Korea vs Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic

TOKYO – On a Friday night in the crowded and noisy Tokyo Dome, Team Korea discovered that no pitcher – and no sequence of pitches – could calm the Japanese bats. I used 10 great pitchers, and no arm, fastball, or groundbreaker can solve Japan’s lineup puzzle.

Japan’s lineup has always looked like one of the most fearsome teams in the World Baseball Classic. From one to nine, there’s no break—from leadoff hitter Lars Nutbar to lonely Shuhei Ohtani, even the six-hole hitter, Kazuma Okamoto, who has five consecutive 30-plus seasons.

In their 13-4 victory over Korea, Japan’s offensive dominance could not have been more evident.

At least things started well for Korea. In a surprising turnaround, he turned on former Cardinals player Kwang Hyun Kim to start the game after weeks of hinting he would be playing in relief. But after losing to Australia, 8-7, on Thursday afternoon, this rivalry match has become a must-see.

Korea led 3-0 going into the bottom of the third, but that’s when Japan’s Samurai team woke up. The home team put four more in third, added two more in fifth, lost five in sixth and added two more in seventh.

Nootbaar went 2 for 4 and drove in a run. Kensuke Kondoh made up for an error early in the game with two hits, a home run and three RBIs.

“My pitching sailed and led to a run in the previous inning, so I wanted to make up for it,” Kondo said of his mistake in the third inning. “I’m glad I was able to take advantage of the opportunity my team-mates created.”

Red Sox free agent signing Masataka Yoshida displayed a whip-like swing and went 3-for-3 with five RBIs, while Ohtani added two hits, an RBI and two walks.

This kind of complete doom for their arch-rival will only enhance bonuses in the Japan Championship – and probably terrify any shooters who have to watch the game tape and figure out their next game plan.

For Korea, this will almost certainly be their third consecutive tournament to end in the first round. A roster with two major leaguers at the top of the lineup, superstar Jung-Hoo Lee at center field, and what was thought to be a young, promising rotation would be almost locked in the quarter-finals – if not the semi-finals and beyond in Miami.

Japan next faces the Czech Republic (5 a.m. EST), after winning its first-ever World Baseball Classic — on Saturday. Correa, meanwhile, will have time to reflect on the loss before they also take on the Czech Republic on Sunday (10pm EST Saturday FS1).