Samurai Japan prevailed 8-3 over Puerto Rico in the first of two exhibition games between these two teams in Fukuoka ahead of the Premier12. Shogo Akiyama connected for a two-run home run in the third to give Japan an early lead. They continued to build up the advantage to 5-0 midway through the fifth. Puerto Rico got on the board in the bottom half of the frame, as Jose Rivera and Jay Gonzalez singled in two runs.
The score remained at 5-2 until the eighth, when Japan added three more runs to run away with the victory. A wild pitch then helped Puerto Rico to score another run in the ninth, but the deficit was too steep to overcome. Japan’s projected starter for Sunday’s Premier12 opener against South Korea, Shohei Otani, pitched two innings in the game.
Both teams meet again on Friday.