By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
The South Korean national baseball team defeated the Seibu Lions 4-2 in an exhibition game in Tokyo, Monday.
In its first of two warm-ups against Japanese teams, Hanwha Eagles first baseman Kim Tae-kyun blasted a game-winning two-run home run and the offense exploded with 10 hits, while four pitchers held last year's Japan Series champion to two runs.
The Lions downed the Japanese national team 7-2, Saturday.
The Korean team has compiled 4-1 in its five exhibition games ― four with the Eagles and one with the Lions ― to give high expectations for the World Baseball Classic (WBC), which starts on March 5.
The national squad, which arrived in Japan Sunday from a two-week Hawaii training, will face the Yomiuri Giants, for which Lee Seung-yeop is expected to play, Tuesday, ahead of its first qualifier against Taiwan, Friday, at Tokyo Dome.
Other than Cleveland Indians outfielder Choo Shin-soo, who complained about an elbow pain, manager Kim In-sik used a projected lineup for the WBC regional qualification, and the Lions also went with first-team players.
Korea did not waste time in getting on the scoreboard as it broke open the game in the first inning.
Centerfielder Lee Jong-wook, who led off the inning with a single, stole second base and scored on Doosan Bears teammate Kim Hyun-soo's single for a 1-0 lead.
But Korea squandered a chance to add runs as Lee Dae-ho hit a double play with runners on first and second.
After allowing the Japanese opponents to tie it 1-1 in the top of the third, South Korea, a semifinalist at the first WBC in 2006, struck back immediately in the bottom half.
With two outs, Kim Hyun-soo hit an infield single to second baseman and Kim Tae-kyun drove a two-run homer off Fumikazu Kimura into the right-center field seats, estimated at 120 meters, to make it 3-1.
In the sixth, with Korea up 3-2, the Far East nation extended its lead to two runs on Lee Jong-wook's grounder.
Kim Tae-kyun went 3-for-4, while Kim Hyun-soo and Park Ki-hyuk added two hits apiece.
Meanwhile, Lim Chang-yong of the Yakult Swallows, who was appointed as the team's closer, has been ruled medically clear.
Lim, 32, who got hit by the ball on the right elbow during practice, had a medical check Monday and was diagnosed with a bruise.