TOKYO — Tatsuhiro Tamura’s walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted Japan over rival Korea, 8-7, and ended a dramatic opening game of the WBSC-sanctioned inaugural Asia Professional Baseball Championship 2017 Presented by ENEOS before 32,815 fans at the Tokyo Dome Thursday night.
Korea had a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 9th inning and a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the 10th inning, before Tamura (Chiba Lotte Marines – NPB) ended the back and forth battle.
Japan got on the scoreboard first in the 3rd inning off a Korea throwing error, which allowed Souke Genda (Seibu Lions – NPB) to score.
In the 4th inning, Korea’s Haseong Kim (Nexen Heroes – KBO) hit a solo home run to tie the game. Following an RBI sacrifice fly, Junghoo Lee (Nexen Heroes – KBO) popped a bases-loaded double that pushed Korea’s lead to 4-1.
In the 6th inning, Samurai slugger Hotaka Yamakawa (Seibu Lions – NPB) hit an opposite field 2-run home run off of Changmo Koo to cut Korea’s lead to 4-3.
Korea fireballer Pilljoon Jang (Samung Lions – KBO) struck out the side in the 8th to silence the Tokyo Dome, but a wild Korea bullpen walked home the tying run for Japan in the bottom of the 9th, sending the 4-4 game to extra innings.
With runners placed on first base and second base to start the 10th inning, following WBSC’s international tie-breaker rules, Korea’s Jihyuk Ryi (Doosan Bears – KBO) had an RBI single and Jusuk Ha (Hanhwa Eagles – KBO) had a 2-run double, to put Korea ahead 7-4.
Prior to Tamura’s walk-off heroics, Seiji Uebayashi (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – NPB) blasted a 3-run home run that tied the game, 7-7.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters pitcher Mizuki Hori earned the win for Samurai Japan.
Korea and Chinese Taipei will meet in Game 2 on Friday, while Japan will return on Saturday against Chinese Taipei.
