Aug 08 (nbcnews.com) - Five Japanese pitchers combined for a six-hit shutout on Saturday as the hosts beat the United States 2-0, securing the first Olympic baseball gold medal for a nation that eats and breathes the sport.
Third baseman Munetaka Murakami gave top-ranked Japan the only run it would need, with a third-inning homer off losing pitcher Nick Martinez.
The U.S. starter limited Japan to just that run in six effective innings. The hosts added an insurance run in the eighth to seal victory at the gold medal match in Yokohama.
U.S. manager Mike Scioscia praised Japan saying, "They deserved to win,” but also lauded the effort by his side.
“Our team played really under such different circumstances than they usually face back in the States in a normal season. Every game was a Game 7,” said Scioscia, whose mentor, late Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, led Team USA to the 2000 gold in Sydney.
“We got within a couple breaks of winning the gold medal.”
Japan's starting pitcher, Masato Morishita, surrendered just three hits over five innings. He was followed by Kodai Senga, Hiromi Itoh, Suguru Iwazaki and Ryoji Kuribayashi, who completed the shutout.
The U.S. squad, filled with minor leaguers and free agents, put runners into scoring position in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but failed to bring any home.
Saturday's victory also sealed Japan's rule of both Olympic diamonds, after the hosts defeated the American women last month for softball gold. They also enjoyed an earlier win over Team USA in baseball on Monday.
Source: Kyodo
