Ohtani leads Japan to WBC win over China with arm, bat

TOKYO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani allowed one hit in the four innings he pitched, struck out five and was the winning pitcher Thursday in Japan’s 8-1 victory over China in Group B at the World Baseball Classic.

Ohtani also doubled off the left field wall in the fourth to score two at the Tokyo Dome and increase Japan’s lead to 3-0.

The fans got what they came for — Ohtani pitching, hitting and not disappointing the 41,616 who showed up.

Japan eventually won in a game closer than expected until the hosts broke it open late.

Besides Ohtani, the fan favorite was Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals, who made a sprawling catch in center and also led off and hit the first pitch he saw for a single in the first.

China cut the lead to 3-1 in the sixth on Pei Liang’s home run, but Japan got it back in the seventh to make it 4-1 on a homer by Shugo Maki.

The Japanese added four runs in the eighth to put the game away.