The World Baseball Classic has returned for the first time in 6 years and has brought immediate drama.
For the first game of pool play, Team Australia took on Team Korea at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The favorite Koreans selected sidearm RHP Young Pyo Ko from the KBO to start the game, and he would go up against former Detroit Tigers prospect LHP Jack O’Loughlin of Team Australia.
After a scoreless 3 innings, Team Australia were the ones to finally get on the scoreboard via a sacrifice fly from SS Logan Wade. Australia struck again in the top of the 5th inning as RF Tim Kennelly blasted a solo HR, widening the lead to 2-0.
Australia’s lead didn’t last long though, as South Korea’s Euiji Yang delivered a 3-run HR in the bottom of the 5th to put Korea on top. Korea would add to their new lead in the sixth with an RBI double from ByungHo Park. However, Australia was soon to mount a comeback of their own…
The Aussies came through in the clutch and got a pair of 3-run HR’s from Robbie Glendinning in the seventh to make it 5-4, and then Robbie Perkins in the eighth to expand their lead to 8-4.
The power surge of Australia gave them a good cushion however Korea wasn’t done with scoring either. In the bottom of the eighth, the Koreans loaded the bases, but were only able to scratch across 3 runs, just short of tying the game.
The bottom of the ninth was in the hands of RHP Josh Guyer of Australia. He was able to shut the door on the Koreans and earn the save with a clean inning. Australia begins their pool play with a huge win over a highly regarded Korean team and looks to make a push for top two in Pool B.
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