Four years ago, the Samurai Japan bullpen fell apart in a loss against South Korea in the Premier12 semifinals at Tokyo Dome.
This time, with the title hanging in the balance, Japan's relievers got to taste both sweet revenge and the championship.
Tetsuto Yamada gave Japan the lead with a three-run home run in the second inning and six relievers held the Koreans to three hits over eight innings in a 5-3 win in the Premier12 final on Sunday night at the Big Egg. The Japanese went 7-1 on their way to winning the tournament.