NAGOYA, Japan — Takayuki Kai drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to lead Japan over the MLB All-Stars 6-5 Wednesday and give the hosts a 4-1 lead in their six-game exhibition series.
Kai’s double to left off Dan Otero allowed Seiji Uebayashi to score from first as Japan clinched the series with one game remaining.
MLB built up a 5-1 lead through six innings but Japan tied the game with four runs off Hector Velazquez in the seventh.
Kai hit an RBi single to right to cut the lead to 5-2.
Kazuki Tanaka then hit a come-backer to Velazquez, who threw the ball into center field allowing Uebayashi to score from third to make it 5-3.
Pinch hitter Hotaka Yamakawa then hit a game-tying double to the gap in left-center field.
Yu Sato worked a scoreless eighth for the win and Yuki Matsui recorded three outs in the ninth for the save.
Otero took the loss. The final game is on Thursday at Nagoya Dome.