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WBC: Japan vs. Australia - Japan beats Australia, 8-2

I've got a live televised feed of the game tonight so I'll try to provide some in-game updates when I can.

Based on initial shots of Kyocera Dome, it looks like there are quite a few fans in attendance.

It sounds like by 12 noon, most of the tickets for the game were sold out.

I'll post the actual attendance figures when they become available.

Darvish is on the mound for Japan.

Someone named Tim Cox is pitching for Australia

Code:

Japan           Australia
LF Aoki         CF Kimpton
SS Nakajima     SS Linger
RF Ichiro       RF Snelling
DH Inaba        LF Huber
3B Murata       3B Risinger
1B Ogasawara    1B Roneberg
CF Fukudome     DH Collins
C  Johjima      2B Wearne
2B Iwamura      C  Karlsen

7:01PM - A moment of silence for the Australia fire victims.

I find it pretty amazing that there are so many people in the stands -- they actually might have a full-house.

7:09PM - Last minute fielding change -> Aoki moves to left, Fukudome moves to center.

First Inning - Australia

First pitch of the game (7:09PM): fastball down the middle for a strike.

Kimpton hits a fly-ball that dunks in front of Fukudome for a single.

Johjima throws out Kimpton trying to steal second.

Linger grounds out to Nakajima for the second out of the inning.

Snelling flies out to Ichiro for the third out of the inning.

First Inning - Japan

Aoki rips a single between first and second.

Nakajima hits into a 6-4-3 double play.

Lot's of flashes going off for Ichiro. Ichiro grounds out to the pitcher for the third out.

Second Inning - Australia

Huber works out a walk.

Risinger is hit by a pitch.

Roneberg lines out to Ichiro (rightfield) for the first out

Collins strikes out.

Looks like Darvish is having a little bit of a problem getting a grip on the ball. His first pitch to Wearne will be his 30th.

Wearne walks.

A call into the bullpen...

Karlsen hits a weak grounder up the middle, Iwamura grabs it and throws over to first, but not in time. Huber scores.

Darvish is coming out of the game after throwing 42 pitches. Iwakuma is now in to pitch. Darvish doesn't look very happy on the bench.

Kimpton strikes out swinging on a fork ball.

Second Inning - Japan

Inaba drives a double to left to lead-off the inning.

Murata grounds out to short.

Ogasawara takes a walk.

Fukudome hits a sharp grounder to first. Throw over to Linger, he drops the ball. Everyone is safe. Error charged to Linger

Johjima walks. Inaba scores. Game tied at 1.

Iwamura lofts one to left, caught for the second out of the inning. Ogasawara tags and scores, sac fly for Iwaumra.

Aoki rockets one to right, Snelling reaches out and makes the grab for the final out of the inning.

Third Inning - Australia

Linger rockets one to left, over Aoki's head, for a double.

Snelling grounds out to short for the first out of the inning.

Huber grounds out to third.

Risinger flies out to right for the final out of the inning.

Third Inning - Japan

Nakajima strikes out looking.

Ichiro gets an infield single.

Inaba shoots one through the right-side for a single. Ichiro to third.

Murata hits one back to the pitcher. But instead of throwing home to get Ichiro, Cox tosses the ball over to first for the second out of the inning. Ichiro scores. Inaba to second.

Ogasawara skies one of left for the final out of the inning.

Fourth Inning - Australia

Roneberg fouls out to the catcher

Collins grounds out to short.

Wearne grounds out to first (unassisted).

Fourth Inning - Japan

Fukudome takes a walk.

Johjima goes the other way for a single to right, Fukudome to third.

Iwamura skies one to left, caught for the first out of the inning. Fukudome tags and scores. Johjima to second since throw went to home.

Aoki hits a chopper to third for the second out of the inning.

Pitching change: Cox out, Crawford in. Cox's final line: 58 pitches, 19 batters faced, 5 hits, 3 walks, 1 strike out

Nakajima is caught looking for strike three.

Fifth Inning - Australia

Defensive changes: Uchikawa comes in for Aoki in left. Kataoka comes in for Iwamura at second.

Karlsen grounds out to second.

Kimpton flies out to center.

Linger strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Fifth Inning - Japan

Ichiro grounds out to short.

Pinch-hitter: Abe comes in for Inaba.

Abe hits a double to center.

Murata hits a single to center. Abe scores.

Pinch-runner: Kawasaki comes in for Murata.

Ogasawara up to bat.

Kawasaki steals second.

Ogasawara singles to center. Kawasaki to third.

Fukudome flies out to center. Kawasaki tags and scores.

Johjima hits one to short, but it gets by Linger. Error on the play. Ogasawara goes to third.

Kataoka walks to load the bases.

Pitching change: Crawford out, Anderson in. Crawford's final line: 38 pitches, 8 batters, 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 strike out.

Uchikawa singles up the middle, Ogasawara scores.

Nakajima flies out to left to end the inning with the bases loaded.

Sixth Inning - Australia

Defensive change: Kawasaki stays in and takes over at third.

Pitching change: Iwata in, Iwakuma out.

Snelling flies out to right.

Huber singles to center.

Risinger into a double play.

Sixth Inning - Japan

Ichiro grounds out to second.

Abe fouls out to the catcher.

Kawasaki strikes out to end the inning.

Seventh Inning - Australia

Pitching change: Iwata out, Komatsu in.

Defensive change: Kamei comes in for Ichiro in right.

Roneberg strikes out swinging

Collins singles to center.

Graham strikes out looking.

House strikes out looking.

Seventh Inning - Japan

Ogaswara walks.

Fukudome reaches first on a error by the second baseman.

Johjima hits a single to right.

Kataoka flies out to right for the first out of the inning.

Uchikawa flies out to center. Ogasawara tags and scores. Fukudome and Johjima both advance a base.

Nakajima grounds out to short to end the inning.

Eighth Inning - Australia

Pitching change: Komatsu out, Tanaka in.

Baker flies out to right.

Dutton singles to left.

Snelling double to right-center.

Huber grounds out to third. Dutton scores.

Risinger flies out flies out to left for the final out of the inning.

Eighth Inning - Japan

Pitching change: Anderson out, Lundgren in.

Kamei grounds out to third.

Abe walks.

Kawasaki grounds out to second. Abe to second.

Ogasawara strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Ninth Inning - Australia

Pitching change: Tanaka out, Mahara in.

Brice doubles to center. (replaced Roneberg)

Collins strikes out lookings.

Graham strikes out swinging.

House flies out to left to end the inning.

====================

Code:

                IP   BF  H  K  BB  HBP  R  ER  ERA   Pitches
Yu Darvish      1.2  9   2  1  2    1   1  1   6.92    42
Hisashi Iwakuma 3.1  10  1  2  0    0   0  0   0.00    44
Minoru Iwata    1.0  3   1  0  0    0   0  0   0.00    8
Satoshi Komatsu 1.0  4   1  3  0    0   0  0   0.00    18
Masahiro Tanaka 1.0  5   2  0  0    0   1  1   9.00    12
Takahiro Mahara 1.0  4   1  2  0    0   0  0   0.00    18