USA – On a chilly, windy night in Los Angeles, the second-largest crowd in World Baseball Classic history saw the changing of the guard. Asia, not North or South America, were sitting atop the baseball mountain.

Akinori Iwamura’s RBI triple highlighted a five-run fourth inning outburst, and Japan beat the United States 9-4 Sunday night in front of 43,630 fans at Dodger Stadium to advance to the WBC championship game.

The reigning WBC title-holders will battle South Korea Monday night for the tournament crown.

The United States went ahead 1-0 on Brian Roberts’ leadoff homer off Daisuke Matsuzaka in the opening frame, and held a 2-1 lead after David Wright’s third inning run-scoring double. However, Japan busted the game wide open an inning later to dash the Americans title hopes.

Atsunori Inaba and Michihiro Ogasawara starte the fourth with back-to-back singles, and then Roberts allowed Japan to tie the score with an error. Seattle Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima added an RBI sacrifice fly to give Japan the lead before Iwamura tripled down the right-field line.

The Americans rallied in the eighth on Mark DeRosa’s two-run double off reliever Takahiro Mahara to cut the lead to 6-4. But there would be no late-inning heroics for Team USA on this night.

Japan roughed up a pair of United States relief pitchers, Joel Hanrahan and Scot Shields, to score three runs in the bottom of the eighth to secure their first win over the Americans in a major international tournament since 2005.

The Americans ended the tournament with a 4-4 record.

Matsuzaka (3-0) scattered two runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings to improve his career mark at the WBC to 6-0.

Ameican starter Roy Oswalt (1-1) surrendered six runs and six hits in just 3 2/3 innings. In three tournament starts, the Houston Astros ace allowed nine runs in 11 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins led Team USA at the plate with a 4-for-4 effort that included a walk and a triple.

SEMI-FINALS: Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, California (USA)

Saturday, March 21
S. Korea 10, Venezuela 2

Sunday, March 22
Japan 9, United States 4

FINALS: Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, California (USA)

Monday, March 23
South Korea (6-2) vs. Japan* (6-2)

*Defending WBC champions.

Photo courtesy of Marco Vasini/IBAF

Tags: World Baseball Classic