Japan rallies late to beat Australia behind Masataka Yoshida HR - ESPN

TOKYO — Defending champion Japan rallied from 1-0 down to beat Australia 4-3 in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday behind a two-run homer from Masataka Yoshida with two outs in the seventh inning.

Japan added two insurance runs in the eighth. Ukyo Shuto scored on Teruaki Sato's double, and Sosuke Genda came in when Ky Hampton issued a walk with the bases loaded.

Those runs were needed, as Alex Hall pulled Australia closer with a home run in the ninth, and Rixon Wingrove hit another on the next at-bat to make it 4-3.

Japan was already guaranteed of advancing to the quarterfinals, but the victory assured it of topping Pool C. Japan closes pool play Tuesday against Czechia.

Australia can clinch the other quarterfinal spot from the pool if it defeats South Korea on Monday.

Japan was kept in check throughout the game by Australian pitching until Yoshida got to Jon Kennedy, Australia's fifth pitcher of the night, with a homer to right field.

Kennedy was the losing pitcher. The win went to Chihiro Sumida, with a save for Taisei Ota.

Japan had scored all but one of its runs in the first two games of the tournament on home runs.

Australia scored in the sixth on sloppy baseball by Japan. Aaron Whitefield doubled, stole third and came home on a throwing error by Japanese catcher Kenya Wakatsuki.

Japan had its best early chance in the fourth, loading the bases with two outs and Shohei Ohtani up. However, that ended when Shugo Maki was picked off at second by Australian catcher Robbie Perkins with Ohanti standing in the box.

Although Japan had only five hits, it did draw 12 walks.

Earlier Sunday, Chinese Taipei defeated South Korea 5-4 in 10 innings with Chieh-Hsien Chen, who began as the designated runner, scoring the winning run