Only one extra-base hit is needed in Round 2 victory

SAN DIEGO -- The Japanese played "small ball" on Sunday at PETCO Park, and with Daisuke Matsuzaka pitching, it was all good enough to defeat the highly touted Cubans.

They had 12 hits, 11 of them singles, in a 6-0 victory. And if Padres officials were paying close attention about how to win in their spacious home park this is how to do it:

The first run came in on a wild pitch. The second on a bloop single. The third on a sacrifice fly. Those three all scored in the third inning, giving Japan what turned out to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead. The fourth scored on a fielder's-choice grounder. The creation of the fifth began when Shuichi Murata was hit by a pitch and later scored on a pair of singles. The sixth came home on a single, a sacrifice bunt and another single.

"We have been very lucky," Japanese manager Tatsunori Hara said afterward. "We scored the first three runs. So it made the team very relaxed, and then everything was timely, and also techniques and all that. So just like that, we made the connections and they all linked up. It worked very nicely for us today."

Meanwhile, the free-swinging Cubans struck out 12 times, grounded into two double plays and had four fly balls swallowed up by PETCO's cavernous outfield.

The Cubans had just scored 29 runs and hit 10 homers in taking three first-round games in Mexico City's 8,000-foot-high Foro Sol Stadium.

Time for an adjustment. If they don't, it'll be one more loss and out when they meet Mexico on Monday night at 8 ET.

"I explained at the beginning that we need to handle three different factors: pitching, offensive and defensive strategies," Cuban manager Higinio Velez said. "I think the scenario changes, as you know, because of gravity. In Mexico, the ball travels farther. Here, we did some adjustments in batting practice, because we've played in this area before and we know that the ball will not travel as far here. So we need to contrast this."

The Japanese have now defeated the Cubans twice in a row in the Classic at PETCO, including a 10-6 victory in the 2006 finals to win the inaugural championship. Matsuzaka started and won both games.

The furthest Japan hit the ball on Sunday was Kenji Johjima's double into the right-field corner with one out in the fourth inning. Johjima ultimately scored on Ichiro Suzuki's grounder.

And now Japan is one step closer to defending its championship.

In a double-elimination bracket, it just has to defeat Korea on Tuesday night to move on to Dodger Stadium for a semifinal matchup next weekend.

"I don't worry too much [about the other team]," Hara said. "So rather than worrying about the other team, you know, we have to do our best. If we can do our best, whoever the opposition is, we can win. That's how I feel [about it]."