TOKYO – Four teams are left to battle for the title of Premier12 champions -- the international tournament that pits the top 12 ranked baseball nations against each other and has helped spur the career of many future Major Leaguers. The top two teams from each group -- Venezuela and the United States from Group A and Japan and Chinese Taipei from Group B -- advanced to the super round, where they will now play a three-day round robin to determine which two teams will face off in the championship game on Sunday.

There will be two games held each day at the Tokyo Dome (start times are 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. ET) and the action is available to be streamed with a subscription to DAZN in the United States and Canada. As we work toward the championship game, we’ll keep you updated with the outcomes of each super-round game in this story.

Super-round Game 1: Venezuela 2, Chinese Taipei 0

Venezuela powered its way through the group stage, going 4-1 to take first place thanks to an experienced lineup with plenty of pop. On Thursday afternoon at the Tokyo Dome, that trend continued: Carlos Eduardo Pérez (one of two catchers named Carlos Pérez on the roster) – who saw Major League action in parts of five seasons, most recently with the A’s in 2023 – hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give Venezuela a lead that it would never relinquish.

After Nivaldo Rodriguez – who went 10-4 with a 2.16 ERA in the CPBL this past season, making him very familiar with the Chinese Taipei lineup – pitched four shutout innings, Venezuela manager Omar López then utilized his bullpen to perfection. Seven relievers then followed – five of them recording just one out (there is no batter minimum in the Premier12 tournament) – to finish off the shutout.

"The reason why we're getting stronger is because we have the Venezuelan name on our chest," López said after the game. "And when you have the Venezuelan name, when you wear the jersey, there is nothing better than that. Nothing. Nothing. It's pride, it's honor and it's privelige.