Yoshinobu Takahashi hit a game-tying two-run homer and Michihiro Ogasawara drove home the winning run with a sacrifice fly as Japan rallied to edge Taiwan 4-3 in 10 innings and book a spot in the semifinals of the Athens Olympic baseball tournament.
Yoshinobu Takahashi exults after hitting a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh inning in a preliminary-round game against Taiwan on Saturday. Japan won 4-3 in 10 innings.
Takahashi connected off Wang Chien-ming for a two-out homer to cap a three-run seventh inning and led off the bottom of the 10th with a single before sliding home head-first on Ogasawara's flyball to left, which gave Japan its fifth victory in Athens.
With one game left in the preliminary round, the Japanese assured themselves of a place among the top four teams of the eight-team preliminary round with a 5-1 record, while Taiwan dropped to 2-4 and was eliminated.