Ohtani was absent, so the 'batting rate of 0.143' daily home run king burst! Full base hit → 9 runs in the 8th inning, and Japan 'going to the quarterfinals in all four games' [WBC]

*This content was translated by AI.

Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers) took a break, but there was no hit in Japanese baseball. Murakami Munetaka (26, Chicago White Sox) completely filled the spot.

The Japanese national baseball team won 9-0 in the fourth Group C match of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) against the Czech Republic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on the 10th.

He was tied 0-0 until the seventh inning, tied to Czech starter Ondrey Satoria (4 ⅔ scoreless innings), who played in his retirement game for the national team, but he blew nine runs in the top of the eighth inning to put the Czech Republic to rest at once.

As a result, Japan has won four consecutive group games and is heading to Miami, USA as No. 1 in Group C. The loser of the final match between Venezuela and the Dominican Republic will be in second place in the group and face off against Japan. The No. 1 player in the group will meet South Korea.

Japan, which has already confirmed its advance to the quarterfinals as No. 1 in Group C with three consecutive wins, played after excluding Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs). Japan, which made six hits against Satoria but failed to score, was confident of winning at once in the eighth inning.

Teruki Sato got on base with a hit ball, and Murakami struck out swinging. However, Wakatsuki Kenya's double opened the scoring, Kozono Kaito's walk and Shuto Yukyo's three-run shot widened the gap.

With two hits and one walk, he had a chance to load the bases again, and Makishugo even walked. Murakami, who entered the batter's box again, scooped up a fastball that was inserted into the top of the 87.3 mph (140.5 km) zone and cut off the Czech Republic's breath with a full base over the central fence with a distance of 129 meters.

Murakami, who had only two hits in 14 at-bats and a batting average of 0.143 RBIs and four strikeouts until the previous at-bat, regained his confidence with a single shot to end the game in the absence of Ohtani. Murakami, who won the NPB Central League Rookie of the Year award, is Japan's leading force. In 2022, he has 56 home runs, making him the most home runs in a single season among pure Japanese.

Last winter, he signed a two-year, 34 million-dollar contract with the Cubs. The Japanese media also reacted furiously to Murakami's revival. Japanese media Daily Sports reported, "Murakami, who had been in a slump with a batting average of around 10% throughout the tournament, fired his first home run of the tournament."

Murakami couldn't hide his joy, either. "I'm glad. "I was frustrated that the game didn't go well yesterday and today, but I'm glad I was able to score at the last minute," he said. "From now on, the game will be tense because the loss is over, but I will try not to lose my concentration."

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*This content was translated by AI.