Venezuela was almost on the ropes against Japan in the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic. It seemed the defending champions had managed to limit the South American offense to very few runs, but they did not count on the fact that there was still time left in the game.
The Venezuelan players unleashed all their determination and made it clear to the team from the Far East that they were ready to leave every last drop of sweat on the field to prove they wanted to remain in the fight for a place in the final.
Japanese pitchers struggled in relief from the mound and allowed Venezuela to mount a comeback. The South American hitters delivered powerful blows that ultimately secured the victory and handed Major League Baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani a feeling he rarely experiences.
Shohei Ohtani was awaited by more than 100 reporters after the game
Everything appeared to indicate that Japan was heading toward another semifinal appearance in the World Baseball Classic. However, Venezuela still had much more to say, and during the final portion of the game, they began to respond.
For Ohtani, the defeat left an unusual sensation. The Japanese star is not accustomed to losing, so being on the other side of the result is something he rarely experiences. For the team from the Far East, the 2026 tournament represented an opportunity to defend their crown, and since 2017, they had won 11 consecutive games in the event.
The power of the Venezuelan hitters ultimately turned the scoreboard around, leaving it at 8-5 in their favor. With this convincing victory, Japan was eliminated before the semifinals for the first time in the tournament’s 20-year history.
All I can say is that it’s really frustrating.”…”It was the kind of game where we had chances to win. It wasn’t like we were completely overwhelmed from start to finish. I think there were definitely moments where we had opportunities to win. …
“We showed what we do well, but in the end, they overpowered us.
Ohtani said.
Although the bullpen of the team from the Land of the Rising Sun failed, the story remains different for the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar, who continues to produce extraordinary performances regardless of the opponent.
- .462
- 3 home runs
- 7 RBI in 13 at-bats
- .611 on-base percentage
- 1.231 slugging percentage
- 2 outs
After Venezuela’s first home run, delivered by Ronald Acuña Jr., Ohtani responded with the powerful swing that has become his trademark.
Of course it was a wonderful experience.”…, “but if you don’t win it all, then in a sense it’s a failure. That’s probably what the result comes down to.
Everyone was working only toward winning the championship: the manager, the staff, the people behind the scenes. Everyone was aiming for that. So, it’s very disappointing for it to end like this.
Ohtani said.
We didn’t have an option for Ohtani to pitch from the middle of the game.”…”so I don’t think I would have known what would have happened. But, of course, I would have wanted him to play.
Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata said,
Japan seemed to have the game under control with a 5-2 lead late in the contest, but the relief pitchers failed to hold the advantage, and everything collapsed in the final innings. Farewell to the reigning champion.
Read the full article here
