They finally board the charter flight to Miami, U.S., that everyone had longed for, even making a celebration.
Korea won a dramatic 7-2 victory over Australia in Pool C of the first round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) at Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 9th. With this, Korea finished with a 2-2 record and, overtaking Australia and Taiwan, dramatically secured a ticket to the quarterfinals. They broke through the slim scenario of winning by at least five runs while allowing two or fewer runs to successfully board the quarterfinal charter flight.
Korea's chances of achieving that "scenario" were extremely slim. Considering a shaky mound that allowed eight home runs during the tournament and Australia's strong lineup, Korea's advance to the quarterfinals would have required a miracle.
But the players created the miracle themselves. In the second inning Moon Bo-gyeong hit a two-run homer to take the lead, in the third inning Lee Jung-hoo and Moon Bo-gyeong each hit RBI doubles, and in the fifth inning Moon Bo-gyeong's RBI hit widened the gap to 5-0. The five-run condition was at least met.
Of course, Australia's counterattack was fierce. In the bottom of the fifth they allowed a solo homer to Robbie Glendinning and the gap narrowed again, but in the top of the sixth Kim Do-young's RBI single made it 6-1.
From Korea's perspective every run became more important and urgent. In the top of the eighth, pinch hitter Shea Whitcomb hit a double as the leadoff batter, creating a chance to pull away and put the game out of reach. But with Kim Joo-won's failed bunt and no productive outs, they failed to add runs.
A cruel price awaited. They brought in Kim Taek-yeon in the bottom of the eighth but he allowed an RBI single to Travis Bajan, making it 6-2. The one-out, runners on first and second crisis continued. But Jo Byung-hyun overcame that crisis and the game moved to the top of the ninth. If Korea failed to score in the top of the ninth, elimination would have been certain.
Once again fortune and a miracle followed. Leadoff batter Kim Do-young drew a walk to create a chance, Lee Jung-hoo's grounder hit the pitcher's glove and deflected, and then Australian shortstop Jarred Dayle's throwing error to second base produced a one-out, runners on first and third opportunity, and Ahn Hyun-min hit the sacrifice fly that confirmed the quarterfinal spot. Because Jo Byung-hyun did not allow a run in the bottom of the ninth, Korea enjoyed the joy of advancing past the WBC first round for the first time in 17 years.
The humiliation and disaster of first-round elimination in three consecutive tournaments in 2013, 2017 and 2023 were finally washed away. Although the 2-2 result was not satisfying, they achieved the first goal and were given the opportunity to compete against higher-level players. They board the charter flight provided by the WBC organizing committee, which so longed for the celebration, and head to Miami, where the quarterfinals will be held.
Korea will savor the afterglow of joy for a day on the 10th. Then they will begin preparing to depart for the U.S. on the night of the 10th and around midnight on the 11th they will board a charter flight from Tokyo Haneda Airport bound for Miami, U.S. Japan, which had already secured advancement to the quarterfinals, will finish its final game against the Czech Republic on the 10th and, after midnight on the 11th, will take a Miami-bound charter flight on a different schedule from Korea.
Korea will play the quarterfinal on the 14th (all times Korea time) against the second-place team from Pool D at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. The likely quarterfinal opponent from Pool D is expected to be the Dominican Republic or Venezuela. Having produced the miracle in Tokyo, Korea is preparing once again for a miracle in Miami.
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