Mexico beat Japan 2-1 in a 10-inning final yesterday to win the U-23 Baseball World Cup.
The World Baseball Softball Association said the game could go down in history as “the epitome of the world title game.”
The teams went into the 10th inning with no score, although Mexico had the best chances to score in the regular nine innings.
Mexico’s starting pitcher held Japan, which went into the tournament with a .357 team batting average, to no hits in the first five.
“If you play a team as good as Japan, you’re not going to accomplish much if you can’t locate your pitches. I was fortunate enough to throw a lot of strikes tonight,” Carlos Morales said.
Mexico scored its two runs in the top of the 10th. Japan went on to score a run but the last batter flied out with two out and the bases loaded.
Mexico becomes the third champion of the biennial tournament, which was launched in 2014.
Yesterday’s game was played before 6,500 fans in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Mexico News Daily
