14/10/2022 1 Minute Read

Takumi Fujii’s homer leads Japan to win against Germany

Fuji's solo homer put Japan on the scoreboard. They didn't need to look back. Germany had only two hits.

World No.1 Japan started their IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup journey with a win against Germany, 6-0, at Douliu Stadium. Takumi Fuiji’s homer in the second inning was all the offence Japan would need. Germany had only two hits against five Japanese pitchers.

After Fujii gave Japan a 1-0 lead with a solo home run, the whole Japanese lineup went at bat in the second. Ryuga Ihara tripled to right center and sent Jin Nakamura and Yuto Nakata home. Ihara later brought home a run, helping Japan end the second inning 4-0, and scored another run in the fourth inning.

Both teams made good use of their rosters to allow everyone to get a feel of the Douliu Baseball Stadium, one of Group A's two venues.

Besides starting pitcher Nicolas Gobert, five other German pitchers took the mound, including Jann Kirchhoff, Marcel Giraud, Anton Maximilian de Angelis, Samuel Steigert and Christoph Ehrich.

Japan also used five pitchers. Starter Ren Tomida and relievers Yuki Tani, Takuto Sawayanagi and Ryusei Gonda allowed Germany only two hits and combined nine strike-outs.

Japan earned one extra run in the fourth and fifth inning, expanding the lead to 6-0.

Japan won the gold medal in 2016 and the silver medal in 2018, and have started their 2022 campaign the right way if they are to reach the medal round this year.

Up next, Japan will face Venezuela, who also enjoyed a shutout win today, while Germany will play hosts Chinese Taipei.