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Korean baseball loses 9 straight games to Japan… Premier 12 semifinals become difficult

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Jeong Hae-young of the Premier 12 baseball team is disappointed after allowing a two-run home run to Shota Morishita in the bottom of the 7th inning with 1 out and 1 base in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 2024 Group B match against Japan held at Taipei Dome in Taiwan on the 15th. . Taipei/Yonhap News

First score → reversal allowed → tie → reversal → reversal allowed. The Premier 12 baseball team faced Japan, which was considered one of the best, and lost after a close match. The national team, which lost to both Taiwan and Japan, was unable to advance to the super round, where only the first and second place in the group can participate.

The national team led by coach Ryu Joong-il lost 3-6 to Japan in the third game of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 Group B at Taipei Dome in Taipei, Taiwan on the 15th. The national team lost 3-6 in the first game against Taiwan on the 13th, and then also lost to Japan, ending with 1 win and 2 losses. Taiwan and Japan achieved two wins each in Group B, further increasing their chances of advancing to the super round.

The national team, which had found its batting sense after winning against Cuba the previous day, led the way by taking the first point on this day as well. Veteran catcher Park Dong-won opened the game with a long hit in the top of the second inning with one out and no runner on base. Afterwards, Lee Joo-hyung’s infield ground ball hit the opposing starting pitcher’s glove and resulted in a hit. On-base king Hong Chang-ki, who came to the plate with an opportunity to score with 2 outs and 1st and 3rd bases, hit a single in front of center field to give the national team the first run.

Although they took a 1-0 lead, starter Choi Seung-yong faltered from the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Kotaro Kurebayashi was allowed two RBIs and a timely hit. After giving up 2 points in an instant and allowing a comeback, Seungyong Choi’s control began to miss the strike zone. The national team brought Yoo Young-chan to the mound and activated the bullpen team early.

Yoo Young-chan fights against Japan in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 2024 Group B group stage held at Taipei Dome in Taiwan on the 15th. Taipei/Yonhap News

While Yoo Young-chan calmly put the Japanese batting lineup to rest, Korea launched a counterattack starting with Park Dong-won’s home run. When pitcher Park Dong-won’s second pitch breaking ball from starter Hiroto Takahashi came toward him, Park Dong-won didn’t miss it and pulled it over the fence. After allowing a solo home run to Park Dong-won, Takahashi left the mound after allowing 7 hits and 2 runs in 4 innings. He only had one home run in the Japanese league this season.

The national team opened the scoring again with Shin Min-jae’s hit in the top of the fifth inning. No. 2 Shin Min-jae, who reached base with a single in front of the center fielder, settled at third base thanks to No. 3 Kim Do-young’s advanced hit and base running play, shaking the opposing bullpen pitcher’s mentality. With an opportunity to score with 2 outs and 3rd base on base, the national team sent Yoon Dong-hee as a pinch hitter instead of Na Seung-yeop. Yoon Dong-hee, who was at bat, pushed the ball into the strike zone and scored a timely hit across left-center, bringing Shin Min-jae home. 3-2, it was a successful comeback.

Park Dong-won is walking around the field after hitting a solo home run with one out in the top of the 4th inning of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 2024 Group B match against Japan held at Taipei Dome in Taiwan on the 15th. Taipei/Yonhap News

The atmosphere in the batting lineup heated up, but a crisis arose on the mound. Kwak Do-gyu, who took the mound in the bottom of the 5th inning with two outs remaining, gave up 2 walks and a hit to the body against Japan’s 3rd to 5th main batting lineup, putting the bases loaded. Lee Young-ha, who took the mound after Kwak Do-gyu, eventually allowed two RBIs and a timely hit to Shogo Maki, and the game was overturned again.

The two teams continued their tight battle until the sixth inning, with a one-run lead. However, in the bottom of the 7th inning, Jeong Hae-young allowed a two-run home run to Japan’s number 4 Shota Morishita, widening the score gap to 3-6. The national team did not allow additional runs by putting Kim Seo-hyun and Kim Taek-yeon on the mound in turn, but the batting line was unable to score additional runs. On this day, the national team had 10 hits, but was unable to concentrate to bring runners home. It was also disappointing that the reliable bullpen pitching team collapsed.

The national team was unable to overcome Japan’s barrier even in this Premier 12. In competitions in which professional players participated, the national baseball team won the 2015 Premier 12 semifinals, then the 2017 Asian Professional Baseball Championship preliminaries and finals, the 2019 Premier 12 super rounds and finals, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), and the 2023 World Championships. Baseball Classic and Asian Professional Baseball Championship preliminaries and finals, 2024 Premier 12 group stage By losing the third game, they recorded their 9th consecutive loss against Japan. The only time they won against Japan was in the Asian Games, where players from independent leagues participate.

Korea will play against the Dominican Republic on the 16th and against Australia on the 18th.

Reporter Jang Pil-su feel@hani.co.kr


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