Samurai Japan's road to third World Baseball Classic trophy in 2023 tournament

Team Japan has won its third World Baseball Classic trophy after triumphing over hosts USA in Tuesday's final (March 21) in Miami.

The road to the trophy for the Japanese has been pretty straightforward, as Samurai Japan compiled an unbeaten run to the title with only one major scare – in the semi-finals against Mexico – of note.

After hosting and coming through Pool B as group winners, the Japanese won both of their single-elimination games in the quarters and semis before winning the final too to compile a 7–0 record.

Here is a look back at how Team Samurai Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Pool B Game 1: People's Republic of China 1–8 Japan

• Team line score: 1 run in 1st inning, 2 runs in 4th inning, 1 run in 7th inning, 4 runs in 8th inning, for 8 runs on 9 hits and 2 China errors
• Most hits: Lars Nootbaar, Ohtani Shohei (both 2-for-4)
• Home runs: Maki Shugo (1st of tournament, 7th inning solo HR)
• Runs batted in: Genda Sosuke 1, Kai Takuya 2, Maki Shugo 1, Murakami Munetaka 1, Ohtani 2, Yamada Tetsuto 1
• Winning pitcher: Ohtani (4.0 innings pitched, 1 hit, 0 runs allowed, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts)
• Pitching strikeouts: Ohtani 5, Togo Shosei 7, Yuasa Atsuki 3, Itoh Hiromi 2
• Overall tournament record: 1–0

Pool B Game 2: Republic of Korea 4–13 Japan

• Team line score: 4 runs in 3rd inning, 2 runs in 5th inning, 5 runs in 6th inning, 2 runs in 7th inning for 13 runs on 13 hits and 1 South Korea error
• Most hits: Yoshida Masataka (3-for-3)
• Home runs: Kondoh Kensuke (1st of tournament, 5th inning solo HR)
• Runs batted in: Kondoh 3, Murakami Munetaka 1 (total 2), Lars Nootbaar 1, Ohtani Shohei 1 (total 3), Okamoto Kazuma 1, Yoshida 5
• Winning pitcher: Darvish Yu (3.0 innings pitched, 3 hits, 3 runs allowed 2 earned, 0 walks, 1 strikeout)
• Pitching strikeouts: Darvish 1, Imanaga Shota 3, Udagawa Yuki 2, Matsui Yuki 1, Takahashi Hiroto 1
• Overall tournament record: 2–0

Pool B Game 3: Czech Republic (Czechia) 2–10 Japan

• Team line score: 3 runs in 3rd inning, 4 runs in 4th inning, 1 run in 5th inning, 2 runs in 8th inning for 10 runs on 11 hits and 1 Czechia error
• Most hits: Kondoh Kensuke (2-for-4), Yoshida Masataka (2-for-2)
• Home runs: Maki Shugo (2nd of tournament, 8th inning solo HR)
• Runs batted in: Kondoh 1 (total 4), Maki 1 (total 2), Makihara Taisei 1, Lars Nootbaar 1 (total 2), Ohtani Shohei 1 (total 4), Yamada Tetsuto 1 (total 2), Yamakawa Hotaka 1, Yoshida 3 (total 8)
• Winning pitcher: Sasaki Roki (3.2 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 run allowed unearned, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts)
• Save: Miyagi Hiroya (5.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 run allowed earned, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts)
• Pitching strikeouts: Sasaki 8, Udagawa Yuki 1 (total 3), Miyagi 7
• Overall tournament record: 3–0

Pool B Game 4: Japan 7–1 Australia

• Team line score: 3 runs in 1st inning, 2 runs in 2nd inning, 1 run in 4th inning, 1 run in 5th inning for 7 runs on 10 hits and 0 Australia errors
• Most hits: Nakamura Yuhei (3-for-3)
• Home runs: Ohtani Shohei (1st of tournament, 1st inning 3-run HR)
• Runs batted in: Kondoh Kensuke 1 (total 5), Nakamura 1, Lars Noobaar 1 (total 3), Ohtani 4 (total 8)
• Winning pitcher: Yamamoto Yoshinobu (4.0 innings pitched, 1 hit, 0 runs allowed, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts)
• Pitching strikeouts: Yamamoto 8, Takahashi Keiji 2, Ota Taisei 1, Takahashi Hiroto 2 (total 3)
• Overall tournament record: 4–0

Quarter-final: Italy 3–9 Japan

• Team line score: 4 runs in 3rd inning, 3 runs in 5th inning, 2 runs in 7th inning for 9 runs on 8 hits and 1 Italy error
• Most hits: Murakami Munetaka (2-for-3), Okamoto Kazuma (2-for-2)
• Home runs: Okamoto (1st of tournament, 3rd inning 3-run HR), Yoshida Masataka (1st of tournament, 7th inning solo HR)
• Runs batted in: Genda Sosuke 1 (total 2), Murakami 1 (total 3), Okamoto 5 (total 6), Yoshida 2 (total 10)
• Winning pitcher: Ohtani Shohei (4.2 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 runs allowed both earned, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts)
• Pitching strikeouts: Ohtani 5 (total 10), Imanaga Shota 2 (total 5), Darvish Yu 1 (total 2), Ota Taisei 1 (total 2)
• Overall tournament record: 5–0

Semi-final: Mexico 5–6 Japan

• Team line score: 3 runs in 7th inning, 1 run in 8th inning, 2 runs in 9th inning for 6 runs on 10 hits and 0 Mexico errors
• Most hits: Yoshida Masataka (3-for-4)
• Home runs: Yoshida (2nd of tournament, 7th inning 3-run HR)
• Runs batted in: Murakami Munetaka 2 (total 5), Yamakawa Hotaka 1 (total 2), Yoshida 3 (total 13 – new WBC single-tournament record)
• Starting pitcher: Sasaki Roki (4.0 innings pitched, 5 hits, 3 runs allowed all earned, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts, no decision)
• Winning pitcher: Ota Taisei (1.0 inning pitched, 0 hits, 0 runs allowed, 0 walks, 1 strikeout)
• Pitching strikeouts: Sasaki 3 (total 11), Yamamoto Yoshinobu 4 (total 12), Yuasa Atsuki 1 (total 4), Ota 1 (total 3)
• Overall tournament record: 6–0

Final: United States 2–3 Japan

• Team line score: 2 runs in 2nd inning, 1 run in 4th inning for 3 runs on 5 hits and 0 USA errors
• Most hits: Okamoto Kazuma (2-for-4)
• Home runs: Murakami Munetaka (1st of tournament, 2nd inning solo HR), Okamoto (2nd of tournament, 4th inning solo HR)
• Runs batted in: Murakami 1 (total 6), Lars Nootbaar 1 (total 4), Okamoto 1 (total 7)
• Winning pitcher: Imanaga Shota (2.0 innings pitched, 4 hits, 1 run allowed earned, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts)
• Save: Ohtani Shohei (1.0 inning pitched, 0 hits, 0 runs allowed, 1 walk, 1 strikeout)
• Pitching strikeouts: Imanaga 2 (total 7), Togo Shosei 2 (total 9), Takahashi Hiroto 2 (total 5), Itoh Hiromi 1 (total 3), Ohtani 1 (total 11)
• Overall tournament record: 7–0