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.
Source: Korea Times News
