The “classic” in World Baseball Classic was certainly verified on Monday night in a fantastic game, and epic finish, between Japan and Mexico in the tournament semifinals.
While Mexico led for most of the night, Japan refused to go away, chipping away at the lead until Munetaka Murakami eventually sealed the comeback victory with a walk-off base hit that scored two runs to win the game and send them into the finals against the United States.
For Fox Sports, Joe Davis continued to cement himself as the voice of baseball in the U.S. with his calls, including an epic one on the game-winning play.
“Cracked in the air…deep centerfield…Thomas on the move…it’s off the wall…Ohtani’s in to score…here comes the winning run…JAPAN TURNS IT AROUND ON ITS LAST BREATH!” exclaimed Davis before letting Japan’s celebration and Mexico’s deflation tell the rest of the story.
If it’s excitement you crave, look no further than the Japanese TV call of the play, courtesy of Timothy Burke.
Did we hear a couple “sayonara” in there???
Alas, the flip side of all that excitement would be the call on Imagen for the Mexican team. It’s not exactly like hearing a hometown call following a shocking loss, but you can certainly feel the sense of “what could have been.”
If Monday was any indication, we’re in for some more great baseball on Tuesday in the WBC final, which means we’re also in for some fantastic calls from all over the world.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.