LOS ANGELES (AP) -- For the second time in three years, the United States was beaten at its own game on its own turf.
Maybe baseball just ain't America's sport anymore.
Daisuke Matsuzaka remained undefeated in the World Baseball Classic and defending champion Japan topped Team USA, 9-4, in the semifinals at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night.
"Can you believe this? Look at the score. I feel so bad about this," Tom Lasorda, Hall of Fame manager and WBC global ambassador, said from his seat behind home plate.
"I'm very, very disappointed. We had high hopes. This is the second time we were supposed to win. We taught these people the game."
Instead, Japan gave the lessons on American soil.
Matsuzaka sent his country into Monday night's title game against South Korea, a 10-2 winner over Venezuela in Saturday's semifinal. Japan won the inaugural tournament in 2006, defeating Cuba in the final.
Akinori Iwamura's RBI triple was the key hit in a five-run fourth inning against starter Roy Oswalt, and the U.S. absorbed its
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"We didn't play as well defensively," U.S. manager Davey Johnson said. "We made it a ballgame through seven innings, and made some mistakes, walked the leadoff hitter in the eighth, and that's not the way you win ballgames."
The WBC has hardly been a showcase for the United States, despite a roster loaded with major league stars.
Three years ago, the Americans were eliminated 2-1 by Mexico in the second round of the tournament after beating Japan, 4-3, during pool play in Anaheim.
"I have no thoughts whatsoever that I have surpassed them," Japan manager Tatsunori Hara said through a translator.
"But the American baseball team came to recognize the Japanese team."
Spring Training news
I-Rod catches on: Ivan Rodriguez caught on right away in his Houston Astros debut, while Ricky Nolasco and the Florida Marlins turned in a Grapefruit League no-hitter.
Playing his first game with his new team, Rodriguez stroked a single to center field in his initial at-bat and helped Houston to a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
The Astros plugged Rodriguez into the No. 2 spot in the lineup and the 14-time All-Star catcher finished 1-for-3 at the plate in Kissimmee, Fla.
"I feel good out there," he said. "I'm just trying to get used to my new teammates, and so far it was good."
After waiting all winter to land a job, Rodriguez finalized a $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Astros on Friday. He can earn an additional $1.5 million in performance incentives.
Nolasco was even better, combining on a no-hitter with Dan Meyer and Leo Nunez in Florida's 2-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Lakeland, Fla. Nolasco struck out eight over seven innings and faced the minimum 21 batters.
In games Sunday:
Cardinals 5, Orioles 4 -- At Jupiter, Fla.: David Freese, recalled from minor league camp earlier in the day, went 1-for-3 with a run as he tries to win St. Louis' third-base job.
Cubs 5, Mariners 3 -- At Mesa, Ariz.: Carlos Zambrano allowed one run and four hits over six innings, while Seattle's Erik Bedard threw 47 pitches in 2.2 scoreless innings and gave up two hits.
Brewers 10, Giants 9 -- At Phoenix: Milwaukee's Rickie Weeks homered to the base of the left-center field flag poles, a drive estimated at 450 feet. Randy Winn and Aaron Rowand connected for San Francisco.
White Sox 12, Athletics 10 -- At Phoenix: Second baseman Brent Lillibridge made two errors for Chicago, while third baseman Josh Fields and shortstop Eider Torres made one apiece, prompting White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to call his team's defense "pathetic."
