WBC Semifinal: Japanese Ensure Return Trip

JAPAN 9 - USA 4: Team Japan defeated Team USA to defend their World Baseball Classic title tomorrow against Korea. Japan scored 5 runs in the fourth inning off Roy Oswalt, and to secure their win, scored 3 more runs in the eighth. Brian Roberts hit a leadoff home run off Daisuke Matsuzaka in the first inning, and Jimmy Rollins had four hits, including a triple, and scored a run. David Wright, Ryan Braun, and Mark DeRosa each had a double. Jonathan Broxton did not enter the game for Team USA. Akinori Iwamura had a triple for the Japanese, and Ichiro Suzuki had an RBI and a run scored. Japan and Korea have already played four times, twice in each pool, and have split their matchups, both winning twice.