Samurai Japan started its countdown to the 2017 World Baseball Classic on Saturday with a 5-0 win in the first of two exhibition games against Taiwan.
Yakult Swallows catcher Yuhei Nakamura broke the ice in the bottom of the second inning with a two-out, two-run double to put Japan in front. Former Yokohama BayStars lefty Wang I-cheng helped set up the inning with a one-out walk to Chunichi Dragons outfielder Ryosuke Hirata. With two outs, Ikuhiro Kiyota of the Chiba Lotte Marines lined the game's first hit to center. Nakamura fouled off a 2-2 pitch to keep the inning alive before smoking a grounder past third to bring home the runners from first and second.
"He's a pitcher with a good changeup, so I wanted to keep my swing compact and lay off low pitches," Nakamura said.