"All three of his hits took place within the game's first two innings, including a grand slam to right field to kick off a 10-run 2nd inning for Japan. Aside from Ohtani's grand slam, Japan kept piling on with small ball in their 2nd inning outburst; they logged four singles, one double, four walks, and a hit-by-pitch."
"Led by starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 2 2/3 innings of scoreless work, a crew of five Japanese pitchers allowed only one hit, five walks, eight strikeouts, and only three at-bats with runners in scoring position."
"Yoelkis Guibert got the scoring started with a solo home run in the 2nd inning, and Yoán Moncada would hit a two-run shot in the subsequent inning to build a three-run lead."
The World Baseball Classic pool play commenced with several games across multiple time zones. Japan defeated Chinese Taipei 13-0 at Tokyo Dome, with Shohei Ohtani delivering an immediate impact through a grand slam and five RBIs in the first two innings. Japan's 10-run second inning featured aggressive small ball tactics. The pitching staff proved equally dominant, with starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto and four relievers combining for one hit allowed and eight strikeouts. Cuba defeated Panama 3-1 in San Juan, with Yoán Moncada providing a two-run home run to establish an early lead. Both games demonstrated the high level of competition featuring MLB's established stars alongside emerging international players.
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