Japan caps dominant series with 5th win vs. MLB

After three comeback wins in the first five games of the MLB Japan All-Star Series, the host country didn't need to wait around for late-game heroics in the finale.
Samurai Japan rode a four-run second inning to a 4-1 win Thursday at the Nagoya Dome. The victory was the fifth in six games for Japan over its guests from the Major Leagues, marking the first time the NPB squad had won five times against their big league rivals.
The game's biggest play came when Sosuke Genda opened the scoring for Japan with a bases-clearing triple down the right-field line in the second off Red Sox lefty Brian Johnson, then came home on a Ryosuke Kikuchi sacrifice fly for an early 4-0 lead.
• MLB stars leave Japan with lifetime of memories
Erasmo Ramírez shut the door in relief of Johnson, striking out seven and allowing just two hits in five scoreless innings, but the early Samurai Japan lead turned out to be too much for the big leaguers to overcome, thanks mostly to MLB's 1-for-14 night with runners in scoring position.

Japan starter Shotaro Kasahara was impressive in keeping the Major Leaguers from coming through with the clutch hits that they needed to get back into the game. The left-hander allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four in 4 2/3 innings scoreless innings before he had to be removed after reaching the tournament's single-game limit of 80 pitches.

National League Rookie of the Year Award winner Ronald Acuña Jr. gave the MLB All-Stars their lone run with a towering leadoff homer to center field that drew an audible gasp from the crowd of 25,890 at the Nagoya Dome.

Later in the inning, singles by Eugenio Suárez, Mitch Haniger and Kevin Pillar -- the only hit for the MLB stars with runners in scoring position on the day -- loaded the bases with one out. However, Robinson Chirinos and Chris Taylor struck out to end the Major Leaguers' biggest threat.
Japan All-Star Series results
• Friday: Samurai Japan 7, MLB All-Stars 6
• Saturday: Samurai Japan 12, MLB All-Stars 6
• Sunday: MLB All-Stars 7, Samurai Japan 3
• Tuesday: Samurai Japan 5, MLB All-Stars 3
• Wednesday: Samurai Japan 6, MLB All-Stars 5
• Today: Samurai Japan 4, MLB All-Stars 1  (watch replay tonight on MLB Network at 8 p.m. ET)