In the 8th inning, a decisive ball decision by the referee was regrettable. 

Korea lost 7-8 to Australia in the first match of Group B in the first round of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 9th. The emergency light was turned on for the quarterfinals due to the defeat against Australia, which must be won to advance to the quarterfinals. 

It had a hard time targeting Australian pitchers in the early stages, and in the middle, the bullpen was hit with two 3-run homers and allowed a comeback. He chased after him 8 times, but couldn’t turn it over. 

Australia started with left-hander Jack O’O’Clin. It was a surprise card to the extent that manager Lee Kang-cheol said, “I expected another left-handed pitcher, and I saw less possibility in O’Clin.” 

Australian coach Dave Nielsen identified O’O’O’O’O’Klin as the starting pitcher and said, “He’s a young left-hander for the Detroit Tigers. It will be a very important moment for O’Clean. I am very excited to see how he will throw against Korea.”

O’Clean met the manager’s expectations with two perfect pitches. However, he changed the pitcher at a quick timing. In the 3rd inning, right-handed pitcher Mitch Nunnborn came in second after starter O’O’Clean in Australia. He threw a scoreless run through the 4th inning. 

There are many left-handed pitchers in Australia besides O’Clean. Blake Townsend (Seattle Mariners minor league), John Kennedy, Steve Kent, Daniel McGrath (both Melbourne) and William Sherif (Perth) are also left-handed pitchers. They all started from the middle of the game.

In the 5th inning, 1st out, 1st and 2nd base left-hander Rackliffe came up and struck out Choi Jeong. Yang Eui-ji hit a come-from-behind 3-run home run with a changeup miss, but was responsible for 1⅓ innings. Third, left-hander Kennedy came out of the crisis with 2nd out and 2nd base in the 6th inning and finished the mission by treating lefty batter Kim Hyun-soo with a pitcher ground ball. 

Korea hit a series of three-run homers in the 7th and 8th innings. Still, there was a chance of a comeback. The fourth and fifth left-handed pitchers were shaken, and Korea had a chance to pursue. Left-hander Kent, who took the mound with two outs and first base in the 7th inning, struck out left-hander Na Seong-beom and ended the inning.안전놀이터

In the 8th inning, leading 8-3, Kent allowed consecutive walks against Edmund and Kim Ha-sung. When it became 2-ball against Lee Jung-hoo, he was replaced by a left-handed Sheriff. Sheriff rocked with walks, push walks, first baseman grounders, sand dunes, and second baseman grounders, allowing the pursuit to 8-7. It was thanks to the Australian bullpen swaying with 5 walks and 1 pitch only in the 8th inning. 

Kim Hyun-soo, who was ahead 8-5, had his first pitch slider fall high in the strike zone. However, the referee declared a strike. Kim Hyun-soo was surprised and made a sad expression. The expression that the ball was judged as a strike. Kim Hyun-soo, who hit a miss on the 2nd pitch and a grounder on the 3rd pitch, passed in front of the home plate and looked at the referee with laser eyes. The first ball strike judgment was absolutely unfavorable for the count fight.