USA Drops Series Opener to Japan

OHITA, Japan -- The 2004 USA Baseball National Team battled back from an early five-run deficit, but a late rally wasn’t enough as the Americans dropped a 6-3 contest to Japan Friday night in front of 7,234 fans at Ohita Stadium in the series opener of the 33rd Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series.

Team USA (6-1) suffered its first loss of the summer after cruising through a six-game Friendship Series spread over three cities (Durham, N.C., Aberdeen, Md., Myrtle Beach, S.C.) last week. USA has won 20 of the 32 series against Japan, but has lost the last 11 in Japan since winning in 1979. Japan has now won nine of the last 11 games played on its home turf after USA has

USA starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey (So., Wichita State, Wichita, Kan.) took the loss and was hit hard giving up nine hits and five runs (four earned) in just 2.1 innings. He struck out two and had to leave the game in the third inning after being hit by a line drive. Reliever Luke Hochevar (So., Tennessee, Fowler, Colo.) turned in a brilliant performance out of the bullpen, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.

Japanese starter Yasuhiro Ichiba gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings to earn the win. Reliever Kensaku Someda picked up the save giving up one hit in three scoreless frames.

First baseman John Mayberry Jr. (So., Stanford, Kansas City, Mo.) and third baseman Alex Gordon (So., Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.) each hit solo home runs for Team USA. Mayberry extended his hitting streak to six games going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Right fielder Travis Buck (So., Arizona State, Richland, Wash.) went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to six games, going 10-for-14 (.714).

Center fielder Shoitsu Ohmatsu went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored to lead Japan at the plate. Three other players each had two hits as Japan out-hit USA 12-8.

Japan took the lead in the first inning on a two-run home run by Ohmatsu that cleared the fence in right field. They threatened to add another run in their opening at-bat after a double by Yuichi Tabata, but he was thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning by left fielder Trevor Crowe to keep the Japanese lead a 2-0.

After a pair of double plays ended the second and third innings for Team USA, Japan added three more runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead. The three-run third included six hits and a RBI single off the cheek of Pelfrey that caused him to leave the game.

Team USA got on the board in the fourth with a leadoff solo home run from third baseman Alex Gordon (So., Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.).

First baseman John Mayberry Jr. (So., Stanford, Kansas City, Kan.) led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to cut the lead to 5-2.

USA continued to cut into the lead with another run in the sixth inning. Buck led off reaching on a error and scored on an infield single by Mayberry to pull to within two runs at 5-3.

Japan and USA will continue the 33rd Annual Collegiate All-Star Series Saturday at 11 a.m. (Japan time) at Ohita Stadium. Cal State Fullerton LHP Ricky Romero (Los Angeles, Calif.) is scheduled to start on the mound for Team USA.

Game Notes: The start of the game was delayed 22 minutes due to a lengthy Pregame ceremony that introduced several dignitaries in the Japanese University Baseball Federation (JUBF)" a junior high Japanese pitcher threw out ceremonial first pitch to leadoff hitter Trevor Crowe" the game ball was dropped from a helicopter passing over Ohita Stadium" the home run given up by Pelfrey in the first inning was only the second given up by a Team USA pitcher this summer (in six prior games) and the first by a starting pitcher" USA entered the game having hit into only two double plays, but hit into a double play to end the second and third innings" Travis Buck and John Mayberry Jr. each extended their hitting streaks to six games" Team USA has now hit 11 home runs in seven games" USA has lost the last 10 series held in Japan, going 18-39 (including tonight’s loss) during that stretch of games" Hochevar’s 4.2 scoreless innings lowered the bullpen ERA from 3.41 to 3.15.

USA National Team vs Japan (Jul 02, 2004)

• Box score (NCAA)
• Play-by-Play
• Line score

Box score (NCAA) 2004 USA Baseball National Team USA National Team at Japan Jul 02, 2004 at Ohito, Japan (Ohita Stadium)

USA National Team 3 (6-1)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Trevor Crowe lf.......... 5 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 Jed Lowrie 2b............ 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 6 0 Alex Gordon 3b........... 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 Troy Tulowitzki ss....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 3 Travis Buck rf........... 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Taylor Teagarden c....... 3 0 0 0 0 2 11 1 0 Jeff Clement dh.......... 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 John Mayberry Jr. 1b..... 4 1 2 2 0 0 8 1 1 Drew Stubbs cf........... 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 Ryan Zimmerman ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mike Pelfrey p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Luke Hochevar p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Stephen Kahn p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 33 3 8 3 3 9 24 15 7

Japan 6 (1-0)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Junichi Utsuno rf........ 4 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 Hisanori Nishitani 2b.... 3 0 2 0 2 1 1 4 0 Shinichi Tekeuchi 1b..... 5 2 1 1 0 0 9 0 5 Shoitsu Ohmatsu cf....... 4 2 3 2 0 1 3 0 0 Yuichi Tabata lf/3b...... 3 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 Tatsuya Meguro dh........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Shigehiro Jyonoshita ph/ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Shoji Ohiro 3b........... 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 Takuya Fujishima lf..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tatsuya Shiokawa ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 4 2 Ryouta Kato c............ 2 0 0 0 0 2 9 1 0 Yasuhiro Ichiba p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Kensaku Someda p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals................... 32 6 12 4 4 9 27 13 9

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- USA National Team... 000 111 000 - 3 8 2 Japan............... 203 000 01X - 6 12 1 -------------------------------------------

E - Crowe(2); Mayberry Jr.(2); Ohiro(1). DP - Japan 2. LOB - Team USA 7; Japan 9. 2B - Lowrie(2); Takeuchi(1); Tabata(1). HR - Gordon(2); Mayberry Jr.(1); Ohmatsu(1). HBP - Teagarden; Shiokawa. SH - Kato 2(2). SB - Buck(3). CS - Buck(1).

USA National Team IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mike Pelfrey........ 2.1 9 5 4 0 2 14 14 61 Luke Hochevar....... 4.2 2 0 0 3 7 14 19 68 Stephen Kahn........ 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 4 6 21

Japan IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Yasuhiro Ichiba..... 6.0 7 3 2 2 6 24 27 122 Kensaku Someda...... 3.0 1 0 0 1 3 9 10 40

Win - Ichiba (1-0). Loss - Pelfrey (1-1). Save - Someda (1). WP - Kahn(1). HBP - by Ichiba (Teagarden); by Hochevar (Shiokawa). Inherited runners/scored: Hochevar 2/1. Pitches/strikes: Pelfrey 61/43; Hochevar 68/43; Kahn 21/12; Ichiba 122/75; Someda 40/26. Umpires - Start: 6:21 PM Time: 3:07 Attendance: 7234 Game notes: ID-261924 USA Pelfrey leaves in third after being hit by line drive. Game: 04USA07

Play-by-Play 2004 USA Baseball National Team USA National Team at Japan - Play-by-Play Jul 02, 2004 at Ohito, Japan (Ohita Stadium)

Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------- USA National Team... 000 111 000 - 3 8 2 Japan............... 203 000 01X - 6 12 1 -------------------------------------------

USA National Team starters: 8/lf Crowe; 6/2b Lowrie; 3/3b Gordon; 5/ss Tulowitzki; 4/rf Buck; 14/c Teagarden; 24/dh Clement; 7/1b Mayberry Jr.; 23/cf Stubbs; 29/p Pelfrey; Japan starters: 24/rf Utsuno; 3/2b Nishitani; 6/1b Takeuchi; 25/cf Ohmatsu; 7/lf Tabata; 2/dh Meguro; 9/3b Ohiro; 10/ss Shiokawa; 22/c Kato; 18/p Ichiba;

USA National Team 1st - Crowe struck out swinging (3-2). Lowrie flied out to cf (3-1). Gordon singled to right field (2-1). Tulowitzki grounded out to ss (3-1). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Japan 1st - Utsuno grounded out to p (2-2). Nishitani singled to left center (1-2). Nishitani advanced to second on a fielding error by 1b, failed pickoff attempt. Takeuchi reached on a fielder's choice to pitcher (1-1); Nishitani out at third p to 3b. Ohmatsu homered to right field, 2 RBI (0-1); Takeuchi scored. Tabata doubled down the lf line (1-2). Meguro singled to left field (1-2); Tabata advanced to third, out at home lf to c. 2 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

USA National Team 2nd - Buck grounded out to 2b (1-2). Teagarden hit by pitch (1-1). Clement singled to right field (0-2); Teagarden advanced to second. Mayberry Jr. grounded into double play p to ss to 1b (0-2); Clement out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Japan 2nd - Ohiro grounded out to p unassisted (3-2). Shiokawa struck out swinging (2-2). Kato struck out looking (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

USA National Team 3rd - Stubbs walked (3-2). Crowe struck out swinging (2-2). Lowrie grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b (1-2); Stubbs out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 3rd - Utsuno singled to right field (1-0). Nishitani singled to right center (2-2); Utsuno advanced to third. Takeuchi doubled to right field, RBI (0-1); Nishitani advanced to third, out at home rf to 2b to c; Utsuno scored. Ohmatsu singled to left field (2-2); Takeuchi advanced to third. Tabata singled to pitcher, RBI (1-2); Ohmatsu advanced to second; Takeuchi scored. Hochevar to p for Pelfrey. Meguro struck out swinging (2-2). Ohiro singled to left field (0-0); Tabata advanced to second; Ohmatsu advanced to third, scored on a fielding error by lf, unearned. Shiokawa struck out looking (3-2). 3 runs, 6 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.

USA National Team 4th - Gordon homered to center field, RBI (3-1). Tulowitzki flied out to cf (1-1). Buck singled to right field (3-2). Teagarden struck out swinging (1-2). Clement out at first p to 3b to 1b (0-0). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Japan 4th - Kato struck out looking (0-2). Utsuno struck out looking (1-2). Nishitani walked (3-2). Takeuchi grounded out to 2b (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

USA National Team 5th - Mayberry Jr. homered to left field, RBI (2-2). Stubbs walked (3-2). Crowe reached on a fielder's choice to second base (1-2); Stubbs out at second 2b to ss. Lowrie doubled down the rf line (1-2); Crowe advanced to third. Gordon struck out swinging (3-2). Tulowitzki grounded out to ss (0-0). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Japan 5th - Ohmatsu singled through the right side (0-0). Tabata walked (3-0); Ohmatsu advanced to second. Ohmatsu out at second c to ss, picked off. Meguro reached on a fielder's choice to first base (1-1); Tabata out at second 1b to ss. Ohiro reached on a fielder's choice to second base (0-0); Meguro out at second 2b to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

USA National Team 6th - Buck reached on a fielding error by 3b (2-2). Teagarden struck out swinging (1-2). Buck stole second. Clement grounded out to p (2-2); Buck advanced to third. Mayberry Jr. singled to third base, RBI (1-2); Buck scored, unearned. Stubbs struck out swinging (1-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Japan 6th - Shiokawa hit by pitch (1-1). Kato grounded out to p, SAC, bunt (0-0); Shiokawa advanced to second. Utsuno walked (3-1). Nishitani struck out swinging (0-2). Takeuchi grounded out to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

USA National Team 7th - Someda to p for Ichiba. Crowe flied out to lf (0-2). Lowrie struck out looking (2-2). Gordon flied out to cf (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 7th - Ohmatsu struck out swinging (1-2). Tabata grounded out to 2b (1-1). Jyonoshita pinch hit for Meguro. Jyonoshita struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

USA National Team 8th - Tulowitzki struck out swinging (3-2). Buck singled to left center (1-2). Buck out at second c to ss, caught stealing. Teagarden grounded out to 2b (0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Japan 8th - Kahn to p for Hochevar. Ohiro singled to center field (3-2). Shiokawa reached on a fielder's choice to pitcher (0-0); Ohiro advanced to second. Kato grounded out to p, SAC, bunt (0-0); Shiokawa advanced to second; Ohiro advanced to third. Shiokawa advanced to third on a wild pitch; Ohiro scored on a wild pitch. Utsuno grounded out to ss (1-0). Nishitani walked (3-2). Takeuchi grounded out to 2b (1-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

USA National Team 9th - Tabata to 3b. Jyonoshita to dh. Fujishima to lf for Ohiro. Clement walked (3-0). Mayberry Jr. flied out to rf (0-2). Zimmerman pinch hit for Stubbs. Zimmerman fouled out to 1b (2-1). Crowe struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Line scoreJapan 6, USA National Team 3 (Jul 02, 2004 at Ohito, Japan) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- USA National Team... 000 111 000 - 3 8 2 (6-1) Japan............... 203 000 01X - 6 12 1 (1-0) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: USA National Team - Pelfrey; Hochevar(3); Kahn(8). Japan - Ichiba; Someda(7). Win-Ichiba(1-0) Save-Someda(1) Loss-Pelfrey(1-1) T-3:07 A-7234 HR USA - Gordon (2); Mayberry Jr. (1). HR JAPAN - Ohmatsu (1). Game notes: ID-261924 USA Pelfrey leaves in third after being hit by line drive. Game: 04USA07