Europe unable to beat Japan in the first game
The first game of Global Baseball Series was played in Osaka on Wednesday as Japan hosted Team Europe. The first game when better for the home samurais.
Team Europe started with Marek Chlup and Martin Červenka in the lineup. And it was the Czech infielder, who was the first player in the game to reach the base, when he was walked. But Japan took the lead in the bottom half of the inning, when the run was batted in by Munetaka Murakami and moments later by Kotaro Kuberayashi.
Team Europe entered the second inning excellently, when the first two batters reached the base. However, Japan got out of the bind thanks to a double play and in the end kept the inning scoreless. Czech fans then prompted their attention when Martin Schneider came on the mound and had a great inning, where he didn’t allow any runners on bases.
A heart-gripping moment came in the third inning, as Schneider dropped on the ground in pain after one of the pitched and in the end had to leave the game altogether with his arm twisted in an unnatural position.
Daniel Jimenez opened the fourth inning with a double, which needed to be confirmed by a video referee. But Team Europe wasn’t able to turn this opportunity to runs. And once again Japan took advantage of it when Kensuke Kondoh batted in two more runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
Marek Chlup and Martin Červenka got to the plate in the sixth inning. Chlup managed to hit a sizzling pitch from Yamashita, but Japanese were able to catch it on the warning track. Červenka then closed the inning as he struck out. The bottom half of the inning once again belonged to the hosts, who scored the fifth run.
Fuuuu that’s a LOUD ? shot by Marek Chlup just caught on the warning track.
— BaseballCzech (@BaseballCzech) March 6, 2024
?? 5-0 ?? | 7th inning#baseballczech pic.twitter.com/GD6cTdmdZL
Seventh inning saw the fourth Czech enter the game, when Martin Mužík played at the first base.
Martin Červenka hit his first hit of the series in the ninth inning. Mužík followed him and he got walked. Team Europe had one out and two runners on bases, but the team was unable to score any runs from the situation and the game finished 0-5.
The next game of the series will be played on Thursday and the players from the old continent will get a chance to tie the series. It was nine years ago that Europe managed to beat Japan and we are certain they will want to repeat it this time.
Czechs in the game:
Marek Chlup – 3 AB, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 SO
Martin Červenka – 4 AB, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 SO
Martin Mužík – 0 AB, 0 H, 1 BB
Martin Schneider – 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
