(WBC) Sloppy, inefficient S. Korea drops exhibition vs. Orix

▲ South Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun reacts to an RBI single by Tomoya Noguchi of the Orix Buffaloes during an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean starter So Hyeong-jun pitches against the Orix Buffaloes during an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Kim Ha-seong of South Korea reacts to his double play ball against the Orix Buffaloes during an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean reliever Lee Yong-chan (R) leaves the mound during an exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Tommy Edman (L) and Kim Ha-seong of South Korea celebrate a play during an exhibition game against the Orix Buffaloes ahead of the World Baseball Classic at Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on March 6, 2023. (Yonhap)

(WBC) S Korea-exhibition game

(WBC) Sloppy, inefficient S. Korea drops exhibition vs. Orix

By Yoo Jee-ho

OSAKA, March 6 (Yonhap) -- Held back by shaky defense and cold bats, South Korea lost to the Japan Series champions Orix Buffaloes 4-2 on Monday in an exhibition game ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

In a performance that doesn't bode well for its chances at the big tournament, South Korea committed three errors -- all at the shortstop position -- and managed only two runs off nine hits at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

South Korea will play another Japanese club, the Hanshin Tigers, in its final exhibition Tuesday, back at the dome. Then the team will hop over to Tokyo for practice Wednesday morning and its first Pool B game against Australia on Thursday at Tokyo Dome.

The Buffaloes wasted little time getting to South Korean starter So Hyeong-jun. Tomoya Noguichi singled off the first-pitch fastball from the right-hander, and came around to score on an RBI single off the left-field wall by cleanup Yuma Tongu.

The Japanese club tacked on two more runs in the second, capitalizing on sloppy fielding by shortstop Oh Ji-hwan, who got the start with the regular shortstop Kim Ha-seong handling the hot corner in the absence of banged-up veteran Choi Jeong.

With one out and a runner at second, Oh bobbled a ground ball off the bat of Ryoma Ikeda. Oh had a chance to redeem himself moments later, when Tatsuya Yamaashi hit a high chopper at the shortstop for what should have been an inning-ending double play.

But Oh dropped the ball on the transfer, allowing a run to score.

Starter So was pulled in favor of Kim Kwang-hyun, who promptly gave up an RBI single to Tomoya Noguchi for a 3-0 Buffaloes lead.

It stayed that way until the bottom sixth, when subpar defense once again cost South Korea.

Regular third baseman Choi Jeong, held out of the starting lineup while battling a minor illness, came off the bench to begin that inning. Kim Ha-seong, who had started at third in Choi's place, shifted back to his normal position at shortstop, with the error-prone Oh now out of the game.

But Kim himself made an error with two outs in the sixth, as his bobble of an Ikeda groundball allowed the Buffaloes to take a 4-0 lead.

South Korea had at least a hit in each of the first five innings but failed to cash in every time. Kim Ha-seong's double play that killed a two-on, one-out chance in the fifth, with the meat of the order coming up, stung in particular.

South Korea got two runs back in the ninth inning, with pinch hitter Park Kun-woo dumping an RBI single to shallow center and Lee Ji-young following up with a sacrifice fly to right.

On the mound, eight out of 15 South Korean pitchers saw action. Manager Lee Kang-chul said before Monday's game that he hoped to have all 15 hurlers see some action in exhibitions.

Go Woo-suk, the likely closer, was taken out of his outing during the eighth inning with a sore neck. A national team official said Go iced the back of his neck after the game.

Orix starter Yuta Kuroki tossed five scoreless innings, striking out four and scattering six hits.

(END)

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