TOKYO -- Shohei Ohtani hit a 448-foot, three-run home run in the first inning that landed just below his image on a video advertising board and had four RBIs to lead Japan over Australia 7-1 Sunday night at the World Baseball Classic.Japan, already assured of advancement, won its group with a 4-0 record and will play a quarterfinal on Wednesday…

St. Louis Cardinals rookie outfielder Jordan Walker, one of the sensations of spring training, left Saturday's game against the Houston Astros with a strained right shoulder suffered on a slide at second base in the first inning.But manager Oliver Marmol said he was not "overly concerned. Day-to-day."Marmol said he hadn't intended to play Walker on Sunday anyway and that Monday…

A hit is a hit, even if it's only spring training. For San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., it has been a long time coming.Tatis had been 0-for-16 this spring before hitting a smash shot off the glove of Chicago White Sox shortstop Erik Gonzalez for a single in the first inning Saturday at Peoria, Arizona. The hit came…

TOKYO -- Shohei Ohtani had another RBI double, 21-year-old right-hander Roki Sasaki reached 100 mph 21 times in 66 pitches and Japan beat the Czech Republic 10-2 on Saturday night to clinch a quarterfinal berth in the World Baseball Classic.Shugo Maki hit his second home run of the tournament and new Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida had three RBIs,…