TOKYO – Two home runs from Tetsuto Yamada lifted No. 1 Japan over No. 5 Cuba, 8-5, in the second round of the World Baseball Classic.
Before a crowd of 32,717 at the Tokyo Dome, the Yakult Swallows slugger led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a solo home run and crushed a 2-run home run in the 8th inning that pushed Japan’s lead to 8-5.
Yurisbel Graciel had a 2-run homer and Victor Mesa Jr. had 2-run single that gave Cuba a 4-2 lead in the 4th inning.
Yokohama DeNA BayStars’ Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh had 2 game-tying singles.
The win puts Japan’s foot in the door of the semi-finals in Los Angeles and extends the nation’s win-streak to five games in the global tournament.
To end the second round in Tokyo, Cuba (0-2) will face the No. 9 Netherlands (1-1), while Japan (2-0) will play No. 41 Israel (1-1).