JAPAN DEFEATS CHINA IN WBC OPENER

The World Baseball Classic began early this morning and Japan started where they left off three years ago with a 4-0 win over China at the Tokyo Dome. Yu Darvish pitched four hitless innings and earned the win for Japan, who will play Saturday against the winner of Chinese Tapei vs. Korea.

After both teams were scoreless through the first two frames, Japan, the defending tournament champions, broke through in the bottom of the third with three runs. After Hiroyuki Nakajima walked and stole second with one out, Norichika Aoki drove him home with an RBI single to center. Aoki advanced to second on an error, but was later forced out at home on a fielder's choice. Later in the inning, Shuichi Murata smacked a two-run homerun to left, putting Japan up 3-0.

"In my first at-bat I didn't get a hit, so I was just trying to get the runner in," Murata said. "I hit a home run in my first game, so that should give me some confidence for the rest of the tournament."

Japan tacked on another run in the seventh when Chicago Cubs outfielder Kusoke Fukudome scored on a balk by China reliever Sun Guoqiang.

Japan held China's offense in check, allowing only five hits. Japan only had five hits as well, but managed to get some runs on the board. Even with the win, Japan manager Tatsunori Hara felt his team could have done a little better in its first game of the tournament.

"Our pitchers were very good," Hara said. "China's pitchers also did a very good job. I'm not entirely satisfied with four runs, we could have had more. But any time you get the win in international play, you are happy."

Well-known major leaguer Ichiro Suzuki went 0-5 for Japan and Fukudome walked four times in five plate appearances. Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima was 0-3 with a walk and Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura was 0-4. Despite the lack of offense in the game, Japan was still able to push across four runs, which was enough for the victory.

China's Li Chenhao was saddled with the loss. He allowed three earned runs, four hits, and struck out one in only three innings of work. China will look to rebound Friday night against the loser of Chines Tapei vs. Korea.

Shawn Marosek