Ohtani, Japan rally in 9th, edge Mexico 6-5, reach WBC final

WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan's Roki Sasaki delivers a pitch during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Mexico pitcher Patrick Sandoval reacts after striking out Japan's Munetaka Murakami to end the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Mexico's Luis Urias celebrates after getting a base hit during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Japan, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball A Mexico fan cheers during the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic game between Japan and Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Japan Japan fans react as they watch on a live stream of a World Baseball Classic (WBC) semifinal between Japan and Mexico being played at LoanDepot Park in Miami, during a public viewing event Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan's Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers a pitch during the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan players celebrate after Masataka Yoshida hit a home run scoring Kensuke Kondoh and Shohei Ohtani during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan players celebrate after beating Mexico 6-5 during a World Baseball Classic game, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan's Masataka Yoshida (34) watches the ball as he hits a home run scoring Kensuke Kondoh Shohei Ohtani during the seventh inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Mexico left fielder Randy Arozarena catches a ball hit by Japan's Kensuke Kondoh during the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
APTOPIX WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan players celebrate after defeating Mexico in a World Baseball Classic game, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan players celebrate after beating Mexico 6-5 during a World Baseball Classic game, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan's Shohei Ohtani celebrates a double during the ninth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
APTOPIX WBC Baseball Mexico Japan Baseball Japan's Shohei Ohtani celebrates after a double during the ninth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Mexico, Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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MIAMI (AP) — When Shohei Ohtani reached second base after hitting a leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth inning, he immediately looked up at the crowd and waved his arms, in a rare sign of emotion, as if he knew what was coming next.

Ohtani’s clutch hit sparked a late rally, and moments later Munetaka Murakami delivered a walk-off, two-run double to lift Japan over Mexico 6-5 Monday night and into the World Baseball Classic final.

Two-time champion Japan will face the defending champion United States in Tuesday night’s title game. Shota Imanaga will start for Japan — Yu Darvish had been set to pitch before a change was announced postgame. Merrill Kelly is likely to start for Team USA, which has won the WBC once.

After the game, members of Team Japan rushed the field in triumph, as Mexico players exited with their heads bowed and hands on their hips.

“These games are really critical and the foundation of baseball,” Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said through an interpreter.

Ohtani went 2 for 4. The Los Angeles Angels star scored in the seventh when Masataka Yoshida hit a tying, three-run homer off reliever JoJo Romero.

Ohtani’s double off losing pitcher Giovanny Gallegos was his fourth of the tournament. He’s batting .450 with nine hits, nine runs and eight RBIs. After Ohtani got the rally started, Yoshida walked to bring up Murakami.

In front of a crowd of 35,933 that chanted “¡Si Se Puede!” — translating to “Yes We Can!” — throughout the night, left fielder Randy Arozarena had a signature performance for Mexico. He made a leaping catch in the fifth to preserve a 3-0 lead, signed a few mid-inning autographs, then doubled and scored in the eighth to make it 4-3.

“Randy was incredible today,” Mexico manager Benji Gil said. “He gave us the opportunity to come back to the game after a home run that many teams facing this kind of team with so many stars, they could have given up, but, no, he started this rally. We fought. Again, we took the lead. They are warriors.”

The game began as a pitching duel between Rōki Sasaki and Patrick Sandoval, but Japan’s offensive power proved too much for Mexico’s relievers.

Sasaki struck out three in four innings in his first appearance on a global stage.

Dozens of MLB club officials were in attendance scouting Sasaki, who’s entry into the majors is all-but-certainly forthcoming in the future after he became a sensation last year in his second season with the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Marines. Many are already mentioning the 21-year-old right-hander in the class of his Samurai Japan teammate, Ohtani.

Twenty six of Sasaki’s 64 pitches eclipsed 100 mph.

In the fourth, Luis Urías launched Sasaki’s 90.8 mph cutter for a three-run homer to left-center field. The drive scored Rowdy Tellez and Isaac Paredes, who reached with two of the five hits Sasaki gave up.

Sandoval struck out six and allowed just four hits in four scoreless innings before he was replaced by José Urquidy.

Japan, which trails only Cuba (64) and the U.S. (63) in hits during the tournament, had 10 Monday night, including Yoshida’s home run off Romero’s 2-2 changeup that sailed just inside the right field foul line.

Yoshida is about to start his first season in the major leagues with Boston. Over the weekend, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Yoshida will start out as the team’s cleanup hitter.

“I know my hand was a little shivering, but I know that there was a good connection,” Yoshida said through a translator. “I believe in myself, and I remember I stepped into the box with a belief in myself.”

Paredes gave Mexico a two-run cushion in the eighth when he singled to left field to drive in Jarren Duran. But Japan pulled within a run on a sacrifice fly by Hotaka Yamakawa that scored Takumu Nakano, who was pinch-running for Kazuma Okamoto.

OHTANI’S BP BLAST

Ohtani doesn’t usually take batting practice on the field. He did Monday and smashed a ball with so much force that it soared above the second deck at loanDepot park and bounced off the video board, making a loud thud when it landed. Hundred of young fans gravitated toward the loanDepot Park sign where the ball was hit.

AROZARENA’S PREGAME OUTFIT

Arozarena wore a large sombrero and cowboy boots while shagging flies before the game, representing the country he settled in during his early 20s after he defected from Cuba. He also posed with Ohtani.

TRAINERS ROOM

Japan SS Sosuke Genda played with a broken right pinky finger.

UP NEXT

The WBC final at loanDepot Park in Miami starts at 7:05 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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