Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida Hits Game-Winning Home Run At World Baseball Classic originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Masataka Yoshida continues to swing a scorching bat at the World Baseball Classic.

Advertisement

The Boston Red Sox slugger has sprinted out of the gates for Japan. Yoshida opened the WBC with two hits in a mercy-rule rout over Chinese Taipei and hit a three-run home run in Saturday’s 8-6 triumph over Korea.

Yoshida affirmed his standing as the early MVP of pool play by delivering another epic moment on Sunday morning. Down 1-0 to Australia, Yoshida crushed a two-run homer off fellow left-hander John Kennedy to give Japan the edge.

Here’s a look at the clutch blast, courtesy of the WBC’s official social media page.

Advertisement

Japan scored two insurance runs in the eighth, so the 2023 champions had enough of a cushion to withstand a pair of Australia solo shots from Alex Hall and Rixon Wingrove in the ninth. Japan avoided a massive upset and improved to 3-0 with a 4-3 victory.

Yoshida is now 5-for-10 with two homers and six RBIs in the WBC. His power surge is an encouraging sign for the Red Sox, who watched him bat .266/.307/.388 in a limited role last year after returning from shoulder surgery.

Advertisement

Japan has clinched a spot in the knockout stage, but they’ll conclude pool play against Czechia on Tuesday at 6 a.m. ET on FS1.

More MLB: Red Sox Star On Pace To Break World Baseball Classic Record