Takuya Kai who chose walks and connected them at the chance of 2 deaths, 1st and 2nd base in the 8th inning
■ Japan 5-2 Korea (4th, Semifinal, Yokohama)
On the 4th, the Japan National Baseball Team “Samurai Japan” fought the Korean national team in the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics at Yokohama Stadium and won 5-2 to secure a silver medal or higher. Tetsuto Yamada infielder (Yakult) doubled in a timely manner to wipe out the runners at the bases loaded with two outs in the 8th inning. After the match, in a television interview, coach Atsunori Inaba said, “Takuya’s walks were very big,” citing Takuya Kai’s walks (Softbank), which led to the final hit.
SAMURAI JAPAN was ahead of 2 points by the 5th inning, but was caught up in the 6th inning, and the match went to the end with the tie. When pitcher Hiromi Itoh (Nippon-Ham Fighters) showed a good relief to close the 2 innings in the 7th and 8th innings without any goals, he scored the final point in the bottom of the 8th inning.
From the first death, Yuki Yanagita outfielder (Softbank) hit the left front and went to base. Kensuke Kondoh, an outfielder (Nippon-Ham Fighters), fell to a grounder, but due to a mistake in the opponent’s battery, he was killed on second base. Here, Munetaka Murakami infielder (Yakult) was walked away from the declaration, and the turn at bat was worth it.
Kai chose a big walk in the scene of a one-stroke win. The first ball, the second ball and the in-course are severely attacked and two balls. The ball at the outer corner of the third ball also came off and became 3 balls. 3 balls 1 strike without touching the middle low of the 4th ball. The fifth ball was a racy ball with a high internal angle, but I firmly identified this and connected it to the next batter, Yamada.
2 Bases loaded with death and chances spread, and Yamada went to the at-bat. “I decided to hit from the first ball from the Next Batter’s Circle. I was going to finish straight.” As I recalled in a TV interview after the match, I played back the fastball and the sweet straight as I aimed. The two hits are timely doubles to wipe out the runners who hit the left wing fence directly. Yamada, who had shot a three-run reversal to defeat Korea in the 2019 Premier12, decided this match again.
Director Inaba said, “I’ve been able to identify and I think Takuya’s walks were very big. He put up with what he wanted to hit and chose the walks and connected them next. I think everyone’s connection went in a good direction. Acclaimed. In the 9th inning, pitcher Ryoji Kuribayashi (Hiroshima), the guardian deity, closed and defeated South Korea. With four consecutive victories from the group league, he won the gold medal for the first time in 37 years since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
(Full-Count editorial department)
.
