its rivals.
Japan improved to 2-0, while Korea fell to 1-2. Japan will play host Chinese Taipei tomorrow in a key contest that may determine the winner of Group B. Hanshin Tigers right-hander Hiroto Saiki is expected to be Japan’s starter. Korea will go up against the Dominican Republic in a must-win game for both countries.
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