Ichiro, Japan beat Cuba for WBC title

But once Japan reached the single-elimination semifinals, it played its best ball — shutting out previously unbeaten South Korea 6-0 Saturday night before jumping ahead of Cuba.

Japan took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first while hitting the ball out of the infield just once.

Cuba starter Ormari Romero was on a short leash to begin with, but was yanked after throwing 23 pitches. He retired leadoff hitter Kawasaki, then loaded the bases on infield singles by Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Nobuhiko Matsunaka, and a walk to Suzuki.

“He wasn’t his best today, he didn’t have his usual velocity or his control,” Velez said.

Vicyhoandry Odelin came on and hit Hitoshi Tamura on the left elbow with a pitch to force in the second run, then walked Ogasawara with two outs to bring in another before Toshiaki Imae hit a sharp, two-run single up the middle to make it 4-0.

Eduardo Paret hit a leadoff homer for the Cubans in the first, but they didn’t score again until the sixth, when they made it 6-3. One of Cuba’s two runs that inning was unearned due to an error by shortstop Kawasaki, who earlier in the game made two brilliant plays.

Japan took a 6-1 lead by scoring twice in the fifth on three straight hits — Suzuki’s leadoff double and singles by Matsunaka and Tamura.

At first, communist Cuba was denied a permit to participate in the tournament due to decades of political animosity with the U.S. government.

And Japan kept a stiff upper lip after it appeared to be deprived of the go-ahead run in a 4-3 loss to the United States on March 12 in the opener of Round 2.

The tournament was considered a success, coming not long after baseball was booted from the Olympics effective in 2012.

Petco Park, the San Diego Padres’ downtown ballpark, hasn’t seen such a festive night since it opened in 2004.

Fans from both countries waved flags, blew horns and banged cowbells.

The San Diego Symphony Orchestra played the national anthems of Japan, Cuba and the United States. The Japanese players bowed after their anthem was played.

Oh, the Japanese hero who hit 868 homers, escorted Aaron to the third-base line. Aaron, whose 755 homers are the most in major league history, went to the mound by himself to throw the ceremonial first pitch to Pestano, who had Aaron autograph the ball.

After streamers were shot from the upper deck, it was time for beisbol ... and yakyu.