Australia’s breakthrough baseball males have lastly been introduced right down to earth, crushed by the facility of Japan’s super-slugging sports activities hero Shohei Ohtani in Tokyo.
Dave Nilsson’s Australian workforce had opened the World Baseball Basic with two terrific victories over world No.four workforce Korea and China however they met their match on Sunday, being hammered 7-1 by the hosts and favorites on the Tokyo Dome.
Their defeat was successfully sealed from the spectacular second within the first inning when Ohtani, one of many MLB’s largest stars and a Japanese icon, smacked a large three-run dwelling run to proper subject which landed over 136m away, touchdown slightly below his huge picture on an video promoting board.
It was the prelude to a terrific show from the Los Angeles Angels celebrity, who went on to have 4 RBIs which leaves Australia’s hopes of advancing within the international event on a knife-edge in group B.
Australia, although, can nonetheless seal an historic first match within the knockout phases in Wednesday’s last-eight by clinching second place within the group with victory over the Czech Republic on Monday afternoon.
It is an enormous recreation for the workforce, with defeat towards the Czechs guaranteeing their elimination.
Sunday’s Australian highlights have been Alex Corridor’s dwelling run within the ninth inning and the second when Todd Van Steensel struck out Ohtani.
They might additionally take some comfort in the truth that their six-run defeat was the closest any workforce has come to a Japanese powerhouse workforce whose gamers earn an estimated $US110 million ($A167 million) a yr between them.
With AP
