• Shohei Ohtani produced a storybook 3-2 victory for Japan.
• Giving Asian powerhouses record 3rd Baseball Classic victory.
• Shohei Ohtani was named tournament MVP.

On Tuesday, Shohei Ohtani produced a storybook 3-2 victory for Japan over the United States, giving the Asian powerhouses a record third World Baseball Classic victory.

Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto homered to put Japan up before Los Angeles Angels phenom Ohtani finished out the game in the ninth inning.

Ohtani struck out Angels teammate and US captain Mike Trout to clinch Japan’s third World Baseball Classic victory, following victories in 2006 and 2009.

Threat from both sides Ohtani, the 2021 American League MVP who has drawn parallels to Babe Ruth since his arrival in Major League Baseball, said the victory was the pinnacle of his career.

“It´s definitely number one,” Ohtani sai. “It´s got to be up there. It was a storybook ending.”

“More than anything, I appreciate this tournament, this whole situation, this whole atmosphere,” added Ohtani, who was named tournament MVP.

Ohtani had energised Japan with a stirring pre-game address in which he implored his teammates to “stop admiring” an American lineup widely regarded as the best ever assembled by the United States.

“Obviously, the US lineup, one through nine, they´re all household names, superstars,” Ohtani said afterward.

“All the Japanese guys know them. So I didn´t want us to be passive. Show respect — but stay aggressive, stay confident.

“That´s why I gave that speech.”

The star-studded US team, defending champions after winning the previous event in 2017, was left frustrated by their failure to get on top of Japan’s pitchers.

Trea Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning with a single shot to left center.

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