Korea Sinks Japan 6-2 to Reach Baseball Final

South Korea came from behind in the final stretch to defeat Japan 6-2 and reached the final of the baseball competition at the Beijing Olympics Friday.

Lee Seung-yuop of South Korea hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth inning. South Korea continued its unbeaten record in the Beijing Games baseball tournament.

With the score tied at 2-2, Asian home run champion Lee blasted a two-run homer to give South Korea a dramatic 4-2 lead, and a series of hitters extended the lead by battering Japanese reliever Hitoki Iwase.

The South Koreans (8-0) will play Saturday night at Wukesong Stadium against the winner of Friday's late semifinal between defending Olympic champion and second-seeded Cuba or the No. 3 United States squad.

Kim Dong-joo followed the home run with a single, then scored a key insurance run when left fielder Akihiro Sato dropped a routine fly ball by Lee Dae-ho for a devastating two-base error.

One out later, Kang Min-ho doubled in another run, raising his hands in celebration as he reached second.

^Pinch-hitter Lee Jin-young hit a tying RBI single off Kyuji Fujikawa with two outs in the seventh. Lee Dae-ho, the designated hitter, had drawn a one-out walk and Jeong Keun-woo entered as a pinch-runner, then pumped his right arm in the air and cheered after sliding safely into home plate for the tying run.

Nishioka, Japan's leadoff hitter, put his team ahead 1-0 in the first when he scored on a groundout. Nishioka drew a one-out walk in the third and advanced on Masahiro Araki's sacrifice before reaching third on a wild pitch. Aoki then singled him home for a 2-0 lead.

South Korea struggled to generate clutch hits until finally breaking out in the eighth.

Lee Yong-kyu doubled to start the fourth for the first hit off Japan starter Toshiya Sugiuchi and Kim Hyun-soo followed with a single. Lee Yong-kyu then scored when Lee Seung-yuop grounded into a double play.