"If you do it, it's all over!"' 3:0 Lead → 3 home runs allowed to turn around 3:5 → Kim Hye-sung's two-run shot tied 5:5 [WBC Korea-Japan match]

*This content was translated by AI.

Indeed, a fluctuating drama is taking place at Tokyo Dome. Ryu Ji-hyun is engaged in a bloody battle between hell and heaven. The 3-0 lead turned into a 3-5 inferiority, but Kim Hye-sung fired a two-run shot to bring the game to square one.

The Korean national baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun, gave up a 3:0 lead and was overturned 3:5 in the second Group C match against Japan at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 7th, but turned the game back to square one with 5:5 thanks to Kim Hye-sung's tiebreaking home run in the top of the fourth inning.

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). Ko Young-pyo came forward as the starting pitcher.

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. He added two runs with a home run.

Japan quickly turned the game around with three home runs by major leaguers in the third inning. After one out, Ohtani balanced 3-3 with a solo shot over the right-center fence. Additionally, Suzuki and Yoshida added solo shots to make it 5-3. Ohtani, Suzuki, and Yoshida are all hitters who play in the major leagues.

In the fourth inning, Korea did not stay put. Leading hitter Kim Joo-won got a hit ball by the changed pitcher Ito Hiromi and succeeded in getting on base. Subsequent Kim Hye-sung was balanced with a two-run home run over the right-center fence. Kim Hye-sung hit a 92.8-mile (about 149-kilometer) four-seam fastball, which was high in the advantageous count of the batter with a 3-ball-1 strike. The score went straight to 5-5.

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*This content was translated by AI.