Japan was on top of the world in 2006 after winning the inaugural edition of the World Baseball Classic, an international event organized by MLB.
However, in 2008, the Japanese were left out of the medals at the Beijing Summer Olympics, even though they were seen as one of the favorites.
South Korea won the gold medal during the Olympics.
Just a year after that, in 2009, MLB organized the second edition of the WBC.
Japan, once again, was in the finals.
The foe?
South Korea.
It was a perfect opportunity for Japan to remind the world that they were still the best and they could beat the reigning Olympic champions.
The game was extremely close.
Japan was leading 3-1 in the eighth, but the South Koreans scored one in the bottom part of that frame and one in the ninth to tie things.
That last run came against a promising Japanese starter who was 22 at the time: Yu Darvish.
Darvish came on in relief and immediately gave up the tying run, but fate would smile at him a few minutes later.
He would tone down his control issues and, after Japan scored two times in the top of the tenth, he retired the bottom of that inning with no major issues and earned the win.
#TBT to when Yu Darvish closed out the 2009 World Baseball Classic as Japan won back-to-back titles. 😤 pic.twitter.com/fXZLh190BM
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) January 12, 2023
The slider with which he finished the Korean hitter off was marvelous.
Hugs and celebrations ensued, and Darvish, an established star today at 36 years old, probably remembers that moment as if it happened yesterday.
It was one of the highest points in Japanese baseball history.
