TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Sho Nakata hit a tiebreaking three-run home run in the sixth inning Saturday to lead Japan to a 10-2 win over the United States in the Premier12 baseball tournament.
Nakata broke a 2-2 tie with his second homer of the tournament. Nobuhiro Matsuda connected for a grand slam in the seventh.
Top-ranked Japan improved to 4-0 and secured a spot in the quarterfinals.
Matt McBride hit a solo homer in the second inning and Bret Eibner singled in a run in the third to give the U.S. an early 2-0 lead.
The U.S., made up of players not on 40-man major league rosters, dropped to 2-2.
Canada also improved to 4-0 with a 4-0 win over winless Italy. In other games, Venezuela beat the Dominican Republic 8-6 and the Netherlands defeated Puerto Rico 11-7.
