WBC Semifinal: Japan 6, Mexico 5

Mexico - 000 300 020 - 5 9 0\u00a0\u00a0

Japan\u00a0 -\u00a0000 000 312 - 6 10 0As Munetaka Murakami walked to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, with the tying run at second and the winning run on first, Japan's 22-year-old third baseman likely wanted to consider this moment his first at-bat of the game. Banish from his mind all thoughts of his four previous trips to the plate: three strikeouts and a foul popup, a heavy 0-for-4 collar that dropped his WBC average down to .190.

But here was a final chance for redemption – and an opportunity to send his team to the WBC championship game for the third time in five tournaments. Mexico held the slimmest of leads, 5-4, and Giovanny Gallegos…