Venezuela outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. wasted no time in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals, hitting a home run off Japan’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the second pitch of the game, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
The lead-off blast gave Venezuela an immediate advantage in the highly anticipated knockout stage matchup. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, widely considered one of the premier starting pitchers in the world, was challenged immediately by the Atlanta Braves superstar in front of a capacity crowd. This quarterfinal showdown between Japan and Venezuela is one of the marquee matchups of the tournament, featuring several high-profile MLB stars on both sides of the diamond.
Acuña Jr.’s power display sets an aggressive tone for Venezuela as they look to pull off an upset and advance to the semifinals. Japan, a perennial powerhouse and tournament favorite, now faces an early deficit in this single-elimination contest. The winner of this matchup will move one step closer to the World Baseball Classic championship trophy in Miami.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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