Japan is prepped for final

After falling short in their first two meetings, Japan beat South Korea when it mattered most.

Byung Hyun Kim gave up a game-breaking home run Saturday night, a two-run shot by pinch hitter Kosuke Fukudome in the seventh inning that broke open a scoreless game and sent Japan to a 6-0 victory in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego.

Koji Uehara pitched seven shutout innings for Japan, which will play Cuba for the championship tonight at Petco Park.

South Korea entered the nightcap as the WBC's only unbeaten team with a 6-0 record, going 3-0 in both qualifying rounds. Japan was 3-3, including a pair of one-run losses to the Koreans, and 1-2 in the second round.

Japanese and Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki, who had three hits and two stolen bases, was ecstatic.

''Tonight was not about skill. It was about putting all my heart into the game. I know this is true -- not just for me, but for all the players," Suzuki said through a translator.

Suzuki and Texas Rangers reliever Akinori Otsuka, who pitched a scoreless ninth, are the only major leaguers on the Japanese roster.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka doubled off losing pitcher Byung Doo Jun to start the seventh. Kim relieved and struck out Hitoshi Tamura before Fukudome hit a 1-1 pitch into the right-field seats. After a wild pitch, Tomoya Satozaki hit a ground-rule double to make it 3-0 and chase Kim.

The Blue Jays said A.J. Burnett's MRI showed scar tissue breaking away in his right elbow. Burnett left Toronto's 8-4 loss to the Red Sox Saturday after throwing 18 pitches, and the Blue Jays initially feared the righthander had a serious injury. Burnett had Tommy John surgery three years ago. ''We got good news," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said yesterday. ''The X-rays came back good, it's probably just a little scar tissue." Burnett was relieved that it wasn't as serious as it first appeared. ''Obviously, any setback is not good, but when the good news came that it was scar tissue, not anything with the ligaments, it was good news and I am relieved," Burnett said . . . Mets starters Pedro Martínez and Tom Glavine got their work in against minor league players. Glavine pitched four innings and Martínez three. Asked if he would be ready for Opening Day, Martínez replied, ''I have no idea. That's not an issue. We have plenty of starters. What's the rush of seeing Pedro Martínez on Opening Day?"

Al Leiter attended the Yankees' spring reunion, then decided he's not coming back anymore. The 19-year veteran retired after pitching to one batter in New York's 2-0 win over the Indians. He and several teammates had just returned from the World Baseball Classic, and the Yankees were all together for the first time since the exhibition opener. Leiter, a 40-year-old lefthander, finished with a record of 162-132 and won World Series titles with Toronto (1993) and Florida (1997). The end became official in the seventh inning when he got Cleveland's Eduardo Pérez to ground out to third, the only batter he faced. ''It feels right," Leiter said. ''Family, kids, I'm constantly being asked when I'm coming home." . . . Royals closer Mike MacDougal has a strain in his upper right arm and is expected to be sidelined for about a month. Manager Buddy Bell said he would use 21-year-old righthander Ambiorix Burgos as the closer in MacDougal's absence. Burgos had two saves as a rookie last season . . . Derek Lowe allowed one run and four hits in six innings in the Dodgers' 9-1 win over the Nationals, leaving him with an 0.69 ERA in 13 innings this spring. Bill Mueller went 3 for 3 with a home run, raising his average to .379.