Murakami Munetaka, who led Samurai Japan to the WBC finals with an ending hit, gave credit to his teammates. 

In the 2023 WBC semifinal match against Mexico held on the 21st (hereinafter Korean time) at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida, USA, Murakami hit a finishing double that exceeded the height of the center fielder at the end of the 9th inning, trailing 4-5. 

Japan, which defeated Mexico 6-5 to advance to the final, will face off against the United States on the 22nd for the final match. 

Murakami hit 56 home runs last year, setting a new Japanese record for the most home runs and winning the Central League MVP. In this tournament, he raised expectations as the Japan national team’s built-in 4th hitter, but struggled with extreme sluggishness. He suffered the humiliation of giving up four times and showed a sluggish batting average of 1.9 (4 hits in 21 at-bats) until the bottom of the ninth at-bat. 

At the decisive moment, he showed his DNA as a solver properly. In a ground interview after the game, Murakami said, “I was very angry when I showed a sluggish appearance, but my teammates helped me well. I hit the final hit in the last at-bat, but I really think it was a victory that the team came together as one. It was good to be able to live up to expectations.” said. 

Ahead of the final against the United States, he said, “It’s the first final in 14 years since 2009. The wall of the semifinals was very difficult, but tomorrow is the last game that this team can play, so I want to enjoy it to the fullest and make it the best final.”  바카라사이트

Meanwhile, coach Hideki Kuriyama said, “I firmly believed that Murakami is a hitter who can show his ability even in difficult situations. He must be a player who will be playing here (major league) in a few years.” 

He also emphasized, “I would have thought that he was causing trouble to the team, but I brought him to this tournament to show that he is a startling hitter to the world. My faith in him is unchanging.”