Korea serves up 3 homers in opening loss to Australia

• Published date: 09 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

Korea fell to Australia 8-7 to open the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Thursday, getting torched by three home runs while wasting a late game-tying opportunity with a silly baserunning gaffe.

The underdog Australia pounded out 10 hits at Tokyo Dome, with Tim Kennelly, Robbie Glendinning and Robbie Perkins each going deep.

Yang Eui-ji homered for Korea in the fifth in the losing cause.

With the opening defeat in Pool B play, Korea must now beat world No. 1 Japan on Friday to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.

The group also includes the Czech Republic and China. The top two nations after round-robin action will reach the quarterfinals, and Australia is now far better positioned to grab one of the tickets, along with the tournament favorite Japan.

The teams traded zeroes for the first three innings before Australia broke the ice in the top fourth against starter Ko Young-pyo.

They had the bases loaded with nobody out after a hit-by-pitch, an infield single and a walk against Ko. Logan Wade cashed in a run with a sacrifice to center field.

Australia quickly doubled its lead in the fifth, courtesy of a solo home run by Kennelly, who drove a hanging curveball from Ko into left-center field seats.

Korea didn't have a base runner until Kim Hyun-soo drew a one-out walk in the fifth against Mitchell Neunborn. Park Kun-woo followed that up with a single, the team's first hit of the game, and Australia summoned Daniel McGrath.

Choi Jeong struck out against the new pitcher, but Yang put Korea ahead with one swing, as his three-run blast made it a 3-2 game for his side.

Park Byung-ho's ringing double off the top of the left field wall extended Korea's lead to 4-2.

Korea's bullpen couldn't keep the team ahead, though, as Australia charged out in front thanks to a three-run shot by Glendinning.

So Hyeong-jun, Korea's fourth pitcher, began the inning by hitting Perkins. A single and a...