New Headline: Samurai Japan Seeks Revenge for Victory Over Confidence
On paper and on the field, Venezuela was the better team and proved it while advancing to the WBC semifinals.
MIAMI — As Pitbull’s “Fireball” thundered from the stadium speakers, Shohei Ohtani readied himself for one last chance. Standing in loanDepot Park’s third-base dugout before the bottom of the ninth inning, Ohtani went through his pre-at-bat routine. He tightened his batting gloves, fidgeted with his elbow guard and retrieved his lumber from the bat rack.
He looked as confident and as impenetrable as ever. But with his club down three runs and down to its final three outs, Ohtani would have to conjure a miracle to keep Japan’s World Baseball Classic hopes alive. It was not to be.
Neither of the two Samurai Japan hitters ahead of Ohtani reached base. And nobody — not even the greatest player on Earth — can hit a three-run homer with the bases empty. So when the Dodgers’ superstar skied a pop-out to shortstop, it marked the end of the inning, the night and Japan’s dream of back-to-back WBC titles.
Ohtani jogged meekly back to his dugout as the ballyard rumbled around him once again. This time, the reverberating stadium had nothing to do with the earworm anthems of Mr. 305.
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