There's one big positive Japan can take out of the opening game of the 2016 Samurai Japan Challenge, which is meant to help the team prepare for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

At least this wasn't the real thing.

Mexico scored two runs to break a tie in the sixth inning as manager Edgar Gonzalez, a former Yomiuri Giants player, returned to his old stomping ground to lead his team to a 7-3 win over the Japanese national team on Thursday at Tokyo Dome.