Shohei Ohtani electrified the crowd at the Tokyo Dome on Friday, hitting a grand slam in the second inning to power Japan to a commanding 13-0 victory over Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic’s Pool C opening game. This dominant win marked Japan’s first effort in the four-game pool schedule, showcasing their strong bid to advance in the tournament.
Japanese fans rarely get to witness Ohtani’s talents live, and this memorable game featured him doubling on the first pitch and then delivering a grand slam to right field off Taiwan’s starting pitcher Hao-Chun Cheng. Japan’s offensive explosion came early, with ten runs scored in a single 28-minute second inning that set the tone for the rest of the competition.
Japan’s Early Offensive Surge and Pitching Stability
The contest ended after seven innings due to the mercy rule, implemented in the WBC to conclude games when a team leads by a significant margin — in this case after seven innings with at least a 10-run lead. Japan batted first as the visiting team and quickly loaded the bases through a walk, a single, and a hit-by-pitch before Ohtani’s dramatic grand slam.
Japan continued to pile on runs throughout the inning, including six more after Ohtani’s blast, with reliever Chih-Wei Hu unable to stem the scoring despite finishing the frame. Ohtani himself collected five RBIs in the inning alone and recorded his third hit of the game with a single during that same rally.
Japan extended their dominance into the third inning with three additional runs off pitcher Tzu-Chen Sha, creating a 13-0 lead that would stand until the mercy rule ended play. Meanwhile, Japan’s starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, recently named the World Series MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers, contributed by allowing no hits through two innings before issuing walks and facing trouble in the third. He was replaced by Shoma Fujihira, who struck out the potential tying run to end the inning.
Ohtani’s Near Cycle and Japan’s Favoritism in the Tournament
In the fourth inning, Ohtani almost achieved the rare feat of hitting for the cycle, requiring just a triple after his earlier single, double, and grand slam. However, a leaping catch by Taiwan’s first baseman Nien-Ting Wu robbed him of the triple, showcasing the strong defensive effort despite Taiwan’s overall struggles.
As the reigning World Baseball Classic champions, Japan entered the tournament regarded as top contenders from Pool C to reach the quarterfinals and likely favorites to advance to the final scheduled for March 17 in Miami, potentially facing Team USA. On the following day, Japan was set to match up against South Korea, while Taiwan was scheduled to play the Czech Republic.
Venezuela Opens Pool D with Victory Behind Key Hits and Solid Pitching
Meanwhile, Pool D action in Miami saw Venezuela earn a victory over the Netherlands, powered by home runs and clutch hitting. Marlins’ Javier Sanoja homered in his home ballpark, complemented by Willson Contreras’ two-run single during a crucial four-run fifth inning. Venezuelan hitters Luis Arraez and Ronald Acuña Jr. contributed with multiple RBIs and runs scored, while pitcher Ranger Suarez provided an effective start, allowing just three hits and one run in two innings.
For the Dutch team, Druw Jones, son of Netherlands manager Andruw Jones and a future Hall of Famer, drove in both of his team’s runs—first with a tying double and later with a sacrifice fly. Their starter Antwone Kelly surrendered four hits and two runs across three innings. Both teams planned to continue their tournament with the Netherlands facing Nicaragua and Venezuela set to take on Israel.
Australia Remains Undefeated with Power Display Against Czech Republic
Australia maintained a perfect record in Pool C by defeating the Czech Republic 5-1, thanks in part to Chicago White Sox infielder Curtis Mead’s three-run homer in the third inning. Australia capitalized on a Czech miscue earlier in the inning and added insurance runs later, including a solo home run by Alex Hall in the ninth.
The Czechs had initially taken a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly but could not hold on as Australian starter Josh Hendrickson recorded the win. Australia looks to be among the favorites to move past Tokyo’s pool stage and into the quarterfinals, building on their prior success from three years ago when they reached the last eight before being eliminated by Cuba. Major League Baseball affiliates are present on the Australian roster, including Mead and Travis Bazzana, the top pick of the 2024 MLB amateur draft selected by the Cleveland Guardians.
Moncada and Guibert Power Cuba to Historic WBC Opener Win
In a notable development at San Juan, Puerto Rico, Yoán Moncada and Yoelquis Guibert each homered to help Cuba secure their first World Baseball Classic opening-game victory since 2013. Despite missing several Cuban-born MLB stars such as Aroldis Chapman, Randy Arozarena, and Luis Robert Jr., the Cuban team showed resilience and offensive strength.
Guibert hit his home run early with a high 2-0 fastball, and Moncada responded the next inning with a powerful 3-1 pitch homer, marking his first long ball off a left-handed pitcher since late 2023. Panama’s Johan Camargo contributed with an RBI single as Cuba’s bullpen, including Livan Moinelo, who allowed two hits in nearly four scoreless innings, and Raidel Martinez, who closed with a three-out save, effectively shut down Panama’s offense after the fifth inning.
Panama’s starter, Logan Allen, a Florida native with Panamanian roots, was charged with the loss after giving up three runs in three innings. Cuban relievers successfully maintained the team’s shutout lead to clinch the victory in a tightly contested Pool D matchup.
Upcoming Matches and Tournament Outlook
The World Baseball Classic continues with critical matchups on Saturday, including Taiwan versus the Czech Republic and Japan taking on South Korea in Pool C, as well as the Netherlands facing Nicaragua and Venezuela playing Israel in Pool D. These games will further shape the paths for teams aiming to advance to the quarterfinals held later in the tournament.
Japan’s commanding start, highlighted by Shohei Ohtani’s grand slam, and Cuba’s breakthrough win powered by Moncada’s home run, signal intense competition ahead. As top players across multiple countries vie for victory, the tournament stands as a showcase of international baseball excellence and national pride.
