Mexico could get only one hit, a home run by Jonathan Jones in the fourth, and suffered the fitrst loss in the WBSC Premier 12 2019
Four Japanese pitchers blanked Mexico's line up with 15 strikeouts. Samurai Japan won, 3-1, in front of a crowd of 31,776 despite leaving 11 runners on base.
The lone Mexican run came on a solo home run by Jonathan Jones off starter Shota Imanaga as Mexico suffered their first loss in the WBSC Premier12 2019.
Japan’s manager Atsunori Inaba made the changes to the line up that he promised after the loss against the USA. One of the moves was promoting shortstop Hayato Sakamoto to the number two spot. Sakamoto reached on a one-out single in the top of the first, stole second and scored the first run of the game on a base hit by red-hot clean-up hitter Seiya Suzuki. Japan added one run on back to back singles by second baseman Shuta Tonosaki and left fielder Kensuke Kondo.
Sakamoto wasn't just impressing offensively. The Yomiuri Giants shortstop got Mexico’s catcher in the top of the second showcasing a plus arm. First baseman Tetsuta Yamada helped Sakamoto complete the play. The decision to start him at first and in the lead off spot of the lineup was another one of the changes made by Inaba.
Sakamoto drove in the third and final run for Japan on a base hit that spelled the end for veteran Mexican starter Horacio Ramirez . He would add another hit, going 3-for-5.
The rest of Samurai Japan line up was not that productive. Felipe Gonzalez got out of the inning retiring Suzuki and second baseman Shuta Tomosak in order.
Jesus Rios, the second Mexican reliever, retired Nobuhiro Matsuda and catcher Tsubasa Aizawa to escape a fifth inning jam with runners at second and third. Right fielder Noah Perio got Mexico out of the sixth with a brilliant catch on a deep fly by Seiya Suzuki.
Mexico didn’t have a real chance to score after Jones homered to put the tricolores on the scoreboard. Samurai starter Shota Imanaga allowed only one walk. Mexico reached with only two more runners: one walk issued by Hiroshi Kaino and a defensive error by Yoshinobu Yamamoto on a swinging bunt by shortstop Javier Salazar. Yamamoto struck out Jones on back to back 147kph/92mph sinkers to end the eighth inning and Yasuaki Yamasaki pitched a perfect ninth.
Thursday, 14 November, will be the last rest day of the WBSC Premier12 2019. The spots for Asia and the Americas in the 2020 Olympics are still open with four more games of the Super Round to be played on Friday, 15 November and Saturday, 16 November.
