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Matsuzaka leads Japan to 6-3 win over
Cuba
ATHENS, Greece, 17 (AP)
-- Japan found its own version of Ben Sheets.
Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka shut out
Cuba for eight innings Tuesday, leading
Japan to a 6-3 victory that will go down
in Olympic history and his country's lore.
Just as Sheets led the United States to
gold in Sydney four years ago by dominating
the Cubans, Matsuzaka led his baseball-enthralled
nation to new heights in international play.
The round-robin victory was a breakthrough
for Japan, which sat on the sideline while
Cuba and the United States won the first
three golds in Olympic play.
"We want to bring home a good souvenir
from the tournament," said Norihiro
Nakamura, who hit a solo home run, "and
we also want to bring home a medal for our
coach, who is not here."
Japan's longtime manager Shigeo Nagashima
suffered a stroke in March and did not accompany
the team to Athens. He was replaced by Kiyoshi
Nakahata.
Japan's major leagues sent an all-pro team
to Athens for the first time, hoping to
close the gap with amateur baseball's most
celebrated squad. Behind Matsuzaka, the
Japanese did just that.
Their 23-year-old pitcher allowed only
four hits as Japan pulled ahead 6-0 after
eight innings. Ariel Pestano's two-run double
with one out in the ninth broke the shutout.
It was only Cuba's third loss in four Olympics,
a barometer of its world dominance at the
amateur level.
Cuba (2-1) and Japan (3-0) were the two
gold medal favorites heading into the eight-team
tournament -- the United States didn't qualify.
Their first head-to-head matchup indicated
that Cuba's "Big Red Machine"
is no longer in the lead.
The Cubans had their 21-game Olympic winning
streak snapped by the Netherlands in Sydney,
where professional players stocked rosters
for the first time. Former major leaguer
Ken Brauckmiller shut down the Cubans in
a 4-2 win during round-robin play.
The Cubans seemed to be back on stride
by the medal round in Sydney, knocking Japan
out in the semifinals 3-0 before Sheets
beat them with a three-hitter in the title
game, a 4-0 U.S. win.
Matsuzaka was on the team that left Sydney
disappointed. The former high school sensation
more than made up for it on Tuesday.
His claim to fame in Japan came in 1988,
when he pitched 27 innings in three days
to win the prestigious Koshien high school
tournament. He threw a no-hitter in the
title game, even though he had thrown 17
innings two days earlier.
The Seibu Lions pitcher was the Rookie
of the Year when he turned pro. This season,
he is 8-6 with four shutouts in the Japan
League.
He gave up only four hits and one walk
through eight innings, before fading in
the ninth.
"He wanted to throw until the end,"
said Nakahata. Left-hander Hirotoshi Ishii
finished a combined seven-hitter.
Cuba's hopes weren't severely damaged by
the loss.
"What is important for us is to reach
the semifinals. Once we get there, we can
go after the medal," said manager Higinio
Velez.
Matsuzaka's only fright came in the fourth,
when he was hit on his pitching arm above
the elbow by a line drive. He went to the
dugout for a few minutes, then returned
and escaped a threat.
Japan's offense provided plenty of support.
Kazuhiro Wada hit a two-run homer in the
second inning off Vicyohandri Odelin. Kenji
Jojima and Nakamura added solo shots in
the top of the fourth, leaving it up to
Matsuzaka to do the rest.
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