This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
It is my sincere hope that once you learn a bit about what we're about here that you will join the community of contributors.
Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
Japan rose to 5-1 on Michihiro Ogasawara's sacrifice fly to score Yoshinobu Takahashi in the 10th inning for a sayonara victory. Takahashi had earlier tied the game with a two-run home run off Taiwan starter Wang Chien-ming in a three-run seventh inning.
Chinese Taipei did not expect to defeat Japan, but did expect to beat Italy, to whom they lost 5-4, and the Netherlands tomorrow. But an unexpected loss to the Italians crushed their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals.
Japan will move on and play winless Greece on Sunday.