Japan win extra-inning thriller with Canada to stay undefeated
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<p>World No. 1 Japan defeated No. 7 Canada, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="7-6 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-ix-womens-baseball-world-cup-finals/schedule-and-results/box-score/131785" target="_blank">7-6</a>, in a dramatic eighth-inning game. Japan played a solid game behind starter Miyu Shimizu for five and a half innings, then gave up three runs in the bottom of the sixth, and the game went to extras. The eighth inning was dramatic. Japan prevailed by one run, with five defensive errors costing the hosts what would have been a historic win. Reliever Mika Tai earned the win.</p>
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<p>Canada's starter, Raine Padgham, walked Iori Miura to start the games. Miu Shiraishi and Yuki Kawabata hit back-to-back singles to put Japan ahead. </p>
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<p>Canada's catcher Kaytlin Ross got the first out at second as she caught Shiraishi stealing. Padgham struck out Misaki Namai for the second out and got out of the inning with a flyout.</p>
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<p>Padgham allowed a one-out walk to Yuzuha Nakamura in the top of the second. Ross got her second caught stealing in as many innings for the second out. Kae Iwami drew a two-out walk, then Padgham got out of the inning, striking out Haruna Tadano.</p>
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<p>Canada missed a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the second. Mia Valcke led off the bottom of the second against Japanese starter Miyu Shimizu with the first Canadian hit of the night. She advanced on a groundout and reached third on a wild pitch. Valcke held to third on a groundout to second. Canada's at-bat stayed alive when Shimizu hit Madison Willan. Ross lined out to shortstop to end the at-bat. </p>
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<p>Japan added a run in the top of the fourth. Miwa Naraoka reached on an error and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on Nakamura's deep double to left field. Canada's centre fielder Sena Catterall robbed Japan of another run with a superb diving catch on Kae Iwami's fly to the gap in right-centre.</p>
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<p>Miu Shiraishi doubled to lead off the fifth. She became the first out at third, caught stealing by Ross. Padgham worked the count full against Misaki Namai, then left for left-hander Liz Gilder. Namai singled on the reliever's first pitch, and then Gilder got out of the inning on a flyout.</p>
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<p>Japan extended the lead in the top of the sixth. Akari Hoshikawa walked and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. She reached third on a groundout and scored on Kae Iwami's squeeze bunt. </p>
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<p>Japan loaded the bases on singles by Tadano and Miura, forcing Canada to call Sophy Gagne from the bullpen. The right-hander got pinch hitter Ayaka Osada to ground into an inning-ending double play.</p>
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<p>Canada tied it in the bottom of the sixth. Ela Day-Bédard led off the at-bat with a single up the middle, the second Canadian hit of the night. Shimizu hit Catterall and then got Alizée Gélinas on strikes. Mia Valcke worked the count full and grounded into a force out. Day-Bédard advanced to third on the play. Shimizu walked Andréanne Leblanc to load the bases.</p>
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<p>Shimizu also walked Madison Willan to put Canada on the board. Zoe Hicks looked at two strikes, then delivered a two-RBI single to tie the game.</p>
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<p>When Shimizu hit Lucie Antil, Japan gave the ball to Mika Tai. The left-hander got out of the inning, getting Tess Sawkins to ground to second base.</p>
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<p>Sena Catterall reached on a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but Tai struck out the side to end the inning and send the game to extra innings.</p>
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<p>Japan's lead tie-break runner, Miwa Naraoka, scored on two throwing errors before Gagne could make a pitch. The second tie-brek runner, Akari Hoshikawa reached second on the play.</p>
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<p>Gagne walked Nakamura, and Kae Iwami dropped a bunt. Canada couldn't get the out at third, and the bases were loaded for Tadano. The Japanese second baseman singled to left field, extending Japan's lead to 6-3.</p>
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<p>Another defensive error loaded the bases for Kawabata. Canada failed to complete the double play on her chopper to shortstop, and Tadano scored the seventh run. That was all for Gagne, who left for Amy Johnson. The right-hander got out of the inning with a groundout.</p>
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<p>Canada wouldn't give up. Alexane Fournier led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to centre, scoring the lead tie-break runner, Alizée Gélinas. With runners at third and second, Valcke scored the fifth Canadian run on a groundout. Fournier advanced to third on the play and scored when Willan grounded for the second out.</p>
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<p>Tai struck out Anctil on three pitches to end the game and give Japan the win. </p>
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<p>Japan (2-0) will face No. 3 Venezuela on July 30 at 15:00. Canada (1-1) will play No. 4 USA at 19:00. All times local.</p>
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