For the second time in four games during the Premier12, Samurai Japan had its feet held to the fire.

So far, manager Atsunori Inaba’s team has been able to outrun the flames. Seiya Suzuki homered in the fourth, Ukyo Shuto put a charge into the crowd by stealing his way around the bases before scoring the tying run on a two-out bunt in the seventh and Hideto Asamura drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk in the eighth as Japan rallied for a 3-2 win over Australia in its first game in the Super Round of the Premier12 on a chilly Monday night at Zozo Marine Stadium.

"Australia's pitchers were really good and our offense was kind of struggling and we allowed the first two runs," said Inaba. "Seiya's home run really gave us a lot of excitement and really got us going."