China made deadly mistake in a 7-1 loss against Japan on Monday night in an international baseball tournament which severs as a rehearsal for the Beijing Olympics.

 

Chinese hitter Sun Lingfeng missed a golden chance to take the lead for China in the second bottom when the host team made full-loaded bases with two singles.

 

But MLB-contracted Jia Yubing soon delivered a solo homer in the fourth, his second homer in the tournament.

 

Jia's homer only allowed China a short lead before Japan overun in the fifth by two runs on single, triple and double after two outs due to Jia's terrible error on first base.

 

Japanese achieved other five runs from the six in which Chinese young baseballers surrendered three runs in the nineth when Yoshida Kei doubled with bases fully loaded.

 

Japanese team manager Hoshino Senichi was more satisfied with his players' performance for it was the team's first win within nine innings of the tournament.

 

"Our pitchers have done excellent jobs in suppressing Chinese batters and just make runs when opportunities came up," Hoshino said.

 

Japan sent four pitchers in the game, making almost all 15 pitchers to stage in the tournament.

 

"We just have a bad day as there were too many mistakes which just allowed Japanese runs," Chinese team manager James Lefebvre said.

 

"Our boys did not make good quality pitchings and we should do more in defence," the manager said, "through test games we could find who can play and who can't."

 

Chinese players said they have seen the gap between the two Asian teams "is narrowing" through their performance of the game.

 

According to the tournament's rule, Japan will meet France and China will take on Czech Republic in semifinals on Wednesday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)