Korea edges rival Japan, wins Pool A

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Kim's RBI single in the fourth holds up as lone run of contest

Korea's Jung Keun Bong allowed
three hits over 5 1/3 shutout innings.

real time posted: Monday, March 09, 2009 10:58:00 PM


TOKYO -- Team Korea came back from a devastating 14-2 loss to Japan on Saturday to turn the tables and win the final game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic Asia Round, Pool A, 1-0, in a pitchers' battle at Tokyo Dome on Monday night.

Korea shocked the Japanese home crowd and finished the Asia Round with a 3-1 record, having defeated Chinese Taipei and China and splitting two games with Japan to claim the title. Japan, the runner-up, was 2-1, with victories over China and Korea.

Both teams now move on to Round 2 in San Diego, which begins on March 15.

Korean starting pitcher Jung Keun Bong was highly effective, allowing only three hits over 5 1/3 innings -- a pair of singles by Kenji Johjima and one by Hiroyuki Nakajima. Bong struck out two and did not walk a batter in using 69 pitches, one under the maximum 70 allowed by World Baseball Classic rules.

Japan starter Hisashi Iwakuma retired the first nine batters he faced but got himself into a jam in the top of the fourth inning. After walking leadoff man Jong Wook Lee, Iwakuma gave up a single to Keun Woo Jeong before Tae Kyun Kim singled home Lee for the 1-0 lead.

Iwakuma left the game in the top of the sixth, having also thrown 69 pitches over 5 1/3 innings, giving up the one run and two hits. He struck out five and walked three.

Korea missed a golden opportunity in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third and no outs. But Japan turned an unusual 6-2-5 double play, preventing Korea from scoring.

Closer Chang Yong Lim, who plays for Japan's Yakult Swallows, worked the last 1 2/3 innings to pick up a save.

"I am very happy about this," Korean manager In Sik Kim said afterward. "This is a huge win for us, and we look forward to going to America and winning there."

Kim credited his team's pitching as the key to victory on Monday.

"Today, everyone can recognize the importance of pitching," he said. "Baseball is 95-percent pitching. Today our starter, closer and middle relievers all did so great."

About selecting Bong as his starter, Kim said, "Bong told me two days ago he wanted to pitch against Japan, and I liked his attitude, so I decided to give him the ball."

A disappointed Japan manager Tatsunori Hara said, "A shutout loss after scoring 14 runs -- that's baseball. Today was a pitchers' game, and our pitchers did a good job. We lost, but I am proud of them, and we will head for the U.S. with that pride.

"Korea and Japan will go to the next round and, together, we will be showing the world how good Asian baseball is."

The highly anticipated rematch of Saturday night's game had an advance sale of more than 40,000 tickets, and organizers announced a sellout at 7:47 p.m., a little more than an hour after the contest began. The announced crowd was 42,879.

Both teams left after the game for workouts in Arizona, and will join the winner and runner-up of Pool B (consisting of Australia, Cuba, Mexico and South Africa) to form Pool 1 and play at Petco Park in San Diego.


BOX SCORE


Korea (3-1) 1, Japan (2-1) 0
March 9, 2009


123456789RHE
Korea 000100000140
Japan 000000000060





KoreaABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Lee, Jong, CF3110100.333
Jeong, 2B3010020.333
Ko, 2B1000012.000
Kim, H, LF2000122.000
a-Lee, T, PH0000100.000
Lee, Jin, RF0000000.000
Kim, T, 1B4021001.500
Lee, D, DH2000202.000
1-Choi, PR-DH0000000.000
Lee, Y, RF-LF3000103.000
Lee, B, 3B3000021.000
Park, Ky, C3000011.000
Park, Ki, SS2000110.000
Bong, P0000000.000
Jong, P0000000.000
Ryu, P0000000.000
Lim, P0000000.000
Totals261417912.259
a-Walked for Kim, H in the 9th.
1-Ran for Lee, D in the 9th.
BATTING
2B: Kim, T (1, Mahara).
TB: Lee, Jong; Jeong; Kim, T 3.
RBI: Kim, T (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ko.
GIDP: Lee, Y.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
PO: Kim, T (2nd base by Johjima).

JapanABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Suzuki, RF4010001.250
Nakajima, SS3010010.333
Aoki, LF4010002.250
Murata, 3B4000022.000
Inaba, DH4000021.000
Uchikawa, 1B2000000.000
a-Ogasawara, PH-1B2000010.000
Fukudome, CF3010000.333
Johjima, C3020001.667
Iwamura, 2B3000012.000
Iwakuma, P0000000.000
Sugiuchi, P0000000.000
Mahara, P0000000.000
Darvish, P0000000.000
Yamaguchi, P0000000.000
Fujikawa, P0000000.000
Totals32060079.258
a-Struck out for Uchikawa in the 7th.
BATTING
TB: Suzuki; Nakajima; Aoki; Fukudome; Johjima 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Inaba; Aoki.
S: Nakajima.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Aoki (Jeong at 3rd base).
DP: 3 (Nakajima-Uchikawa, Nakajima-Johjima-Murata, Ogasawara-Nakajima).
Pickoffs: Johjima (Kim, T at 2nd base).


KoreaIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Bong (W, 1-0)5.13000200.00
Jong (H, 1)1.22000300.00
Ryu (H, 1)0.11000100.00
Lim (S, 1)1.20000100.00
Totals9.06000703.66
JapanIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Iwakuma (L, 0-1)5.12113501.69
Sugiuchi 0.20001100.00
Mahara 1.01000000.00
Darvish 1.01001300.00
Yamaguchi 0.00001000.00
Fujikawa 1.00001000.00
Totals9.04117901.08

Sugiuchi pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.
Yamaguchi pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

Balk: Bong.
Pitches-strikes: Bong 69-46, Jong 21-18, Ryu 12-6, Lim 11-8, Iwakuma 69-41, Sugiuchi 14-8, Mahara 7-4, Darvish 21-12, Yamaguchi 5-1, Fujikawa 12-6.
Groundouts-flyouts: Bong 9-5, Jong 0-2, Ryu 0-0, Lim 3-1, Iwakuma 6-2, Sugiuchi 1-0, Mahara 1-1, Darvish 0-0, Yamaguchi 0-0, Fujikawa 2-1.
Batters faced: Bong 19, Jong 7, Ryu 2, Lim 5, Iwakuma 18, Sugiuchi 3, Mahara 3, Darvish 5, Yamaguchi 1, Fujikawa 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Lim 1-0, Mahara 1-0, Fujikawa 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Dana DeMuth. 1B: Paul Hyham. 2B: Ed Hickox. 3B: Jorge Perez.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 3:02.
Att: 42,879.


Compiled by MLB Advanced Media