WBC First Round Group C Japan vs. Taiwan (6th, Tokyo Dome)

Samurai Japan's 4th Koki Kitayama pitcher (Nippon-Ham) pitched 1 hit 1 strike out runs in the first inning.

He took the mound as the 4th in the 6th inning with a 13-run lead. In the leadoff hitter, he was hit by a right-handed hit, which was the first hit of the Taiwanese team, and allowed him to get on base, but he followed up with a struck out swing, two grounders, and two grounders, and did not allow a run.

Kitayama is also the creator of the "Ochatate Pose," which is performed by Samurai Japan when the bases are loaded or when a run is scored. It has become popular among the team as well, as shown by Otani's first bases loaded hit into the right field stands in the second inning bases loaded of this game with no runs scored by either team. The team initially came up with the "tea performance," in which the player holds a bowl of tea in his left hand and turns it twice with his right hand to drink it, but was advised at a dinner meeting on April 2 that it would be better to keep it short and simple, so they made some improvements. However, after receiving advice at a dinner meeting on the second day that it would be better to keep the performance short, he improved it and arrived at the current "completed form." The gesture of pouring the tea resembles the stirring of diamonds, and "pouring" is associated with "scoring a point.

On the 4th, manager Ibata also expressed his hopes, saying, "I think that doing this together as a team will boost team morale and create a sense of unity. I hope we can win around 10 or 20 cups."