Japan edges USA in World Baseball Classic

Shohei Otani struck out Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to close out Team Japan’s 3-2 victory over Team USA in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night in Miami.

Japan completed an undefeated record in this year’s WBC and prevented the Americans from repeating as champions.

Two American Legion Baseball alumni were part of Team USA’s roster. Catcher J.T. Realmuto (Post 170/Midwest City, Okla.) batted .500 (6-of-12) in four games, with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored.

Pitcher Daniel Bard (Post 337/Pineville, N.C.) made three relief appearances, allowing eight runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Here’s a look at how Team USA fared in the World Baseball Classic:

March 11: USA 6, Great Britain 2. Kyle Schwarber’s three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth broke the game open in the first game of pool play.

March 12: Mexico 11, USA 5. Joey Meneses homered twice for Team Mexico.

March 13: USA 11, Canada 1. Team USA scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and cruised from there.

March 15: USA 3, Colombia 2. Mike Trout drove in all three runs to lead Team USA in the pool play finale.

March 18: USA 9, Venezuela 7. Trea Turner’s eighth-inning grand slam propelled Team USA into the semifinals …

March 19: USA 14, Cuba 2. … where Turner hit two more home runs to help send Team USA back to the championship game.

March 21: Japan 3, USA 2. Kazuma Okamoto’s solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning proved to be the winning run for Team Japan.

Major League Baseball’s spring training schedule wraps up March 27, with the regular season opening March 30.