Three-run homers by Funayama, Koma and Tachibana power Japan to medal round

World No. 1 Japan advanced to the VII U-12 Baseball World Cup medal round with a thundering 13-1 win in five innings against No. 10 Dominican Republic. Daito Funayama, Yusuke Koma and Renji Tachibana all hit three-run homers to end the game in five innings.

Shortstop Daito Funayama drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Second baseman Ayumo Tomita brought him to third with a single and stole second. Right fielder Masaya Yabuuchi walked to load the bases. Catcher Yusuke Koma hit a deep single off the wall in right field to break the tie. Japan made it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Ren Mitsui. Peralta walked the bases loaded again and left for right-hander Hendry Vargas.

Vargas went ahead in the count, 2-0, and got designated hitter Renji Tachibana to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Japan broke the score open in the top of the second, as left fielder Arata Suzuki led off the second with a single. Center fielder Kotaro Otsuka reached on a catcher's interference. Funayama stood out once again as he turned Vargas' second pitch into a three-run homer to dead centre, his fourth homer in the VII U-12 Baseball World Cup.

Yerald Vargas took over for Hendry Vargas with runners at the corners and no one out. Koma welcomed him with a moonshot to dead centre for his sixth home run in the tournament, extending Japan's lead to 8-0.

The Dominican Republic got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth against reliever Elshin Miyano.

Japan will compete in the bronze medal game.