Canada lost their unbeaten status in the Olympic Honkbal tournament when competition resumed on Friday after the rest day Thursday. The Australians made heavy weather of their game against Greece, while Italy knocked off Taiwan. The following is the ONS wrap of the day's action:

Men : Day 5: Japan, Cuba, Canada on top of standings 20 Aug. 2004

ATHENS, 20 August - With four wins and one loss, Japan, Cuba and previously unbeaten Canada stand alone atop the preliminary standings after five days of action in the Olympic baseball tournament. Greece (0-5) is no longer in medal contention, while Australia (3-2), the Netherlands (2-3), Chinese Taipei (2-3) and Italy (1-4) are still alive.

ITA v TPE
Claudio LIVERZIANI's (ITA) two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning provided the key to Italy's 5-4 victory over Chinese Taipei. Italy avoided elimination from medal contention in improving to 1-4, while Chinese Taipei fell to 2-3.

With the score level at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, right-handed hitter PENG Cheng-Min (TPE) hit a low and outside pitch over the right field wall for the go-ahead run.

Throughout the tournament these moments proved to be a harbinger to an Italian pitching collapse, but Italy was able to hold Chinese Taipei within striking distance.

Two innings later, Chinese Taipei brought in closing pitcher YANG Chien-Fu to help nail down the win and move it closer to the medal round.

Italy had other ideas. Mario CHIARINI (ITA) earned a lead-off walk which set the stage for LIVERZIANI. The Italian captain clubbed a YANG pitch over the wall in right-centrefield to put Italy ahead for good.

Chinese Taipei mounted no threat in the bottom of the ninth inning, with Peter NYARI (ITA) completing his 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief pitching to pick up the win.

JPN v CAN
Japan (4-1) stroked three home runs in decisively beating previously undefeated Canada (4-1) 9-1.

Canada came into the game with a tournament best team ERA (Earned Run Average) of 0.50. But the Asian champs got to starting pitcher Mike JOHNSON (CAN) early with some long-ball fireworks, smacking three home runs and scoring in each of the first five innings.

First, second and fourth inning shots by centerfielder Yoshinobu TAKAHASHI (JPN), leftfielder Yoshitomo TANI (JPN) and designated hitter Kazuhiro WADA (JPN) helped the 1996 Atlanta Games silver medallists build a seven-run lead. TAKAHASHI, a standout with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Major League, led the team with three RBI (Runs Batted In) to go with his two hits and two runs scored.

That was more than enough for starter Tsuyoshi WADA (JPN), the 2003 Pacific League Rookie of the Year with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. The diminuative lefty used his wicked split-fingered fastball and changeup to keep the Canadian hitters off balance to pick up the win, giving up three hits and striking out seven in seven innings of work.

JOHNSON (CAN), who won Canada's first game against Chinese Taipei with seven scoreless innings, was charged with six hits and seven runs and took the loss.

AUS v GRE
Australia eliminated Greece from medal contention today by defeating the host nation 11-6.

Unlike previous games, Greece made its opponent pay with timely hitting. By the second inning Greece had already tied its Olympic total with four runs, three coming in the first.

Yet the team that had upset medal favourite Japan two days earlier showed confidence and patience by slowly dissecting its opponent and then striking when the iron was hot.
Australia tacked on two runs in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5, and then five runs in the bottom of the seventh to put the game away.

The second run of the inning came when slow footed catcher David NILSSON (AUS) drag bunted for a base hit, scoring Gavin FINGLESON (AUS) from third base.

CUB v NED
Cuba erupted for five runs in the third inning and cruised to a 9-2 win over the Netherlands to keep its gold medal hopes very much alive in evening action.

After retiring the side in the first two innings, Dutch starter Eelco JANSEN got a taste of the vaunted Cuban offense. A seven-hit, five-run inning keyed by third baseman Michel ENRIQUEZ's (CUB) two-run single put the current World Champions and two-time Olympic gold medallists in firm command.

Two innings later, the Big Red Machine again battered Dutch pitching for another four runs. This time, catcher Ariel PESTANO (CUB) did the major damage in the balanced Cuban attack with a single to centrefield off reliever Robin van DOORNSPEEK (NED) that scored two runs.

The Netherlands got on the board in the eighth and ninth innings with solo home runs from Evert-Jan T'HOEN and Yurrendel de CASTER.

Four Cuban pitchers, including starter Norge Luis VERA, combined to hold the Netherlands' offense to five hits. But it was lefthander Ariel PALMA's (CUB) three-innings of no-hit throwing that earned the win. PALMA leads the tournament with two wins and a 0.00 ERA (Earned Run Average).

JANSEN gave up five runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings for the loss.

ONS dr/jc/nkl

After Friday's play, Ariel Pestano of Cuba has the highest batting average with .500 (10 for 20). He also leads the RBI's with 9. Seven players, three of them from Japan, have hit two homers each. Cheng-Min Peng of Taiwan leads the stolen bases with 3. Nine pitchers have a perfect 0.00 ERA while Chih-Chia Chang of Taiwan has easily the most strikeouts with 18.

See Baseball Canada's report in French on their loss to Taiwan.