Premier12, Quarterfinals: Japan – Puerto Rico 9-3
Puerto Rico 000 000 003 3 7 1 Japan 101 201 22X 9 13 0
Japan confirmed its favorite status at the Premier12 with a 9-3 win over Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals. It was also the fourth win in as many games on Monday, which were won by a team from Pool B. Samurai Japan scored in six of the first eight innings to advance to the semi-finals, which will be held at the Tokyo Dome.
Hayato Sakamoto drove in three runs. Akira Nakamura went 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored and two RBI to lead the Nippon offense. Joiset Feliciano hit a three-run home run in the ninth to account for all three Puerto Rican runs in the game.
Kenta Maeda struck out seven in seven four-hit innings for the win. Takahiro Norimoto and Hirotoshi Masui closed it out with Masui’s mistake denying a shutout. Luis Cintron surrendered four hits, two runs and three walks in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss.