Japan cruises to perfect Pool B record; Australia controls own fate

TOKYO -- Yoshinobu Yamamoto has won back-to-back Sawamura Awards – the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young. Most fans in Japan assume a trip to the Majors awaits in his future. He wears No. 18, the number usually reserved for the staff ace in Japan.

And yet, on this incredibly deep, extremely dominant, seemingly unstoppable Japan roster, he’s the No. 4 starter -- getting the start in Team Japan’s 7-1 victory over Australia on Sunday night. 

Yes, that’s just how loaded Team Japan is.

The game -- with the winner of Pool B on the line -- was over almost before it began. Shohei Ohtani got the scoring started with an absolute moonshot to right field that nearly smacked his own billboard square in the face to drive in three. Lars Nootbaar and Kensuke Kendoh added RBIs in the second inning and Japan didn’t look back. It was the fourth consecutive game in which Japan’s bats made plenty of noise, as it finished the first round by defeating its opponents by a combined score of 35-8. (If there’s some consolation for Australia, it’s this: It held Japan to its fewest runs in the first round.)

With Japan holding a commanding lead, Yamamoto got to work. He struck out eight batters over four innings and allowed only one base hit. It was the kind of performance the 40,000 screaming, chanting, singing fans seemingly willed into existence from the 24-year-old.

With a perfect 4-0 run through the first round, Japan will now wait to see which team from Pool A it will play on March 16. The winner of that game will advance to the semifinals in Miami.

Australia’s game against the Czech Republic now takes on increased importance on Monday. The team still controls its own destiny -- a win and it advances to the second-round for its first time in World Baseball Classic history. However, a loss and they would be tied with the Czech Republic. Should Korea defeat China, as well, the tiebreaker rules would then be in effect to determine which country advances and which nations must wait for 2026.