The South Korea national baseball team showed its offensive power in the World Baseball Classic by defeating the Czech Republic national baseball team 11-4 in the second game of the day in Group C played at the Tokyo Dome.
The South Korean team punished the rival pitching with four home runs, imposing their offensive from the first inning to lead to a resounding victory.
Moon’s grand slam marks the start of the offensive
The match started strong South Korea thanks to infielder Bo Gyeong Moon, who hit a grand slam in the first inning with one out on the board. The hit caused the early exit of Czech starter Daniel Padysak, who took the loss.
The Korean offensive did not stop there. Houston Astros infielder Shay Whitcomb hit two home runs in consecutive at-bats, first a solo shot in the third inning and then a two-run shot in the fifth.
The fourth home run of the game came in the eighth inning when Detroit Tigers player Jahmai Jones hit a solo home run to further extend the lead.
Vavra answers for Czech Republic
The Czech Republic managed to react momentarily in the fifth inning thanks to a three-run home run by Terrin Vavra, which reduced the difference to 6-3.
Vavra, who played some games in the Major Leagues with the Baltimore Orioles, is the only Czech player with MLB experience, which makes him one of the main figures of the European team.
However, the South Korean response was immediate with Whitcomb’s second home run, which once again extended the lead and put the victory on track.
South Korea seeks to advance in the tournament again
South Korea has a roster loaded with talent, led by players such as infielder Hyeseong Kim of the Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Jung Hoo Lee of the San Francisco Giants.
The Asian team seeks to advance beyond the group stage, something it has not achieved in its last three participations in the World Classic.
This is how Group C of the World Classic continues
Group C action will continue this Friday with two games:
Australia national baseball team vs. Czech Republic national baseball team
Japan national baseball team vs. Chinese Taipei national baseball team
The top two teams in the group will advance to the quarterfinals in the United States, where they will join the qualifiers from the other three groups in the tournament.
