'158 km/h Hanwha fireballer shuts it down!' Korea U-23 national team secures dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Cuba... Bases-loaded walk in bottom of the 8th seals victory → Next up: Japan match

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Young players who will take charge of the future of Korean baseball combined to deliver a thrilling comeback win from their first game at the World Championship. Won Jong-hyuk (21), a promising prospect for the Hanwha Eagles who throws fastballs up to 158 km/h, locked down the final two innings with no hits and five strikeouts, while captain Kim Seong-woo (23, Sangmu) drew a bases-loaded walk in the extra-inning tiebreaker to topple Cuba.

The Korea U-23 national baseball team, led by manager Lee Yeon-soo, defeated Cuba 3-2 in an extra-inning tiebreaker in the bottom of the 8th inning on the opening day of Group B at the 6th World Baseball Championship held on the 7th (Korean time) at Rigoberto Lopez Perez Stadium in Leon, Nicaragua.

With a win in their first game, Korea joined Japan and Venezuela as co-leaders of Group B with one win each. Korea is aiming for its first-ever championship title at this tournament. The team placed third at the inaugural event in 2016 and reached the final in 2022 but lost to Japan 0-3, settling for second place. They finished fifth at the 2024 tournament in Shaoxing, China.

Manager Lee Yeon-soo, who led the team to a runner-up finish in 2022, is back on the helm. The national team began intensive domestic training on the 21st of last month and sharpened their competitive edge by playing two practice games against KT Wiz, which was preparing for the Korea Series.

On this day, Korea fielded a starting lineup in the following order: Kim Gun (NC, designated hitter), Eom Jun-hyeon (KIA, second baseman), Eo Jun-seo (20, Kiwoom, shortstop), Park Han-gyeol (Sangmu, left fielder), Kim Seong-woo (catcher), Yang Hyeon-jong (Kiwoom, first baseman), Yoo Min (Hanwha, right fielder), Kang Seong-woo (Sangmu, third baseman), and Kim Seung-ju (Hanyang University, center fielder). Lee Do-woo (SSG) started on the mound.

The start was not good. In the top of the second inning, Korea gave up two runs without allowing a single hit, as a walk, defensive errors, and a sacrifice fly combined to put runners on base. However, they began their counterattack in the bottom of the third. After Kim Seung-ju and Kim Gun recorded consecutive hits to create an opportunity, Eo Jun-seo hit a two-run RBI double to right field, reclaiming one run. However, first-base runner Kim Gun was thrown out at home by a precise throw from the Cuban right fielder as he attempted to score, failing to add more runs.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Korea tied the game. Leadoff batter Yoo Min reached base on a single to center field and advanced to third base on Kang Seong-woo's sacrifice bunt and a passed ball. Following this, captain Kim Seong-woo hit a sacrifice fly to center field, tying the score at 2-2.

The outcome was not decided during the seven regular innings. Cuba recorded their first hit of the game with a double in the top of the sixth inning, but the batter was thrown out by a precise relay play from the Korean defense as he attempted to advance to third base. In the top of the seventh, they also failed to capitalize on a one-out, runners-on-first-and-second opportunity.

In the extra-inning tiebreaker in the top of the eighth, Cuba started with no outs and runners on first and second but recorded their first out on a failed sacrifice bunt. The bases were then loaded after a hit-by-pitch, but Won Jong-hyuk struck out the next two batters consecutively to end the inning without allowing any runs.

After weathering the crisis, Korea decided the game in the bottom of the eighth. With no outs and runners on first and second, Eo Jun-seo advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Cuba issued an intentional walk to Park Han-gyeol, loading the bases with one out, and captain Kim Seong-woo stepped up to the plate. Kim Seong-woo calmly drew a walk against opposing pitcher Randy Martinez. As the runner on third base crossed home plate, Korea's 3-2 walk-off victory was complete.

On the mound, Korea's young pitchers dominated the Cuban lineup. Starter Lee Do-woo pitched four innings without allowing a hit, striking out four batters and giving up two unearned runs. Following him, Choi Woo-seok (21, NC) pitched well for two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four batters.

The final two innings were Won Jong-hyuk's responsibility. Won Jong-hyuk allowed no hits from the seventh through the eighth inning and recorded five strikeouts to earn the win. The Korean pitching staff held the Cuban lineup to just one hit and 13 strikeouts over eight innings.

In particular, Won Jong-hyuk is a promising player who has also shown potential in this year's KBO League. Drafted by Hanwha in the ninth round, 81st overall, of the 2024 rookie draft, he is a right-handed pitcher who throws fastballs up to 158 km/h. This year, in 17 first-division games, he pitched 17 innings, recording one win, no losses, and an ERA of 4.76. He also secured his first professional victory in the season opener.

Choi Woo-seok is also a 190 cm tall right-handed pitcher who joined NC as the 45th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 rookie draft. This year, he showed potential with an ERA of 1.50 over 12 innings in 13 first-division games. In the lineup, leadoff batter Kim Gun went 2-for-4, while fourth-batter Park Han-gyeol contributed two hits in three at-bats, including a double.

Park Han-gyeol is a power-hitting prospect who recorded a .275 batting average, 20 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .515 slugging percentage in 92 Futures League games this year. Kim Seung-ju, who laid the groundwork for the tying run, is also a five-tool player who posted a .378 batting average and 12 stolen bases in 12 games in the university U-League this year.

Korea takes on Japan in the second game of Group B on the morning of the 8th. They will meet Japan again on the World Championship stage for the first time in four years; Japan defeated Korea in the final to claim the title in 2022.

Twelve countries are participating in this tournament. Korea competes in Group B against Cuba, Japan, Venezuela, the United Kingdom, and South Africa, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the Super Round. Korea's games will be broadcast live on SPOTV Prime and SPOTV NOW.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original