Korea falls to Chinese Taipei in extra innings
Korean players react after losing a match against Chinese Taipei at Tokyo Dome, Japan, Sunday. Yonhap
Korea lost to Chinese Taipei 5-4 in extra innings at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Sunday, coming out on the wrong end of a back-and-forth battle with multiple lead changes.
Chinese Taipei broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the 10th and stranded the tying run at second in the bottom half of that inning at Tokyo Dome, finishing Pool C play with a record of 2-2.
Korea has now lost two straight games after an opening win over Czechia. With a 1-2 record, Korea will wrap up the first round against Australia at 7 p.m. Monday.
The top two teams at the end of pool play on Tuesday will qualify for the quarterfinals.
Australia, 2-0, will face another 2-0 nation, Japan, in Sunday's night cap at the dome. If Australia upsets Japan, then Korea will be eliminated from knockout contention. If Japan prevails, then Korea will still have a chance to advance in a tiebreaking situation by beating Australia on Monday.
Korea is trying to make it out of the opening round for the first time since 2009.
Chinese Taipei opened the scoring in the top of the second, as Chang Yu led off the inning with a solo home run off starter Ryu Hyun-jin.
Ryu escaped a two-out, two-on jam in the third by striking out Stuart Fairchild.
Kim Ju-won led off the third with a single, Korea's first hit off starter Gu Lin Ruei-Yang, but Kim was caught trying to steal second and got caught in a rundown.
Gu Lin then got the two quick outs to keep Korea off the board.
Kim Ju-won of Korea, right, reacts after flying out against Chinese Taipei during the teams' Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan, Sunday. Yonhap
Korea finally drew even in the bottom fifth, though it could have had much more. A walk and a single against Gu Lin put runners at the corners with nobody out, but all Shay Whitcomb could manage against new pitcher Lin Wei-En was a double play ball that scored a run.
Chinese Taipei pulled ahead in the top sixth, courtesy of Cheng Tsung-Che's solo home run off Gwak Been, Korea's second pitcher who had retired the six previous batters in a row.
But the dormant Korean offense finally came to life in the bottom sixth.
With two outs and a runner at first, Kim crushed a first-pitch fastball from Lin and drove it 390 feet to left field for the go-ahead two-run homer that gave Korea its first lead of the game at 3-2.
Kim punctuated his celebration with a primal scream and an emphatic bat toss.
The joy lasted only a couple of innings, though, as Chinese Taipei reclaimed its lead in the top eighth.
Facing Dane Dunning with a runner at second, Stuart Fairchild crushed a two-run shot to right-center field to put Chinese Taipei up 4-3.
But Korea wasn't done. With two outs in the bottom eighth, Kim Do-yeong played the hero again, this time with a ringing double off Sun Yi-Lei to deep center field that tied the score at 4-4.
Dane Dunning of Korea reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Stuart Fairchild of Chinese Taipei during the teams' Pool C game at the World Baseball Classic at Tokyo Dome in Japan, Sunday. Yonhap
Korea stranded the winning run at second with two outs in the bottom ninth, as Kim Ju-won flied out to center to send the game to extra innings.
Under the extra-inning rules, Chinese Taipei started the top 10th with a runner at second base. And when Lyle Lin put down a bunt, Go Woo-suk made an ill-advised attempt to get the lead runner at third. Pinch runner Chen Chieh-Hsien beat the throw with a headfirst slide, giving Chinese Taipei runners at the corners.
Chiang Kun-Yu then bunted Chen home to put Chinese Taipei up 5-4.
Chinese Taipei failed to pull away, but Korea failed to make the opponent pay in the bottom 10th.
Kim Hyung-jun had a sacrifice bunt to move Kim Ju-won to third. But Kim Hye-seong hit a grounder right at first baseman Wu Nien-Ting, who threw out Kim Ju-won at home to keep Korea off the board.
With two outs, Kim Hye-seong stole second to get himself into scoring position, but Kim Do-yeong couldn't play the hero for the third time, as he flied out to right field to end the game.