(WBC) S. Korea unable to capitalize on gift-wrapped opportunities

▲ Na Sung-bum of South Korea reacts after striking out against Australia during the bottom of the eighth inning of a Pool B game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 9, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean players Lee Jung-hoo (L) and Kang Baek-ho (R) walk off the field after losing to Australia 8-7 in a Pool B game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 9, 2023. (Yonhap)

(WBC) S Korea-offense

(WBC) S. Korea unable to capitalize on gift-wrapped opportunities

By Yoo Jee-ho

TOKYO, March 9 (Yonhap) -- It was almost as if Australian pitchers were daring South Korean hitters to score.

Australia prevailed over South Korea 8-7 in the first Pool B game of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) here Thursday, in spite of some shaky relief pitching.

The game could easily have turned in the chaotic bottom of the eighth inning, which featured five walks and a hit-by-pitch by three Australian relievers. South Korea did score three times to make it 8-7, but did not get a base hit the entire inning.

Steven Kent opened the inning with two straight walks. Will Sherriff came on to put out the fire, but ended up walking two more batters in a row to push a run across for South Korea.

The bases were still loaded with nobody out for Kim Hyun-soo, South Korea's No. 5 hitter and its most experienced international player. The best Kim could manage, though, was a groundout to first, which only cashed in one more run.

Sherriff hit a batter to once again put three aboard for Oh Ji-hwan, who bounced into a 4-6 fielder's choice grounder that plated South Korea's seventh run.

A third Aussie pitcher of the inning, Sam Holland, walked pinch hitter Kim Hye-seong, and the bases were loaded once again.

In came Na Sung-bum, who just missed a potential bases-clearing double with a foul off the left field fence. Na struck out swinging on the very next pitch.

In a vacuum, South Korea's seven runs off seven hits look just fine, and it'd be easy to blame the bullpen for blowing a 4-2 lead and then letting a 5-4 deficit balloon to an 8-4 deficit.

However, South Korea had every opportunity to take the lead in the eighth. One base hit could have made a world of difference.

That hit never came.

(END)

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