A great performance by the Samurai Japan team.
Jeremy Guthrie pitched five innings for the MLB All-Stars. In those five innings he allowed four runs on five hits (two homeruns). Guthrie struck out three and walked two.
After a 1-2-3 first inning, he gave up a two run homerun to Hayato Sakamoto of the Yomiuri Giants. One inning later he gave up another two run homer; this time to Nippon-Ham Fighters’ Sho Nakata.
His Japanese counterpart, Takahiro Norimoto (Rakuten Golden Eagles) posted six strikeouts in five perfect innings. Reliever Yuki Nishi of the Orix Buffaloes pitched two innings of no-hit ball. He walked one but struck out four. The next two relief pitchers of Samurai Japan combined for two more no-hit innings. Kazuhisa Makita of the Seibu Lions gave up two walks and struck out two in the eighth inning. Yuji Nishimo (Shiba Lotte Marines) slammed the door in the ninth by pitcing a perfect inning in which he fanned one. But it was with the help of second baseman Ryosuke Kikushi. Carlos Santana hit a nasty bouncing ball, but Kikushi made a terrific sliding stop to field the ball and to throw Santana out af first.
Despite the fact that the Japanese scored four runs, they only collected six basehits. Randy Choate allowed their sixth basehit in the sixth inning. For the remainder of the game, the Samurai Japan were kept in check by Choate, Jeff Bellveau and Franklin Morales.
The Japanese have clinched this series already. No offense but I think that this MLB squad is obliged to win the remaining two games.
Dutch Baseball Hangout 
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