"'Hanshin Starting Win - Save Yomiuri' Japan 'Anbang' also beat Taiwan. a 3-1 victory. For the third time in a row, we've actually booked the top spot in the group
Nov 16, 2024
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Japan won the third Group B Premier 12 preliminary match against Taiwan 3-1 on the 16th, winning three consecutive games.
Japan, which won the tie for first place with two consecutive wins, became the lone No. 1 player in Group B. Taiwan is second in Group B with two wins and one loss.
Japan won its first match against Australia 9-3 on the 13th, and after a break on the 14th, it came from behind to win 6-3 in the second match against South Korea on the 15th. And on the 16th, he beat Taiwan, the home team, which was in a lot of excitement with two consecutive wins, increasing his chances of ranking first in the group. Japan will play Cuba on the 17th and the Dominican Republic on the 18th.
Taiwan set the tone by beating South Korea 6-3 on the first day, and after winning 2-1 against the Dominican Republic the next day, took a day off and went on to play against Japan. He succeeded in blocking the Japanese batters with three points by using six pitchers, but failed to attack the mound and failed to overcome the difference in level. Taiwan, which had two wins and one loss, will meet Australia on the 17th and Cuba on the 18th.
On that day, Japan had Hiroto Saiki as its starting pitcher. The ace of the Hanshin Tigers with 13 wins, 3 losses and a 1.83 ERA in 25 games this season. Taiwan played Chen Bo-ching, a left-handed pitcher for Taigang in the Taiwanese league. He went 6-10 with a 3.53 ERA in 19 games.
Japan scored the first run in the top of the first inning. The lead, Masayuki Guwahara, got on base due to a third baseman error, and No. 2 Gonzono Kaito walked and got a chance to first and second bases with no outs. When No. 3 Tatsumi Ryosuke's ground ball in front of the first base, the first baseman was forced out of the second base and was on the first and third bases with one out.
No. 4 Yoshita Shota hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 1-0.
Taiwan's lead Zeng Song-eon got on base with a left-handed hit in the bottom of the second inning, but three batters were later out with a misfire.
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Japan gradually expanded its lead amid starter Saiki's scoreless pitching. After one out in the top of the fourth inning, Genda Sosuke hit a solo shot over the right fence. 3-0.
Taiwan now replaces starting Chen Bo-ching. Right-hander Hwang Eon-tsu came up, but Japan made consecutive hits by Kotaro Kurebayashi and Shogo Sakakura to create a chance with one out and runners on first and second bases. Masayuki Guwahara grounded out in front of the second base, and Kaito Kojo stepped down with a fly to left field.
Taiwan, which failed to target Saiki at all at the bottom of the fourth inning following the third inning, tried to change the atmosphere by using pinch-hitter Daipepeng when the leader, Yu Ju-sen, walked and got on base in the bottom of the fifth inning. However, the runner disappeared due to a double play in front of the first baseman. Lee Kai-way grounded out in front of the shortstop and went scoreless until the fifth inning.
Taiwan had a chance to get the first and second bases with no outs with a walk in the top of the sixth inning, but was out due to Kotaro Kurebayashi's bunt failure, Shogo Sakagura grounded out in front of the shortstop, and Masayuki Kawahara struck out swinging and failed to escape.
Taiwan's scoreless streak continued into the sixth inning. After one out, Chen Chun-wei drew a walk and after two out, Chen Jishuen's hit created a chance for the first and second bases, and Japan also finally lowered its starting Saiki and put up Suzuki Sora. Taiwan also issued a substitute. But he grounded out in front of the shortstop. Japanese starter Saiki allowed three hits, two walks and five strikeouts in five ⅔ innings.
Taiwan started its chase in the bottom of the seventh inning by scoring the first goal. Two outs later, Dafeifeng fired a superior solo shot against Japan's third pitcher Koki Kitayama.
However, Japan did not allow further pursuit. Kitayama, who came out in the bottom of the seventh inning, came out in the bottom of the eighth inning and blocked it with a three-out, and in the bottom of the ninth inning, closer Daisei Ota, who had 29 saves for the Yomiuri Giants, took the mound and finished with a three-out.
indyk@sportschosun.com
