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The World Baseball Classic continues on FS1 as Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan battle Team China in a highly-anticipated showdown at the Tokyo Dome.
As expected, Ohtani takes the mound for the Japanese squad in his first WBC appearance, while Xiang Wang gets the ball for China.
These are the top moments from the game!
China vs. Japan
Sit ’em down!
Ohtani’s stuff was working early, and he looked poised for a stellar start as he mowed down this batter with his signature splitter in the first.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani records his first strikeout of the 2023 World Baseball Classic vs. China!
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani struck out the first batter he faced in the 2023 World Baseball Classic vs. China.
The home crowd showered Ohtani with a standing ovation as he approached the plate for his first at-bat, and China wisely stayed away from his power, putting him on base in four pitches.
Coaxing the walk
After Ohtani took care of business on the bump in the first, Japan’s offense kicked off the game with a fiery rally, bringing in its first run courtesy of a walk after loading the bases.
Out at the plate!
Japan had an opportunity to plate another run with one out, but China came up with a huge double play on a sacrifice fly attempt, as Pei Liang uncorked a laser to nab the runner.
Pei Liang makes a catch and throws out the runner at home to limit the damage for China vs. Japan
China limited the damage in the first inning after Pei Liang made a catch and threw out the runner tagging at home.
Out of a jam
Japan got the bats going again in the second inning, but China escaped danger with the bases loaded and Ohtani at the dish by forcing him into a groundout.
We got your back
Ohtani did his part to keep runners off the basepaths in the first couple of innings …
… and when he needed a little help in his efforts, his defense stepped up in a big way. Plays like this diving catch from Lars Nootbaar helped hold China scoreless through three innings.
Shotime!
Ohtani with runners in scoring position oftentimes nets positive results, and the superstar sent the home crowd into a frenzy with this opposite-field double to score two more for his squad. The momentous hit put Japan up 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
Japan takes a 3-0 lead against China thanks to Shohei Ohtani’s two-RBI double
Japan takes a 3-0 lead against China thanks to Shohei Ohtani’s RBI-double in the World Baseball Classic.
Calling for backup
Ohtani was pulled from the mound following four innings of shutout ball, and his reliever, Shosei Togo picked up right where he left off, striking out the side in his first WBC action. Ohtani finished with five strikeouts on the day.
Over and out
Have a day, Pei Liang! He had a defensive web gem in the first inning, and got China on the board for its first run of the game in the sixth inning with this mammoth homer to left center field.
Pei Liang cranks a solo home run to get China on the board against Japan, 3-1
Pei Liang cranked a solo home run to get China on the board against Japan in the World Baseball Classic, 3-1.
Oppo!
Japan tacked on an insurance run in the seventh when Shugo Maki took a hanging breaking ball over the right field fence to put his team up 4-1.
Shugo Maki launches a solo home run to extend Japan’s lead against China, 4-1
Shugo Maki launched a solo home run to extend Japan’s lead against China in the World Baseball Classic, 4-1.
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