Japan struggled at the plate and on the mound but the biggest knockout blow to its bid for a third straight World Baseball Classic tltle was a bungled steal in the eighth inning on Sunday.

Japan's base-running meltdown in the bottom of the eighth proved its biggest undoing in a stunning 3-1 loss to underdogs Puerto Rico at AT&T Park.

Japan had just scored its first run and was trailing 3-1 in the eighth when a promising looking late rally was derailed by a double steal attempt that backfired.