The cost of issuing a walk to Kondo Gensuke, who had been 0 for 8, was devastating.
The South Korea national baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, suffered a disappointing 8-6 loss to Japan in the second game of Pool C at the 2026 World Baseball Classic at the Tokyo Dome on the 7th. Having won their first game against the Czech Republic 11-4, Korea stood at 1-1.
The turning point came in the bottom of the seventh with the score tied 5-5. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun chose 2025 KBO League save leader Park Young-hyun to continue the duel, but after issuing a seven-pitch walk to leadoff hitter Maki Shugo, a sacrifice bunt by Genda Sosuke and a pinch-hitter Sato Teruaki groundout to first put Korea in a 2-out, bases-loaded crisis. With first base open, Park Young-hyun faced Ohtani Shohei and intentionally walked him, handing the baton to Kim Young-gyu.
The reason Kim Young-gyu was used was simple. Against left-handed hitter Kondo Gensuke, a left-handed pitcher was brought in. Kim Young-gyu had impressed the manager with a perfect outing against the Czech Republic in the first game, pitching one inning with two strikeouts and no runs. But the atmosphere at the packed Tokyo Dome proved too much for 2000-born Kim Young-gyu to handle in the crisis. He issued a walk to leadoff hitter Kondo, creating a bases-loaded threat, then allowed a bases-loaded walk to Suzuki Seiya and a two-run RBI single to Yoshida Masataka, after which he was replaced by Kim Taek-yeon.
In the top of the eighth, Korea rallied to 6-8 when Kim Joo-won drove in one run with an RBI single to center with two outs and runners on first and second, but with two outs and the bases loaded after a walk to pinch-hitter Moon Hyun-bin, Kim Hye-seong struck out looking, and in the top of the ninth Kim Do-young, Jermy Jones and Lee Jung-hoo were retired in order by Japan's closer Ota Taisei, leaving Korea to fall 6-8. It was the moment Korea fell into the slump of 11 straight international losses to Japan.
Japanese media also pointed to the bottom of the seventh as the turning point. They questioned Kondo's walk that occurred in that sequence. Daily Sports wrote, "In the bottom of the seventh with the score tied and two outs and a runner on third with Ohtani due up, the Korean bench chose an intentional walk. They selected Kondo as the batter to face. Kondo calmly drew a walk to extend the chance, and then Suzuki drew a bases-loaded walk to push Japan ahead," adding, "Kondo, batting second behind Ohtani, had struggled in this tournament, 0 for 8. Yet he contributed to the victory with a crucial walk."
After the game Kondo said, "It was quite a difficult flow, but it was still good. And there are still a few things I need to adjust. I need to try a few more things and get in sync," adding, "I think there will be many situations in the future where opponents will intentionally walk Ohtani like today, so I need to make sure I bring my condition up."
So why was Kim Young-gyu, who gave the walk that even Japan found puzzling, chosen as the pitcher after Park Young-hyun? Manager Ryu Ji-hyun said, "I thought Kim Young-gyu's pitching in the game against the Czech Republic was very good. I thought he was the pitcher who could stop things when No. 1 and No. 2 hitters Ohtani and Kondo or a left-handed hitter came up. That part did not go as planned," he said with deep regret.
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