Shohei Ohtani belts a grand slam in the second inning of Japan's World Baseball Classic Pool C opener against Taiwan at Tokyo Dome on March 6. (©SANKEI)
Samurai Japan's offense erupted for 10 runs in the second inning against Taiwan in a World Baseball Classic Pool C game on Friday night, March 6. Shohei Ohtani delivered the big blast, a one-out grand slam, and the reigning WBC champs cruised to a 13-0 victory.
The game was called after seven innings due to the mercy rule.
According to WBC regulations, if a team is leading by 15 runs after five innings, the game ends. If a team has a 10-run lead after seven innings, the contest also concludes.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani's Los Angeles Dodgers teammate, pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings for the win at Tokyo Dome. He threw 53 pitches (33 for strikes), walked two and struck out three.
Eight players had at least one hit for Japan. In the runaway victory, seven players scored a run, with first baseman Munetaka Murakami (Chicago White Sox) leading the way with three. Six Samurai Japan hitters drove in runs.
Ohtani opened the game with a line-drive double to right off Taiwan starter Hao Chun Cheng. Japan stranded two runners on base as Kazuma Okamoto (Toronto Blue Jays newcomer) struck out to end the scoring threat.
But in the top of the second, Japan erupted for 10 runs on seven hits, chasing Cheng from the game.
"That was the inning that really decided the game," Ohtani said in a postgame news conference. "After scoring the first few runs, we kept our focus and worked some walks, so I think we managed the game well from there."
The MLB superstar then said, "Overall, I think it was a good game."
Ohtani Ignites Japan in 2nd Inning
Murakami led off the second with a walk, followed by a Shugo Maki single. Sosuke Genda was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After Kenya Wakatsuki's pop-out in foul territory, fan favorite Ohtani stepped into the batter's box, and he delivered a game-changing blast.
On Cheng's 2-1 offering, 2023 WBC MVP Ohtani crushed a 123.6 kph curveball, sending it over the right-field wall.
Yamamoto was grateful to receive the huge run support.
"This was our first game of the tournament and to score the first run is always difficult," the 2025 World Series MVP told a postgame news conference. "But Shohei hit a huge home run to give us the momentum. So I tip my cap to him."
Moments later, the hit parade continued. With two outs, Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs) walked. Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox), a catalyst for Japan's offense at the 2023 WBC, then lashed a double to right-center to make it 5-0. Okamoto then reached on a walk, extending the inning.
With runners on first and third, Murakami hit the ball off pitcher Cheng's glove and it was retrieved by second baseman Tsung Che Cheng. The second baseman couldn't record the third out, and Okamoto scored.
Trailing 6-0 at this point, Taiwan manager Hao Jiu Tseng yanked the starting pitcher and summoned Chih Wei Hu from the bullpen.
Shugo Maki, the first batter Hu faced, was issued a base on balls.
Genda, Japan's No 8 hitter, followed with a broken-bat, two-run single to center to make it 8-0.
"I was in good form and I was glad I was able to hit the ball well," the Saitama Seibu Lions shortstop told reporters later.
The Offensive Outburst Continues
Wakatsuki extended the lead to 9-0 with a line-drive hit to right, and Ohtani got another chance to excite the home nation fans in the same inning. With two outs, he came through with a single to right, increasing the advantage to 10-0.
All told, Japan sent 15 batters to the plate during their WBC record-setting 10-run inning. In addition to its seven hits in the inning, Japan drew four walks and Genda reached base on a hit by pitch.
Hu's replacement, Tzu Chen Sha, allowed three consecutive hits at the outset of the third inning. After sharp hit balls by Suzuki and Yoshida, Okamoto stroked an RBI single to center to make it 11-0.
With two outs, Genda continued his hot hitting, poking a grounder up the middle. Yoshida and Murakami scored on the play.
The No-Hitter is Broken Up
Cleanup hitter Yu Chang had Taiwan's lone hit, a leadoff single to right in the sixth inning off Japan's Koki Kitayama.
Japan finished with 13 hits in the rout.
After Yamamoto's departure in the second, Shoma Fujihira struck out the lone batter he faced to end the third inning. Hiroya Miyagi followed with two scoreless innings. Kitayama and Ryuhei Sotani worked one inning apiece to wrap up the shutout victory.
In the first round of the WBC, pitchers are limited to a maximum of 65 pitches.
Yamamoto had a strong outing in his 2026 tourney debut.
"It's always good when you have a lot of run support," Yamamoto said, according to Kyodo News. "My pitch count went up in the second and third innings, but I'm glad that I was able to manage the game and put up 0s."
World Baseball Classic Notes
On Thursday, a pair of games kicked off Pool C play at Tokyo Dome. Australia defeated Taiwan 3-0, and South Korea beat the Czech Republic 11-4.
In Friday's early game, Australia improved to 2-0 with a 5-1 victory over the Czech Republic.
Best-selling Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny and actor Timothee Chalamet were among the celebrities who attended Samurai Japan's WBC opener on Friday night.
Up next: Taiwan and the Czech Republic, both vying for their first win after 0-2 starts, meet at 12 PM on Saturday. Japan faces South Korea on Saturday night at 7.
Los Angeles Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi will be Japan's starting pitcher against South Korea.
Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata expects a formidable challenge on Saturday.
"My impression is they're a very powerful hitting team," he told a news conference. "Honestly, I felt they have many players with the power to send the ball into the stands if you leave it up to them. Tomorrow, I think it'll be important to effectively contain that power hitting."
Looking ahead to Kikuchi's mound appearance, Ibata added, "I expect him to deliver some aggressive pitching."
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Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
