WBC First Round Group C Japan 9-0 Czech Republic (10th, Tokyo Dome)

outfielder Ukyo Shuto (30) showed off not only his speed but also his power in his first WBC starting line-up. With a one-run lead in the eighth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, he swung at a fastball on the inside corner and drove it powerfully into the right-field stands for a three-run home run. "I didn't know what was going on, so I was running around the field more in shock than joy," he said, forgetting his tea-making pose as he ran around the diamond. When he sat down on the bench, he quickly made a tea-making pose before quickly sipping it. His comical, fast-forwarded movements sparked online buzz, with people saying, "It's not just his feet that are fast."

In his third at-bat, with no outs in the seventh inning, he ran through first base at breakneck speed on a mediocre playground ball and infield hit made it. It was his long-awaited first hit in the WBC, having been 1 At Bat 1 struck out in the previous tournament. He immediately succeeded in stealing second base and became the third stolen base player to do so in this tournament.

On the stand, he said, "I never thought I could hit on a stage like this. home run I couldn't walk like all the hitters, so I came right back," he smiled. He showed his outstanding presence even in the middle of the game, including a super play in the middle defense of the 9th inning against Korea. In the off-season, he gave up his dream of challenging for the majors and signed a large 5-year, 2 billion yen contract. Lawn Depot Park, the stage from the quarterfinals, was the home of a comeback walk-off in the ninth inning of the semifinals with a substitute run. The NPB's prized speedster will also be a weapon in the battle in Miami.