"I really lost well!"' Ryu Ji Hyun-ho lost 5:5→6:8 after a bloody battle against the 'champion' Japanese... The Taiwan match is real on the 8th [Tokyo Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Although he gave up the victory, Ryu Ji-hyun's potential was confirmed. The South Korean national team, which had an equal battle at Tokyo Dome against Japan, a leading candidate for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), suffered a disappointing loss and promised next. Now, a real match against Taiwan is waiting at 12 p.m. on the 8th.

The Korean national baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun, lost 6-8 to Japan in the second Group C match of 2026 WBC at Tokyo Dome, Japan on the 7th. Led 3-0 and allowed a 3-5 upset, but followed well to 5-5. Unfortunately, he gave up three runs in the seventh inning.

With the loss, South Korea maintained its third place in the group with one win and one loss. Japan beat Australia, which won two games in a row, to second place to become No. 1 in the group.

Korea is Kim Do-young (designated hitter, KIA Tigers)-The lineup was formed in the order of Germay Jones (left fielder, Detroit Tigers) and Lee Jung-hoo (center fielder, San Francisco Giants), Ahn Hyun-min (right fielder, KT Wiz), Shay Witcom (third baseman) and Moon Bo-kyung (first baseman, LG Twins) and Park Dong-won (FC Dinos), Kim Joo-won (striker, NC Dinos) and Kim Hye-sung (second baseman, LA Dodgers). The starting pitcher was Ko Young-pyo.

Against this, Japan set up its starting lineup in the order of Shohei Ohtani (designated hitter), Kensuke Kondo (right fielder), Seiya Suzuki (center fielder), Masataka Yoshida (left fielder), Kazuma Okamoto (third baseman), Munetaka Murakami (first baseman), Shugo Maki (second baseman), Sosuke Kenda (striker) and Seishiro Sakamoto (catcher). In the match against Taiwan held the previous day (6th), only the catcher was changed to Sakamoto. The starting pitcher was left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.

It was South Korea's first run in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batters Kim Do-young and Germai Jones had consecutive hits to get the first and third base with no outs. Here, Lee Jung-hoo made it 1-0 with a timely hit to the left. Ahn Hyun-min and Witman retired with strikeouts and second base fly balls, respectively, but Moon Bo-kyung hit a timely double to left-center to run 3-0.

In the bottom of the first inning, Japan immediately followed. The leadoff hitter Ohtani walked. The next Kondo was grounded out to the second base, but Suzuki hit Ko Young-pyo's six pitches (85.4 miles changeup) in a full count situation and chased him with a two-run shot over the right-center wall.

South Korea's counterattack began in the top of the fourth inning. It was Kim Joo-won, the leadoff hitter, who opened the door. He got a hit ball against the changed pitcher Ito Hiromi and succeeded in getting on base, sparking a chase.

Kim Hye-sung then entered the batter's box. Kim Hye-sung, who caught the advantageous count of three balls-1 strikes, did not miss Ito's 92.8 miles (about 149 kilometers) fastball. The hit caught on the bat, which turned vigorously, led to a two-run home run with a wide range over the right-center fence. The score was again tied at 5-5.

The tight balance was broken in the bottom of the seventh inning. Park Young-hyun, who took the mound newly, gave up a walk to leadoff hitter Maki, and the next Kenta sacrifice bunt made him one out and second base. Park Young-hyun caught pinch hitter Teruaki Sato with a ground ball to the first base and then sent Ohtani to the first base with four pitches.

Kim Young-kyu took the mound with two outs and runners on the first and third bases, but he walked Kondo and gave Suzuki a pushout walk to give him a 5-6 lead. Yoshida's two-run double play hit was followed by a 5-8, three-run gap.

In the top of the eighth inning, South Korea recovered. Leading hitter Lee Jung-hoo went out with a double to center field, and Moon Bo-kyung walked after two outs. With two outs and runners on the first and second bases, Kim Joo-won's timely hit to the middle field chased down one point. He continued his chances to the bases loaded with two outs, but Kim He-sung unfortunately bowed his head with a strikeout.

South Korean starter Ko Young-pyo was a little disappointed with three hits (three home runs) and four runs in two ⅔ innings. In the batting lineup, Jamai Jones and Lee Jung-hoo made multi-hits side by side, but they swallowed their disappointment in the defeat.

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*This content was translated by AI.