07/03/2024 3 Minute Read

Global Baseball Games: Japan win Game Two behind perfect pitching

Six pitchers didn't allow a runner and combined for 15 strikeouts. Delano Selassa thought he had got to Chiciro Sumida in the seventh, but centre fielder Misho Nishikawa stopped his hard-hit liner with a diving catch.

Six pitchers threw nine perfect innings as Japan shut out Europe, 2-0, in front of 25,379 fans in the second and final game of the Global Baseball games, CARNEXT SAMURAI JAPAN SERIES in Osaka, Japan on Thursday.

Yumeto Kanemaru, a 20-year-old collegiate star, set the tone by getting four of his six outs on strikes.

"All my pitches worked well," said Kanemaru through an interpreter. "I can be satisfied."

"He is a college pitcher," commented Europe's manager Marco Mazzieri. "But look at him. His fastball tops 95 miles, and he throws a splitter and a changeup for strikes. He is just a good pitcher.

Yuto Nakamura, Shinia Matsuyama and Shota Watanabe all pitched one inning. Chichiro Sumida and Atsuki Taneiki took care of the final 12 outs.

Europe never reached base, and the Japanese staff combined for 15 strikeouts. Europe's Delano Selassa thought he had got Sumida as he led off the bottom of the seventh with a hard-hit ball to the gap in left-centre, however centre fielder Misho Nishikawa got to the ball with a diving catch. Pinch hitter Wander Encarnacion was also not lucky. He led off the ninth with a deep fly to right field, which barely was foul.

"Their centre fielder plays on a different planet," commented Mazzieri.

Markus Solbach also credited the Japanese staff: "They impressed me. That splitter, in particular, inspired me. I should learn that pitch."

How it happened

Before the game, WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari welcomed the European Union Ambassador to Japan Jean-Éric Paquet, to the Kyocera Dome before Makoto Hiejima, a Japanese professional basketball player for Utsunomiya Brex of the Japanese B.League, threw the ceremonial pitch.

With runners at second and first and no one out, Alex Liddi helped Europe escape a possible first-inning jam by starting a smooth double play on a slow chopper to third by Shota Morishita.

Japan took the lead in the top of the second. Left fielder Shunsuke Tamura reached on a hard grounder to third and outran Europe's defence to second. He reached third on a groundout and scored on catcher Kuudai Yamamoto sacrifice fly.

Lars Huijer took over for Solbach on Europe's mound in the top of the third.

Japan's starter, Yumeto Kanemaru, also lasted two innings. The left-hander didn't leave Europe a chance, getting four of the six outs on strikes. Yuto Nakamura took the mound.

Europe handed the ball to Tiago Da Silva in the top of the fifth. Three Japanese pitchers, Yuto Nakamura, Shinya Matsuyama and Shota Nakamura, took care of Europe through the fifth.

Tamura reached with a base hit to the opposite field against Sven Schueller, Europe's fourth pitcher, in the top of the sixth. After a video review, he was called out at second, caught stealing.

In the bottom of the seventh, centre fielder Misho Nishikava made an impressive diving catch that literally robbed Delano Selassa of an extra-base hit.

Japan scored their second run in the top of the eighth. With one out, pinch hitter Chusei Mannami reached on a double. Baez walked Kozono and left. Matteo Bocchi worked a quick second out, and Europe's defence couldn't handle Kurebayashi's hard grounder. Chunnami scored from second.

Pinch hitter Wander Encarnacion led off the bottom of the ninth with a deep fly to the right. The ball fell barely foul. When Tatsuki Taneichi struck him out, Team Europe knew that the game was over.

JAPAN 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 = 2 (5 hits, no errors)
EUROPE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 = 0 (no hits, 2 errors)

JAPAN CF Misho Nishikawa (1-for-2), DH Kensuke Kondoh (Yasutaka Shiomi 0-1), RF Shota Morishita (1-2; Chusei Mannami 1-1), 3B Muretaka Murakami (0-2; Kaito Kozono 0-2), LF Shunsuke Tamura (1-4), SS Kotaro Kurebayashi (0-2), 2B Takumu Nakano (1-1), C Yuudai Yamamoto (0-1; Yuto Koga 0-1), 1B Takaya Ishikava (0-2).
PITCHERS Yumeto Kanemaru IP 2, K 4, BB 0, H 0, ER 0; Yuto Nakamura IP 1, K 1, BB 0, ER 0; Shinya Matsuiama IP 1, K 1, BB 0, H 0, ER 0; Shota Watanabe IP 1, K 2, BB 0, H 0, ER 0; Chichiro Sumida IP 2, K 4, BB 0, H 0, ER 0; Atsuki Taneiki IP 2, K 3, BB 0, H 0, ER 0;

EUROPE RF Delano Selassa (0-for-3), CF Marek Chlup (0-3), 3B Alex Liddi (0-3), DH Martin Cervenka (0-3), LF Daniel Jimenez (0-2; Engel Beltre 0-1), C Gabriel Lino (0-2; PH Ricardo Paolini 0-1; C Alberto Mineo), 2B Sharlon Schoop (0-2; Wander Encarnacion 0-1), 1B Marek Muzik (0-3), SS Edison Valerio (0-2; Juremi Profar).
PICHERS Markus Solbach IP 2, K 0, BB 2, H 1, ER 0; Lars Huijer IP 2, K 2, BB 1, H 2, ER 0; Tiago Da Silva IP 1, K 2, BB 0, H 0, ER 0; Sven Schueller IP 1, K 1, BB 1, H 1, ER 0; Fernando Baez IP 1.1, K 1, BB 1, H 1. ER 0; Matteo Bocchi IP 0.2, K 0, BB 0, H 0, ER 0; KEvin Kelly IP 1, K 1, BB 0, H 0, ER 0.