ID :
51206
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 16:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/51206
The shortlink copeid
(2nd LD) S. Korea beats Japan to reach semifinals of WBC
(ATTN: ADDS additional comments in paras 11-13)
SAN DIEGO, March 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea defeated its archrival Japan 4-1 in
their third match in this year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) in San Diego on
Tuesday, advancing to the semifinals of the international baseball tournament.
Reigning Olympic champion South Korea clinched the crucial victory over defending
WBC champion Japan at the Petco Park in San Diego on starter Bong Jung-keun's
fine pitching and grabbed the semifinal berth for the second time in the
tournament.
After outfielder Lee Yong-kyu -- who hit a single and stole a base -- reached the
plate on Japanese shortstop Yasuyuki Kataoka's error, South Korea jumped ahead
3-0 on outfielder Lee Jin-young's two-run single off Japanese starter Yu Darvish
in the bottom first inning.
Japanese scored one in the top fifth on Ichiro Suzuki's ground ball, as the
Seattle Mariners outfielder went 0-for-4 with a RBI. Ichiro is hitting just .174
in five games of the tournament.
South Korea added a run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth, expanding the
score to 4-1.
Korean batters made only four hits but scored four on the error and seven walks
that six Japanese pitchers gave.
"We played a good game today. We scored three in the first inning against the
strongest team Japan. That may have embarrassed them," South Korean manager Kim
In-sik told reporters after the match. "I came to be convinced of the victory
after we scored one more run in the eighth."
Japan's Darvish struck out seven, walked one and gave two earned runs in five
innings, while Korea's Bong walked three and struck out one but gave only one run
during 5 1-3 innings. Bong led the impressive 1-0 win in the second game against
Japan in the regional round held in Tokyo.
The two teams split the two first round games with Japan's 14-2 win in their
first clash.
"Japan is still stronger than Korea, but strength doesn't always guarantee a win.
That we won today is important," said Kim.
Lee Jin-young also told reporters, "We have been confident about playing against
Japan since we won the gold medal in Beijing, beating Japan twice. Now Korea and
Japan are equal rivals."
Meanwhile, Japanese manager Tatsunori Hara expressed deep regret at his team's
defeat, saying, "We will strive again to win the next match against Cuba and then
take on Korea again."
Cuba and Japan will compete for the last semifinal spot on Wednesday. Japan
defeated Cuba 6-0 in the Sunday match.
Team Korea will meet the winner of the Cuba-Japan rematch to vie for the top seed
of the Pool One. The top-seeded team will take on the runner-up of the Pool Two,
either Venezuela or the U.S., in the semifinals set to begin in Los Angeles this
weekend.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
SAN DIEGO, March 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea defeated its archrival Japan 4-1 in
their third match in this year's World Baseball Classic (WBC) in San Diego on
Tuesday, advancing to the semifinals of the international baseball tournament.
Reigning Olympic champion South Korea clinched the crucial victory over defending
WBC champion Japan at the Petco Park in San Diego on starter Bong Jung-keun's
fine pitching and grabbed the semifinal berth for the second time in the
tournament.
After outfielder Lee Yong-kyu -- who hit a single and stole a base -- reached the
plate on Japanese shortstop Yasuyuki Kataoka's error, South Korea jumped ahead
3-0 on outfielder Lee Jin-young's two-run single off Japanese starter Yu Darvish
in the bottom first inning.
Japanese scored one in the top fifth on Ichiro Suzuki's ground ball, as the
Seattle Mariners outfielder went 0-for-4 with a RBI. Ichiro is hitting just .174
in five games of the tournament.
South Korea added a run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth, expanding the
score to 4-1.
Korean batters made only four hits but scored four on the error and seven walks
that six Japanese pitchers gave.
"We played a good game today. We scored three in the first inning against the
strongest team Japan. That may have embarrassed them," South Korean manager Kim
In-sik told reporters after the match. "I came to be convinced of the victory
after we scored one more run in the eighth."
Japan's Darvish struck out seven, walked one and gave two earned runs in five
innings, while Korea's Bong walked three and struck out one but gave only one run
during 5 1-3 innings. Bong led the impressive 1-0 win in the second game against
Japan in the regional round held in Tokyo.
The two teams split the two first round games with Japan's 14-2 win in their
first clash.
"Japan is still stronger than Korea, but strength doesn't always guarantee a win.
That we won today is important," said Kim.
Lee Jin-young also told reporters, "We have been confident about playing against
Japan since we won the gold medal in Beijing, beating Japan twice. Now Korea and
Japan are equal rivals."
Meanwhile, Japanese manager Tatsunori Hara expressed deep regret at his team's
defeat, saying, "We will strive again to win the next match against Cuba and then
take on Korea again."
Cuba and Japan will compete for the last semifinal spot on Wednesday. Japan
defeated Cuba 6-0 in the Sunday match.
Team Korea will meet the winner of the Cuba-Japan rematch to vie for the top seed
of the Pool One. The top-seeded team will take on the runner-up of the Pool Two,
either Venezuela or the U.S., in the semifinals set to begin in Los Angeles this
weekend.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
