(BEIJING, August 23) -- The United States beat Japan 8-4 to claim the bronze medal at Wukesong Baseball Field on Saturday, August 23.

　　It is only the second time in Olympic Baseball that Japan finished outside the medals.

　　Pitchers Brett Anderson of the US team and Japan's Wada Tsuyoshi issued a number of costly walks that led to multiple RBI homeruns as Japan and the United States traded blows until the fifth inning, when the US club walked away 8-4.

　　Araki Masahiro, the second batter of the day, hit the first pitch he saw over the leftfield fence for a solo homerun and Japan jumped ahead 1-0 in the first.

　　In the bottom of the second inning, Matt Laporta returned from injury with a solo homerun to level the score.

　　Anderson walked two in the third inning before Aoki Norichika lit a three-run homer over the leftfield fence, moving Japan ahead 4-1.

　　The United States retaliated in the bottom of the third with their own three-run dinger. Brian Barden reached second on an error by leftfielder Sato Takahiko before Jayson Nix drew a walk. Matt Brown mashed a three-run homer to level the score.

　　Brown revealed manager Davey Johnson's advice, "He told us to play relaxed, to try to have some fun. We were trying to do too much and were a little too tense (in previous games), so we got out there and had some fun."

　　The US team pulled in front 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth as Taylor Teagarden doubled to right field to score Brown and Nate Schierholtz .

　　A two-run shot down the third base line by Jason Donald scored Teagarden.

　　A final rally by Japan's hitters in the top of the ninth came up short, the game, and Japan's medal hopes, closing with runners on second and third.