By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
South Korea blasted three home runs to defeat Mexico 8-2 in the opening game of the second round at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) at Petco Park in San Diego, Monday (Seoul time).
Picking up the victory, the Koreans will play reigning champion Japan, who defeated Cuba 6-0 earlier in the day, in their third head-to-head in the tournament, Wednesday, in accordance with the ``bizarre'' WBC double-elimination format.
Mexico will play the Caribbean nation on Tuesday.
Facing the inconsistent Mexicans ― winning two games by more than 10 runs, and falling by a double-figure margin in the first round ― Lee Bum-ho, Kim Tae-kyun and Ko Young-min each hit solo homers for Korea, which was known for its small ball in the initial WBC, and five relievers combined for seven scoreless innings, holding them to four hits. Mexico produced 46 hits, including 12 dingers, in four games in the opening stage.
The Latin Americans broke open the game at the top of the second inning.
With the bases loaded with two outs, No. 9 batter Augie Ojeda hit a two-run single off Korean starter Ryu Hyun-jin, who lasted just 2 2/3 innings on 65 pitches, to shallow left.
However, the Korean squad, which reached the penultimate round of the 2006 event, recovered in the bottom half.
Third baseman Lee Bum-ho, who hit a home run against China, drove a 2-0 pitch from New York Mets smokeballer Oliver Perez into the left field seats, and the Far East nation tied it at two-all as speedy right fielder Lee Yong-kyu scored off a throwing error by second baseman Edgar Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres.
In the fourth, clean-up man Kim Tae-kyun of the Hanwha Eagles went deep to left field for his second homer of the WBC to make it 3-2, and Ko Young-min, who replaced Jeong Keun-woo, extended the lead as the Doosan Bears second baseman hammered Perez's first pitch over the fence in center field.
After squandering a base-loaded chance in the sixth inning, manager Kim In-sik's side sealed the victory in the seventh.
Ko reached on a bunt single and Kim Hyun-soo walked, both of whom advanced on a double steal, and Kim Tae-kyun hit a two-run single off David Cortes, who played for the Lotte Giants last season.
Korea added two more runs in the inning on two singles from Lee Bum-ho and Park Ki-hyuk.
The winner between Korea and Japan will earn a berth in the semifinals and the loser is slated to play the winner between Cuba and Mexico, Thursday, to join the final four.