MIAMI (AP) — Wilyer Abreu hit a go-ahead, three-run homer after Maikel Garcia sparked the comeback with a two-run shot, and Venezuela beat Shohei Ohtani and defending champion Japan 8-5 in the World Baseball Classic to advance to the semifinals. Venezuela reached its first WBC semis since 2009 and clinched a spot in the six-nation field for the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament, along with the United States and the Dominican Republic. Venezuela will face unbeaten Italy on Monday, a day after the U.S. plays the Dominicans. Shohei Ohtani hit his third home run of the tournament for Japan but also popped out for the final out.
Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr. combine for first WBC game with two leadoff home runs
MIAMI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. got the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal off to a pulsating start, combining for the first WBC game with two leadoff homers. Acuña homered on the second pitch from World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, driving a fastball 401 feet to right-center for his second home run of the tournament. Ohtani led off the bottom half against Ranger Suárez with a 427-foot drive to center on a 2-1 slider, a ball that was 113.6 mph off the bat. Ohtani watched the ball, flipped his bat and motioned with both hands to teammates in the third-base dugout. The home run was Ohtani’s third of the tournament.