2023 World Baseball Classic highlights: Mexico leads Japan late

World Baseball Classic

Updated Mar. 20, 2023 10:26 p.m. EDT

The 2023 World Baseball Classic is nearing an epic conclusion! The penultimate game is Monday, with Mexico taking on Japan in the tournament’s second semifinal.

Mexico previously beat Puerto Rico, 5-4, while Japan handled Italy, 9-3. The winner of Mexico-Japan will face Team USA on Tuesday in the WBC Championship (7 p.m. ET, FS1).

Here are Monday’s top plays from loanDepot Park in Miami!

WBC: Mexico vs. Japan

FASTball

Roki Sasaki worked a one-two-three first inning for Japan with the first out coming on a 102 mph heater.

Pitching on display

Patrick Sandoval struck out the side en route to a one-two-three first inning for Mexico.

No harm done

Mexico had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the second, but Sasaki was able to induce a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.

Mexico strikes first

Rowdy Tellez and Isaac Paredes each singled with two outs in the top of the fourth, and then Luis Urias gave Mexico the lead, blasting a three-run home run to left field.

Luis Urias cranks a three-run home run to give Mexico a 3-0 lead over Japan

Luis Urias cranked a three-run home run to give Mexico a 3-0 lead over Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

Sandoval is dealing

With runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Sandoval froze Munetaka Murakami for strike three to get out of the inning.

What a moment!

It appeared that Japan was going to cut Mexico’s lead to two when Kazuma Okamoto launched a fly ball to left in the bottom of the fifth, but Randy Arozarena rose up and robbed the would-be home run.

Mexico’s Randy Arozarena robs Japan of a home run in the fifth inning

Mexico’s Randy Arozarena robbed Japan of a home run in the fifth inning during the World Baseball Classic.

Arozarena saves Mexico (again)

Shortly after Sandoval was removed from the game, Japan had the bases loaded with two outs. Kensuke Kondoh then roped Jose Urquidy‘s offering to left-center field, but Arozarena was able to track it down to get Mexico out of the fifth unscathed.

Mexico gets out of ANOTHER jam

Japan has had scoring opportunities all night, but it has been unable to capitalize. The latest shortcoming came in the bottom of the sixth when Japan left the bases loaded for a second consecutive inning.

Tie game!

With two outs and two runners on the basepaths in the bottom of the seventh, Masataka Yoshida blasted a three-run homer to right for Japan. The long ball evened up the score at three apiece.

Japan’s Masataka Yoshida launches a three-run home run to even the score against Mexico, 3-3

Japan’s Masataka Yoshida launched a three-run home run to tie the game against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

Back in front

Arozarena doubled to right in the top of the eighth, and then Alex Verdugo regained the lead for Mexico with an RBI double to left-center field.

Mexico rebuilding lead

Paredes came through with an RBI single in the eighth to give Mexico a two-run lead, though, Joey Meneses was then thrown out at the plate trying to score.

Japan gets one back

With runners on first and second and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth, Sosuke Genda bunted runners over to second and third for Japan. Then Hotaka Yamakawa hit a sacrifice fly to left, pulling Japan to within one run.

Stay tuned for updates!

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