Japan’s renowned player Ohtani Shohei, 32, of the LA Dodgers, hit a solo home run to tie the game against South Korea. He called the intense contest between the two nations “a match where either team could have come out victorious.” Japan won against South Korea with a score of 8-6 in the Group C round-robin game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), held at Tokyo Dome on the 7th. Although they allowed three runs early in the game, Japan made a strong comeback fueled by home runs and determination.
Ohtani mentioned during a post-game press conference, “It was an outstanding game. Either team could have come out victorious without it being unexpected.” He specifically commended Suzuki Seiya, Chicago Cubs, for his two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, calling it the pivotal moment. “Closing the gap in the score right after allowing three runs early on was important,” he noted. “Thanks to that moment, the whole team was able to approach the game with more composure.”
Ohtani also had a crucial impact. In the third inning, he hit a solo home run to left field against Ko Young-pyo of KT, equalizing the score at 3-3. This marked his second straight game with a home run, coming after the previous day’s match against Taiwan. He mentioned, “By tying the score, I believe I established a momentum that helped the subsequent hitters concentrate.”
He specifically commended Suzuki’s performance. Suzuki not only hit a two-run home run but also followed up with consecutive home runs in his subsequent at-bats, becoming the focal point of Japan’s batting order. Ohtani remarked, “Even in challenging situations, he kept his rhythm and confidently entered the batter’s box,” and added, “It was truly impressive hitting.”
Speaking about South Korea’s batting order, he remarked, “I felt that South Korea’s batting lineup is comparable to Japan’s,” and continued, “They are a genuinely strong and outstanding team.”
Japan’s national team coach Ibata Hirokazu also remarked, “The game was challenging to manage since we allowed runs early on. Nevertheless, we regained control by scoring in the following inning and kept that momentum going through the latter part of the match to win.”
Manager Ibata stated, “Even after allowing 3 runs, we could have kept struggling, but responding immediately with 2 runs was essential.” Speaking about Ohtani’s home run, he noted, “Tying the game had a positive effect on the subsequent hitters,” and added, “It was indeed an impressive hit. It greatly benefited the team.” Japan’s batting order created key moments not only through home runs but also through concentrated hitting. Manager Ibata remarked, “Suzuki’s walk-off hit and Yoshida Masataka’s two-run timely hit were important,” and said, “Yoshida’s focus at the plate is among the finest in Japanese baseball.”
He showed approval of the bullpen strategy: “Even though we don’t have many relief pitchers, Fujihara, who threw yesterday, had a solid performance, and Taneichi Atsuki also demonstrated strong pitching in his debut.” Manager Ibata shared his determination for the upcoming games: “Although there will be exhaustion from playing back-to-back games, we will bring together all our strength tomorrow to strive for a win.”
South Korea and Japan faced off in a tense battle at the full Tokyo Dome. Japan achieved a last-minute win by hitting three home runs and maintaining composure in the seventh inning, whereas South Korea missed a key chance with the bases loaded in the eighth and suffered a close defeat.
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