China made deadly mistake in a 7-1 loss against Japan on Monday
night in an international baseball tournament which severs as a
rehearsal for the Beijing Olympics.
Chinese hitter Sun Lingfeng missed a golden chance to take the
lead for China in the second bottom when the host team made
full-loaded bases with two singles.
But MLB-contracted Jia Yubing soon delivered a solo homer in the
fourth, his second homer in the tournament.
Jia's homer only allowed China a short lead before Japan overun
in the fifth by two runs on single, triple and double after two
outs due to Jia's terrible error on first base.
Japanese achieved other five runs from the six in which Chinese
young baseballers surrendered three runs in the nineth when Yoshida
Kei doubled with bases fully loaded.
Japanese team manager Hoshino Senichi was more satisfied with
his players' performance for it was the team's first win within
nine innings of the tournament.
"Our pitchers have done excellent jobs in suppressing Chinese
batters and just make runs when opportunities came up," Hoshino
said.
Japan sent four pitchers in the game, making almost all 15
pitchers to stage in the tournament.
"We just have a bad day as there were too many mistakes which
just allowed Japanese runs," Chinese team manager James Lefebvre
said.
"Our boys did not make good quality pitchings and we should do
more in defence," the manager said, "through test games we could
find who can play and who can't."
Chinese players said they have seen the gap between the two
Asian teams "is narrowing" through their performance of the
game.
According to the tournament's rule, Japan will meet France and
China will take on Czech Republic in semifinals on Wednesday.
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)