Team Japan is headed to the World Baseball Classic final.
The game will take place on Tuesday night at loanDepot Park in Miami as Japan plays host to Team USA, who are the defending champions.
But it took some late-game heroics for Japan to overcome Mexico on Monday.
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Boston Red Sox star Masataka Yoshida tied the game with a three-run homer.
Japan then rallied from a 5-3 deficit and won on Munetaka Murakami‘s two-run double in the bottom of the ninth.
But it was Yoshida’s home run that got Japan up off the mat.
On Twitter, the Red Sox posted a few photos of their star watching his home run fly out of the ballpark.
Woke up thinking about this home run. pic.twitter.com/bxCgMgGYjj
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 21, 2023
Yoshida’s home run helped turn a hopeless situation around for Japan.
With one swing of the bat, Yoshida put some life into the crowd and his teammates.
Though it didn’t take long for Mexico to regain the lead, Japan never stopped fighting and began chipping away after falling behind 5-3.
Yoshida hit the home run off of St. Louis Cardinals left-hander JoJo Romero.
This has to be encouraging for the Red Sox.
The team signed Yoshida to a five-year deal on the same day that longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts departed for the San Diego Padres.
The slugger was one of three key offensive additions for the team after losing Bogaerts.
Adam Duvall and Justin Turner were also added.
But the Red Sox are high on Yoshida and are certainly excited to see what he can bring to the table.
NEXT: Justin Turner Comments On His Red Sox Return
