World Baseball Classic Day 4: New Pools Begin, Australia Eliminated
With the wrapping up Pools A and B, competition in Pool C and D began.
Another full day in the World Baseball Classic began with Korea’s and Chinese Taipei’s final games of the tournament. With hopes of advancing to the second round out of reach, Korea bested Chinese Taipei 11-8 in extra innings.
According to the rule, each team to go winless in the tournament must qualify to re-enter the next WBC. By finishing 1-2, Korea automatically qualifies for the 2021 WBC while Chinese Taipei must work their way through the qualifier.
The offense that fueled Australia to a 11-0 victory over China came up one run short in their 4-3 loss to Cuba. Since Japan clinched a spot in the second round yesterday, the Aussie loss to Cuba eliminated them from the tournament.
The Dominican Republic picked up where they left off and moved one win closer to defending their 2013 WBC championship with a 9-2 victory over Canada. Despite taking a five-run lead into the ninth, Italy rallied to a 10-9 walk-off victory against Mexico.
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Extra-Inning Thriller Ensures 2021 WBC Appearance for Korea
Although their six-run lead over Chinese Taipei gradually slipped away, Korea won 11-8 after scoring three in the tenth.
By the final out of the top of the second, Korea bragged a 6-0 lead. Yet, Chinese Taipei quickly cut their deficit down to 6-3 with three runs in the bottom of the second.
Still trailing Korea 8-3, Che-Hsuan Lin launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth, making the score 8-5. Chinese Taipei chipped away at Korea’s lead until Yung-Chi Chen tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.
Not long after the game was tossed into extra innings did Eui-ji Yang put Korea ahead with a sacrifice fly in the tenth. Tae-kyun Kim followed Yang and secured Korea’s victory with a two-run homer.
Although neither team competed for a chance to move farther in the tournament, Korea’s victory over Chinese Taipei guarantees them a spot in the next WBC. On the other hand, Chinese Taipei must work their way through the qualifier in order to reach the WBC in 2021.
Australia 1-1 After Shutting Out China
Australia eliminated China from advancing to the second round with a monstrous 11-0 victory.
After a quiet first two innings, Luke Hughes awoke Australia’s offense with a two-run homer that put his team ahead in the third. Although Australia continued to add to their lead in the fourth and seventh innings, James Beresford broke the game open with a grand slam in the eighth.
As a result, the game was called after the eighth inning due to the tournament’s early termination rule. If a team is leading by 15 runs after five innings or, in this case, 10 runs after eight, the game is over.
Travis Blackley pitched into the fifth inning and allowed just two hits. Moreover, by throwing only 48 pitches, Blackley is available to open up the second round for Australia, if they can make it.
“I didn’t know what to expect, I don’t think any of us did,” Blackley said (per mlb.com). “They came out swinging and they definitely had some tools out there and played hard. I just think we just did our best to play our game and do what we could do to win this game.”
Cuba Slams Australia Back Down Under
By beating China, Australia faced Cuba with the added pressure of potential elimination from the tournament. Alfredo Despaigne’s grand slam knocked Australia from the tournament and highlighted Cuba’s 4-3 victory.
As Warwick held Cuba to four hits through his four-inning start, Lazaro Blanco did the same, keeping Australia to four hits through 2.2 innings. After four scoreless innings, Logan Wade put Australia ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the fifth.
However, their lead short-lived lead came to an end when Despaigne’s grand slam put Cuba ahead 4-1 in the fourth
Although Australia scored in the seventh and eighth to shrink their deficit down to one, Miquel Lahera retired the ninth inning in order to send Cuba to the second round.
Castillo, Bautista Go Deep in Win Over Canada
Thanks to home runs from Welington Castillo and Jose Bautista, the Dominican Republic began their title defense with a 9-2 victory over Canada. Including their undefeated 2013 championship run, the Dominican Republic won their ninth WBC game in a row.
Sandwiched between two RBI singles, hit by Gregory Polanco and Bautista, Castillo hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. The following inning, Jonathan Malo reached second base on a fielding error and after making it to third on a groundout, scored on a balk for Canada’s first run of the game.
Although Canada brought the game within two runs, Bautista, who finished the game 3-4 with 4 RBI, smacked a three-run home run that gave the Dominican Republic an 8-2 in the sixth. Fernando Rodney and Jeurys Familia combined to strike out the side and shut the door in the ninth.
Italy Begins Pool D with Dramatic Walk Off
While Mexico lead Italy for majority of the Pool D opener, the Italians shocked their opponent with a five-run ninth inning rally that resulted in a 10-9 walk-off victory. With already a home run in the game, John Andreoli sent Italy home victorious with his ninth-inning RBI single.
Prior to the ninth inning, Italy managed to tie Mexico twice, but never took the lead. After Mexico went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first, Andreoli tied the game with a home run in the bottom of the first.
Heading into the fourth, Italy faced a 4-2 deficit, but Rob Segedin and Chris Calabello tied the game with a pair of home runs. However, Mexico proceeded to build a 9-5 lead, highlighted by Drew Butera’s fifth-inning homer.
Next: WBC Day 5-Japan Undefeated, USA Walk-Off, Puerto Rico Powerhouse
As it turned out, not even Mexico’s four-run lead heading into the ninth was not enough.
Trailing 9-5, Italy began the ninth inning with three consecutive walks, the third of which drove in a run. When an error and walk loaded the bases, Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI single that brought Italy within one run of Mexico. Without any outs, John Andreoli walked Italy off with an RBI single that brought home two runs.