11/11/14

MLB All Stars Beat Japan in Exhibition Game

The MLB All Star team took on a Japanese All Star team that was composed of players from the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants. Chris Capuano got the start for the MLB All Stars and Atsushi Nohmi took the hill for Japan. The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning. With bases loaded and nobody out, Carlos Santana grounded into a double play, but Alcides Escobar scored to give the MLB All Stars a 1-0 lead. Robinson Cano reached third base on the play. The very next batter, Yasiel Puig, hit an RBI single to give the MLB All Stars a 2-0 lead. In the top of the fifth inning, Evan Longoria came to the plate with bases loaded and two outs. Longoria proceeded to hit a grand slam to give the MLB All Stars a 6-0 lead. Salvador Perez padded the team's lead with a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. Japan got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning when Hiroki Uemoto hit an RBI double to cut the lead to 7-1. The MLB All Stars got that run back in the top of the seventh inning when Dexter Fowler hit a solo home run to expand the lead to 8-1. Even with a seven-run lead, the game was not over. Japan cut the lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Taishi Ohta hit a two-run triple. The next batter, Seiji Kobayashi, hit an RBI groundout to make the score 8-4. Japan wasn't done. Keisuke Kano hit an RBI double to cut the MLB's lead to 8-5. Hiroki Uemoto hit an RBI single to make the score 8-6. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Taishi Ohta reached on a Jose Altuve error and Yasuyuki Kataoka scored the cut the MLB's lead to 8-7. After the MLB failed to score in the top of the ninth inning, the game went to the bottom half with Japan looking to tie the game. With bases loaded and two outs, Yasuyuki Kataoka came to the plate against Jeff Beliveau. Beliveau sealed the deal, as Kataoka struck out swinging to end the game and to give the MLB All Stars an exciting 8-7 victory.