Japan's first journey toward back-to-back World Baseball Classic (WBC) titles was devastating. It forced Taiwan into a mercy rule in the fifth inning for a perfect win.

On Mar. 6 at Tokyo Dome in Japan, Japan announced a flawless start with a 13-0, seventh-inning mercy-rule win in its first Group C, first-round game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) against Taiwan. Japan earned its first victory of the tournament, while Taiwan, with two losses, was pushed to the brink of elimination.

After the game, Ohtani Shohei of Japan strikes a pose following his postgame interview. Mar. 6, 2026

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