Overview
- Japan beat South Korea 8-6 in Tokyo as Suzuki hit two home runs and drew a bases-loaded walk that put Japan ahead in the seventh.
- Shohei Ohtani homered for the second straight day and has reached base in seven of his first eight WBC plate appearances; Masataka Yoshida added a solo shot and a two-run single.
- South Korea jumped to a 3-0 first-inning lead and later tied it 5-5 on Hyeseong Kim’s two-run homer, but struck out 15 times and stranded the bases loaded in the eighth.
- Starter Yusei Kikuchi was hit hard early before Japan’s bullpen closed it out, keeping attention on run-prevention questions even as the lineup continues to produce.
- Team USA opened with a 15-5 win over Brazil highlighted by an Aaron Judge two-run homer, while Brazil’s Lucas Ramirez hit two home runs and 17-year-old Joseph Contreras touched 97.8 mph; U.S. left-hander Tarik Skubal is slated for a single planned WBC start against Great Britain.