Emperor Naruhito watches Japan edge Australia at World Baseball Classic

Masataka Yoshida’s late home run turned a deficit into a 4-3 win for Japan over Australia in Sunday’s World Baseball Classic game. Australia had taken the lead in the sixth when outfielder Aaron Whitefield scored after a throwing error by Japan’s catcher Kenya Wakatsuki.

Yoshida’s two-run shot in the seventh put Japan ahead, and the team added two insurance runs in the eighth to hang on. Shohei Ohtani, who homered in Japan’s previous two tournament games, failed to influence the result before an adoring crowd at the Tokyo Dome.

Japan had a prime chance with the bases loaded in the third, but Shugo Maki was picked off by Australian catcher Robbie Perkins for the third out. Emperor Naruhito watched from a box over home plate, accompanied by Empress Masako and Princess Aiko; it was the first time a sitting Japanese monarch had attended a professional baseball game since 1966.

Japan, Tokyo

masataka yoshida, home run, japan, australia, world baseball, shohei ohtani, tokyo dome, emperor naruhito, empress masako, princess aiko