The World Baseball Classic concluded last night, and it went as well for the sport as anybody could have hoped. (Well, besides Rob Manfred, who would have preferred to catch somebody using sticky substances in the bottom of the third and announce he had busted the MLBPA prior to the eighth inning.)
A tight, low-scoring game headed to the eighth with Japan holding a 3-1 lead. Only Trea Turner had managed any offense for the USA up until Kyle Schwarber homered off Yu Darvish in the top of the inning. Nobody was on base, so it was 3-2 after eight, with Shohei Ohtani warming in the bullpen.