“Now I’m a little relieved”… The silenced ‘56 home run’ bat finally exploded as the 4th hitter on the day [WBC]

 ’56 homers’ Munetaka Murakami (Yakult Swallows) finally got his first hit.

The Japanese World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team won 10-2 in the 3rd game of the 2023 WBC Group B group stage match against the Czech Republic held at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan on the 11th.

Murakami is one of the giants representing Japanese professional baseball. He won the Japan Professional Baseball Central League Rookie of the Year in the 2019 season and became the home run king with 100 home runs and 39 home runs as the youngest player in the 2021 season. Last season, he recorded 155 hits, 56 home runs, 134 RBIs, a batting average of 0.318 OPS and 1.168, leading the home run, RBI, and batting average. The 56 home runs tied the record for the most home runs by an Asian. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Lee Seung-yeop (Director of the Doosan Bears).토토사이트

But Murakami’s bat was cold in the WBC. Murakami started as the fourth hitter and third baseman in the match against China. He posted his first RBI on a pushout walk in his first at-bat, but struck out on four intentional pitches and struck out in three subsequent at-bats.

Murakami did not record a hit in the game against Korea either. After striking out in his first at-bat, he entered his second at-bat in the bottom of the third inning with no bases loaded chance. However, he failed to capitalize on his chance with an infield flyout to shortstop. In the third at-bat, he retired with a ground ball to second base, and entered the fourth at-bat with no bases loaded, and scored an RBI with a left fielder sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the 7th inning, he came to bat again with the bases loaded, but he struck out and bowed his head.

Murakami had to recover his pride in the match against Czech Republic. He started as the 4th batter and 3rd baseman, as in the games against China and Korea. But he seldom got a hit. He struck out in his first at-bat in the bottom of the second inning and retired. Since then, he has walked, walked, and struck out. And in the fifth at-bat in the bottom of the eighth, Murakami’s first hit came out. After swinging in vain on both the first and second pitches, he received and hit the third pitch for a right-handed hit.

According to Japanese media ‘Sports Hochi’, Murakami, who hit the first hit, said, “I have heard many stories without hitting for such a long time, and I have rarely stepped into the plate in a situation where expectations are very high.” I think I was relieved. I will work hard again from tomorrow.”

Murakami is recording a batting average of 0.100 OPS of 0.433 with 1 hit in 10 at-bats, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts, 2 RBIs and 1 run. He got a hit in his final at-bat against the Czech Republic. If he can continue his hitting feeling against Australia on the 12th, the Japanese batting line will become more frightening.

[Japan’s Murakami is watching the autographs at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) match between Japan and China held at Tokyo Dome, Japan on the afternoon of the 9th.