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Japan, Israel, Netherlands win in World Baseball Classic

Japan's Yoshitomo Tsutsugo hits a two-run shot against Cuba's pitcher Jonder Martinez in the seventh inning of their first round game of the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
Japan's Yoshitomo Tsutsugo hits a two-run shot against Cuba's pitcher Jonder Martinez in the seventh inning of their first round game of the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Japan's Yoshitomo Tsutsugo hits a two-run shot against Cuba's pitcher Jonder Martinez in the seventh inning of their first round game of the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

By Associated Press 2 min read

TOKYO (AP) – Nobuhiro Matsuda hit a three-run homer as Japan scored five runs in the fifth inning on its way to an 11-6 win over Cuba in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday.

With two-time champion Japan leading 3-1 in the fifth inning, Matsuda made it 6-1 with a homer into the left-field stands at Tokyo Dome. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo added a two-run shot two innings later to widen the lead.

Cuba scored three runs in the seventh inning, including a solo shot by Alfredo Despaigne, and added two more runs in the eighth.

Ayumu Ishikawa gave up one run on two hits in 58 pitches over four innings for the win.

In Seoul, Ryan Lavarnway hit a two-run homer in the third inning and Nate Freiman added a three-run shot in the ninth to help Israel beat Taiwan 15-7 and improve to 2-0.