LAST night the grand finale of the Classic took place between the two Asian giants. The U.S. team was glaring in its absence. The multinationals that exploit sports lost nothing and earned a lot. The American people are complaining.

Everything was forecast. The Japanese gave their opponents a hard time, even though Matsuzaka was not having his best day. They hit the first pitch of the game, sending a homerun through center field. At that moment, those accustomed to a traditional way of seeing that sport since the days of Babe Ruth dreamed of a deluge of yanki hits.

It got even worse when Matsuzaka walked one player and the black U.S. player Jimmy Rollins hit a fly between second base and center field that was perfectly catchable but fell into the field after it was blocked by no less than Hiroyuki Nakajima, the exceptional Japanese shortstop. The same thing was happening to the Japanese team in that game as the United States the day before; the Americans had a one-run lead at the beginning of the first inning.

The Japanese manager was kind to his opening pitcher, who was announced with great fanfare, not wanting even a flower petal to graze him. He talked to him, patted him on the back a few times and left him alone.

Japan was the home team and 27 outs were to come; its famous pitcher gave it an extra go and finished the inning.

Immediately, the Japanese began their effort to eliminate that lead and in a short while they were already 4 runs ahead of the United States.

That afternoon Matsuzaka was not the invincible pitcher. After a few more pitches, he was replaced by another from Japan’s excellent collection of pitchers; the manager replaced them without the least hesitation whenever he sensed the slightest danger. He had reserves for winning that encounter and all he needed for the final game of the Classic the following day.

Every time the U.S. team shortened Japan’s lead by one run, the Japanese manager would look for and rapidly obtain the runs needed to stay 4 ahead.

Ichiro Suzuki, Japan’s leadoff hitter, had failed four times that day, but when it was really necessary, he hit a double and the lead went up to 5, with which the game ended in the ninth inning.

On the next day, March 23, at 6:30 in the afternoon, in full daylight in Los Angeles and 9:30 p.m. in Cuba, the final game between Japan and Korea was played. Korea was the home team and couldn’t resist the temptation of using a pitcher who had defeated the Japanese team twice in the Classic, in games of 1 or 2 runs, very quick, a curve-ball thrower who does not strike out much, and who had been very well-studied by the Japanese specialists and batters.

This time, the first pitch resulted in a homerun through center field, a carbon copy of the yanki homer the day before — a terrible beginning for the other Asian baseball superpower. In spite of that, as proof of the quality of both the teams, it was one of the closest games imaginable between professional baseball players. The Japanese manager did not err in his choice of pitcher.

Hisashi Iwakuma, Japan’s opening pitcher, threw 7 and two-thirds innings, several of them with less that 10 pitches per inning.

In the 4th inning Japan was still leading 1-0.

In the 5th, Korea tied with a homerun.

In the 7th, Japan batted 3 consecutive hits and moved ahead 2-1.

In the 8th, Japan got another run and the score was 3-1. In the bottom of that same inning, Korea scored a run, making it 3-2.

In the 9th, Japan’s best right-hander, Yu Darvish, walked two players in a row and, when they were just 2 strikes away from victory, a Korean hit tied the game.

In the 10th, Japan drove in 2 runs that decided its victory, 5-3.

Led by the man who is, no doubt, the best batter in the world, Ichiro Suzuki, the Japanese had 18 hits.

In a few short lines, that is how the game evolved, but it was full of complicated situations, spectacular offensive and defensive plays, hugely important strikeouts, keeping the tension and emotions high throughout all 10 innings.

I am not a sports commentator. I write about political issues which I never stray from; that is why I pay attention to sports; that is why there was no reflection yesterday regarding the very important encounter that would be taking place that day.

It had all been said and anticipated several days in advance. My friends, the reporters of the Western news agencies, will not have any material to highlight, with greater or lesser emphasis, which in their opinion are difficulties linked to socialism.