Ichiro Lifts Japan to WBC Title
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Long-time rivals South Korea and Japan ― the so-called Yankees and Red Sox of international baseball ― played up to their billing as the latter claimed the World Baseball Classic (WBC) title for the second-straight time in a 5-3 epic win, Tuesday (Seoul Time).
It was the two countries' fifth meeting in the competition, and seventh dating back to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
And it was the Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki's two-run single in the 10th inning and Japanese starter Hishshi Iwakuma's holding of the Korean offense to two hits over 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and four hits, that clinched the crown.
At a packed Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles ― a crowd of some 54,846 crowd filled the stands ― Ichiro, who came into the game with a batting average of .211, went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and Iwakuma had pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits against Korea in the Round 1 seeding game.
``We became No. 1 in the world," manager Tatsunori Hara said. ``The fact that two Asian countries were able to play against each other in the finals is something that we and the Koreans can be proud of."
``Although there is regret, we did our best," South Korean manager Kim In-sik said. ``I myself have no dissatisfaction. We kept coming back.''
Trailing 3-2 at the bottom of the ninth, manager Kim In-sik's side forced extra innings as third baseman Lee Bum-ho hit a game-tying single off Japanese closer Yu Darvish.
The right-hander Darvish, who is on the radar of Major League teams, walked Kim Hyun-soo and Kim Tae-kyun, before allowing the single to Lee, tied with six players for the most homers with three in the event.
Seiichi Uchikawa led off the 10th with a single to right and reached second on Atsunori Inaba's sacrifice bunt. Akinori Iwamura singled Uchikawa to third, and with runners on second and third and two out, Ichiro lined reliever Lim Chang-yong's eighth pitch to center to seal the victory.
``I don't know why the pitcher tried to pitch directly to Ichiro. I did not understand. In the end, it did not work out for us. The pitcher and the catcher did not communicate well in terms of their signs. And in the end, that led to the hit by (Suzuki). Of course I have a regret as to what happened."
Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the second-straight time after going 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in the Classic.
Bong Jung-keun, who won twice against Japan in pool play, was not as sharp as in previous outings, surrendering one run on six hits over four innings and walked off the mound after 94 pitches.
Japan jumped out of the gate in the third inning.
Horoyuki Nakajima led off the inning with an infield single to deep shortstop, and Norichika Aoki reached base after second baseman Ko Young-min's fielding error.
With runners on first and third and one out, Michihiro Ogasawara hit a run-scoring single to right to put his side ahead 1-0, and the Samurai Japan loaded the bases on Uchikawa's single.
But Bong, who induced two double plays in his second start, got Kenta Kurihara to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Choo Shin-soo, who smacked a three-run homer off Seattle Mariners pitcher Carlos Silva in a 10-2 humiliation of Venezuela, Sunday, hit a solo home run off Iwakuma over the center-field fence in the fifth to tie the game.
Japan extended its lead as it scored one each in the seventh and eighth.
Nakajima singled home Yasuyuki Kataoka, and Iwamura's sacrifice fly gave his side a 3-1 advantage.
Lee Bum-ho opened the eighth with a double, reached third on Ko Young-min's grounder and scored on pinch-hitter Lee Dae-ho's sacrifice fly to deep center.