The U.S. and Japan were the only undefeated teams remaining in the six-nation Olympic baseball tournament when they took the field at Yokohama Stadium on Monday night. In an alternate universe, the scene in this baseball-obsessed country would have been raucous as the matchup carried into extra innings. Instead, the ballpark was mostly empty as Japan outlasted the Americans 7-6 in 10 innings on Takuya Kai’s walk-off single off Edwin Jackson. AdvertisementWith the win, Japan advanced to the semifinals to play South Korea, guaranteeing a chance to play for a medal. “I didn’t come home because I wanted to participate in the Olympics,” Tanaka said in Japanese.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 02, 2021 14:37 UTC