<\/p>\n
Philadelphia Phillies star shortstop Turner hit the pitch again for his fifth home run of the tournament and fourth in the knockout round, putting the United States ahead 1-0 in the second inning. With his five homers, Turner tied the all-time mark for a single tournament of its kind, which he now shares with South Korea’s Seung-Yeop Lee since 2006.<\/p>\n
However, immediately afterwards, at the close of that chapter, slugger Murakami, the man who left the Mexicans lying the day before, hit a four-cornered shot to the second level from right field to even the score 1-1.<\/p>\n
Japan loaded the bases after the home run with just one out and Lars Nootbaar in the batter’s box, manager Mark DeRosa decided to pull Merrill Kelly for left-handed reliever Aaron Loup (Angels), who allowed the second run on a fielder’s choice to inner box.<\/p>\n
In the fourth inning, reliever Kyle Freeland also allowed Okamoto’s long home run to left center field and the Japanese ninth went ahead 3-1.<\/p>\n
The fire extinguisher Freeland hung the zero in the fifth despite issuing a walk by dominating Nootbaar (fly), the dangerous Ohtani (groundout to first), who was designated hitter and pitched the fire extinguisher in the ninth, and Yoshiba also grounded out .<\/p>\n
Japan then continued to dominate as reliever Hiromi Itoh retired Turner, catcher JT Realmuto and Cedric Mullins 1-2-3 for the Stars and Stripes’ fourth straight shutout.<\/p>\n
The Japanese ninth threatened again in the sixth after two outs when reliever Jason Adam lost the strike zone and gave up two walks and a wild pitch that loaded the bases, but ultimately got Nootbaar to fly out to right.<\/p>\n
In the seventh, the so-called lucky inning, the United States put two men on without out when pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil walked and Mookie Betts singled, but firebreaker Taisei Ota reached in and lined Mike Trout to right and Paul Goldschmidt on a groundout for a double play and the locals thus received their fifth consecutive zero.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n