Venezuela defeated Japan in the World Baseball Classic (VEN 8, JPN 5), moving them to the semifinals. This marked Japan's worst-ever finish in the tournament. The game started with two leadoff home runs from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani, who have won the last three NL MVPs, opening the game with a leadoff homer. Japan's defense was largely ineffective, with center fielder Shota Morishita scoring a three-run homer and Wilyer Abreu turning the 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead in the sixth inning. Venezuela's bullpen stood strong, with six relievers retiring 13 straight at one point. The winner of the Italy vs. Venezuela game will then face the winner of this year's Championship Game.