TOKYO -- Japan completed an undefeated run through the first two rounds of the World Baseball Classic with an 8-3 win over Israel on Wednesday, sending the two-time champions back to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive tournament.Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh's home run broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning, and Japan went on to win a sixth consecutive game at Tokyo Dome, securing first place in Pool E and earning a trip to Dodger Stadium. Japan will play the second-place team from Pool F on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET live on MLB.TV and MLB Network).
The loss ended Israel's surprise run through WBC 2017 and sent the Netherlands to a second consecutive semifinal. The Dutch, who beat Cuba, 14-1, earlier in the day, will face the Pool F winner Monday (9 p.m. ET live on MLB.TV and MLB Network).
Japan is the only country that has made it to the semifinals each time the World Baseball Classic has been played, but its 2013 semifinal loss to Puerto Rico still stings for Japanese players, fans and baseball officials here. For four years, Japan has focused on regaining the title it won in both '06 and '09.
Right-hander Kodai Senga pitched the first five innings for Japan. Israel had just two hits until the ninth inning, when an Ike Davis single broke up the shutout. Josh Zeid pitched four scoreless innings for Israel, but reliever Dylan Axelrod gave up Tsutsugoh's home run on his second pitch of the sixth inning.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Oh, oh, Tsutsugoh: Japanese baseball has long been associated with small ball, but this version of Team Japan has sluggers. Tops among them is Tsutsugoh, who was the Most Valuable Player in Pool B in the first round and hit his third home run of the tournament Wednesday. The 25-year-old Tsutsugoh, the cleanup hitter for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, hit 44 home runs in 133 games last season. His home run off Axelrod was a no-doubter, landing deep in the seats below the center-field scoreboard.
Bullpenning, Part I: Japan's run through the tournament has also shown off a deep and talented bullpen. Senga had been part of it, but Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo chose to start him against Israel. It worked out well. Senga gave up a base hit to Sam Fuld on his second pitch of the game, and he then didn't allow another hit over five strong innings. Senga started 25 games for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks last season, going 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA.
"I was so determined not to give up any runs every inning," Senga said.
Bullpenning, Part II: Short on starting pitchers, Israel manager Jerry Weinstein gave the ball to Zeid, his closer through the first five games of the tournament. Zeid gave Israel a chance with four scoreless innings, and perhaps helped give himself a chance at a job with a Major League club. Zeid, a free agent who had 48 Major League appearances from 2013-14 with the Astros, pitched 10 scoreless innings in the tournament.
Five in the sixth: Tsutsugoh's home run put Japan ahead, but it was the four runs that scored after it that took Israel out of the game. Weinstein used four pitchers in the inning, but there were five hits, two walks (one intentional), a bases-loaded hit batter and an error before Brad Goldberg struck out Sheiichi Uchikawa to end it.
Danny Knobler/MLB.com
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