S. Korea routs Mexico 8-2 in WBC second round

SAN DIEGO, March 15 (Yonhap) -- A trio of solo homers led South Korea to an 8-2
win against Mexico in the second round of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego
on Sunday.

Beijing Olympic champion South Korea produced 12 hits, including three homers and
eight runs, crushing Mexican pitchers, including starter Oliver Perez of the New
York Mets, in the crucial match held at Petco Park, San Diego.
South Korean infielder Lee Bum-ho slammed a solo home run off Perez as Mexico led
2-0 in the bottom second inning. Then Mexico's second-baseman Edgar Gonzalez of
the San Diego Padres uncorked a wild throw to first base, allowing outfielder Lee
Yong-kyu to reach the plate and South Korea tied 2-2.
Slugger Kim Tae-kyun, who had three RBIs in the match, homered in the fourth and
Ko Young-min hit another solo in the fifth, helping South Korea take the lead
4-2.
Team Korea let go an opportunity with bases loaded at the bottom sixth, but
scored four runs in the seventh on Ko's bunt hit and Kim Tae-kyun's single toward
the left-field line after a set of steals.
Despite starter Ryu Hyun-jin giving up two runs in two innings, five other
relievers held Mexico scoreless through eight innings, leading Korea to an 8-2
triumph against Mexico, who scored a total of 41 runs in four games in the first
round.
South Korea, who finished in the semifinals three years ago, will take on
archrival Japan on Tuesday. Japan beat Cuba 6-0 in an early match. The winner
will grab a berth to the semifinals of the 2009 WBC.
Mexico and Cuba will meet on Monday and the loser is to be eliminated.
Korea wrapped up the first round as the winner of Pool A, pushing Japan into the
runner-up spot by beating it 1-0 in the final match.
brk@yna.co.kr
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