Two-time champions Japan beat Cuba 11-6 in their World Baseball Classic opener Tuesday, sparked by a five-run salvo in the fifth inning.
Nobuhiro Matsuda blasted a towering three-run homer to left field to put the Japanese in control of the Pool B clash in front of a sellout crowd of 54,000 at Tokyo Dome.
‘Samurai’ Japan were given a scare in the seventh when Alfredo Despaigne cleared the fence in right centre before Guillermo Aviles scored William Saavedra and Yurisbel Gracial to give Cuba a lifeline at 7-4.
Yoshitomo Tsutsugo looked to have settled nerves by smashing a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning, only for Gracial to drive in Frederich Cepeda and Despaigne in the top of the eighth to keep it interesting.
But a Matsuda single and a sacrifice fly from Seiji Kobayashi added late runs to seal victory for Japan, chasing a third title after scooping the first two editions of the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009.
The Japanese face Australia on Wednesday while Cuba take on China.
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