The Yomiuri Giants couldn't find first base with a map and a guide Wednesday night at Tokyo Dome.

News photo Japan baserunner Tsuyoshi Nishioka of the Chiba Lotte Marines steals second base during the first inning of an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome.

One night after routing China 17-0, the Giants ran into a wall against Team Japan, falling 2-0 in World Baseball Classic exhibition action.

Yoshiyuki Kamei opened the game with a double, and after a pair of Giant singles in the second inning, Team Japan's pitchers retired 19 batters in a row, keeping Yomiuri off the bases until Yasuhiko Yabuta walked Masahiro Nagata in the eighth inning.

Japan pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up all three hits in the first two innings, but the scoreless tuneup before his start Saturday against Taiwan was good experience for the Seibu Lions star.

"He was so-so," Japan pitching coach Yoshitaka Katori said. "He wasn't too bad, but coming back to the dugout without giving up any runs is OK."

Matsuzaka was succeeded by Naoyuki Shimizu for an inning, and then Hiroyuki Kobayashi made his WBC arrival, sitting down all six batters in order.

"My fastball and breaking ball were working good," Kobayashi said.

"I was able to pitch better than I expected. The adrenaline came out, and I got motivated.

"I was able to step up to the mound, and now I finally feel like a part of Team Japan."

The Giants couldn't find wiggle room against Japan's arms, but Japan's bats weren't exactly finishing the job either.

Finishing with 11 hits, Japan stranded 12 base runners, equaling the dozen they left standing in Sunday's win over the Chiba Lotte Marines in Fukuoka.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka continued his whatever-it-takes hitting, going 3-for-4 and driving in a run, while Japan's hottest hitter -- No. 9 batter Munenori Kawasaki -- was 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI, giving him a staggering .777 (7-for-9) in WBC exhibition play. Kawasaki has three walks and a sacrifice in addition.

Second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka went 1-for-4 with a double, but he still is batting .500 (5-for-10) through four WBC exhibition games.

Nishioka scored Japan's first run Wednesday after Matsunaka singled to bring him around in the bottom of the first.

Michihiro Ogasawara plated Japan's other run in the second, taking advantage of a wild pitch and reaching home on a Kawasaki single.

Japan could have done more damage in the second and third, but they were able to turn six hits during the period into just one run, and the inning ended each time with the bases juiced.

Japan will work out Thursday night before facing China to open WBC play on Friday at Tokyo Dome.

Lee, Korea roll

Have no fear, Lee Seung Yeop will do just fine with his new team.

Lee, who signed with the Yomiuri Giants in the offseason, smashed a solo home run in his first at-bat at the Giants' home stadium, the first run in Korea's 7-2 win over the Chiba Lotte Marines at Tokyo Dome in its final World Baseball Classic tuneup before facing Taiwan on Friday.

Korea cycled in a new pitcher each inning, but after tagging starter Park Chan Ho with a run in the first, Lotte didn't mark any more runs against the Koreans until Masato Watanabe's solo homer in the ninth against Chung Jae Hun.

Hun recorded two outs in the ninth before being replaced by Jun Byung Doo.

Korea's pitchers recorded one strikeout each inning, and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Seo Jae Weong fanned two batters in the third.

Akira Otsuka drove in Jun Inoue to put the Marines up in the top of the first, but Lee's mighty swing knotted it up and set the stage for Korea to take over in the second.

Korea's first four batters, beginning with cleanup hitter Choi Hee Seop, singled, and after two runs had scored, leadoff hitter Lee Byung Kyu singled to plate two more runs.