Japan Falls to Venezuela in World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals, Ending Their Historic Run

In a stunning turn of events, Japan’s journey in the World Baseball Classic has come to an unexpected halt. For the first time in the tournament’s history, the two-time champions will not advance to the semifinals, falling to Venezuela 8-5 at loanDepot Park in Miami. With this victory, Venezuela not only moves on to the semifinals for the first time since 2009 but also secures a spot in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the fifth inning when Maikel Garcia launched a two-run home run, followed by Wilyer Abreu’s pivotal three-run shot in the sixth, sealing Venezuela’s lead. The game was a showcase of power hitting, with 10 of the 17 total hits being extra-base hits, including five home runs.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto faced challenges early on, needing 57 pitches to record his first nine outs. The game began explosively when Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a leadoff home run on the second pitch of the night. However, Shohei Ohtani quickly matched his intensity, responding with a leadoff blast of his own in the bottom of the frame. This matchup was particularly noteworthy, as noted by Sarah Langs at MLB.com, because no major league game has ever featured two former league MVPs each hitting a leadoff home run.

Venezuela continued to capitalize on Yamamoto’s struggles, hitting consecutive doubles in the second inning, with Ezequiel Tovar driving in another run. Tovar has had a remarkable record against Yamamoto, boasting eight hits in 12 at-bats, including two home runs and two doubles. Despite this, Yamamoto managed to strike out Tovar to end the third inning, preventing further damage after allowing a leadoff double.

On the night, Yamamoto allowed four extra-base hits—something he hasn’t done often since joining the Dodgers prior to the 2024 season. Remarkably, this was only the second time in 60 starts that he has surrendered that many extra-base hits in a game, the first occurring last June against the Giants.

Japan roared back in the third inning, scoring four runs, highlighted by a three-run home run from Shota Morishita that put them ahead 5-2. Yamamoto rebounded with a perfect fourth inning, retiring the final six batters he faced. Despite allowing those early runs, he finished his outing with five strikeouts and a walk across four innings, using 69 pitches.

However, Japan could not maintain their offensive momentum, failing to score after the third inning. They endured a stretch where they were held hitless for 13 consecutive at-bats by Venezuelan pitchers Emmanuel De Jesus, José Buttó, Angel Zerpa, and Andrés Machado, which included two strikeouts from Ohtani. Remarkably, these were the only times Ohtani struck out in five games throughout the tournament. Overall, he finished with six hits, three home runs, and seven RBIs, hitting .500 with an impressive on-base percentage of .647.

Japan has a storied history in the World Baseball Classic, reaching the semifinal round in each of the first five tournaments and claiming championship titles in 2006, 2009, and 2023. Their absence from the semifinals this year marks a significant shift in the tournament landscape.

Earlier in the day, Italy continued their undefeated run, edging out Puerto Rico 8-6 in Houston. In a notable performance, Edwin Díaz managed to pitch a scoreless ninth inning, despite hitting a batter, walking another, and throwing a wild pitch. Throughout the WBC, the Dodgers right-hander has pitched three scoreless innings while striking out seven of the 12 batters he faced. Currently, catcher Will Smith remains the only active Dodgers player in the World Baseball Classic.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.