Yasmani Tomas belted a third-inning solo home run and Alfredo Despaigne hit a three-run shot that iced the game in the eighth inning as Cuba defeated Japan 6-3 in the teams' first-round Pool A finale at Fukuoka Dome.
The victory, Cuba's first in four WBC games against Japan, earned manager Victor Mesa's men the Pool A championship. They will open quarterfinal Pool 1 at Tokyo Dome on Friday against Pool B runnerup the Netherlands. Japan will play the second game, against Pool B winner and longtime Asian rival Taiwan. The winner and runnerup at Tokyo Dome will advance to the final round in San Francisco.
Tomas' long homer, deep into the left-field stands off lefty Kenji Otonari, opened the third inning.