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Australia and South Korea started with a victory their participation in the World Baseball Classic, winning this Thursday in the first matches of Group C held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
Australia kicked off the day with a 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei, thanks to a home run by Robbie Perkins in the fifth inning and another home run by Travis Bazzana in the seventh inning. Later, South Korea showcased its offensive power by defeating the Czech Republic 11-4, with four home runs that set the tone for the match.
Australia prevails with pitching and timely power
The Australian team settled a game dominated by pitchers with two key hits. Perkins hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, and Bazzana, the first pick in the 2024 MLB amateur draft, added another home run in the seventh to secure the victory.
On the hill, Alex Wells started with three innings without allowing any hits, and Jack O'Loughlin pitched the next three innings, giving up only two singles. O’Loughlin earned the win, and Jon Kennedy picked up the save.
Taiwan connected only three hits throughout the entire game.
South Korea launches its offensive
In the second match of the day, South Korea crushed the Czech Republic 11-4, driven by a powerful offense.
Bo Gyeong Moon was the standout player, hitting a grand slam and driving in five runs, while Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros hit two home runs in consecutive at-bats. Jahmai Jones of the Detroit Tigers added another solo home run in the eighth inning.
The South Korean team took an early lead with a score of 6-0 in the first innings, leaving the Europeans with no room to respond.
For the Czechs, Terrin Vávra hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to narrow the gap, but it wasn't enough to change the course of the game.
Upcoming matches of Group C
In the next round, host Japan, one of the tournament favorites, will debut against Chinese Taipei. Meanwhile, Australia will seek to move closer to the quarter-finals when it faces the Czech Republic.
The two best teams from the group will advance to the next phase of the tournament, which will be held in the United States.
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