TOKYO - Two-time defending champion Japan hit a record-tying six home runs Sunday to overpower the Netherlands 16-4 and advance to the championship round of the World Baseball Classic.
Hayato Sakamoto hit a grand slam in the seventh to make it 16-4 and the game was called under the 10-run mercy rule when the Netherlands failed to close the gap in the bottom of the inning.
Takashi Toritani led off the game with a solo homer to right for Japan's first home run of the tournament.
Nobuhiro Matsuda widened the lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer and Seiichi Uchikawa made it 6-0 with a three-run blast that knocked Netherlands starter Rob Cordemans out of the game in the second inning. Atsunori Inaba and Yoshio Itoi also homered for Japan.
