South Korea advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic via a complicated tiebreaking system, defeating Australia 7-2 on Monday at the Tokyo Dome.
The South Koreans join Japan and Shohei Ohtani, who had already advanced from Pool C.
South Korea, Australia and Taiwan all finished group play at 2-2, but South Korea needed to beat Australia by five runs or more to advance — and did it.
Australia could have advanced by winning — or losing by four runs or fewer.
South Korea scored the deciding run in the ninth as Hyun Min Ahn’s sacrifice fly plated Hae-Min Park. A throwing error by Australian shortstop Jarryd Dale kept the inning alive and allowed Park to reach third and score the deciding run.
There was still more drama in the bottom of the ninth when South Korean right fielder Jung Hoo Lee made a diving catch off Rixon Wingrove. The ball looked like a sure double that would have gone to the wall and might have scored an Aussie runner from first to give Australia a four-run loss, which would have been enough to advance.
It marks South Korea’s first trip to the quarterfinals of the WBC after three straight failures to get out of pool play.
Bo Gyeong Moon did much of the damage for South Korea with four RBIs, giving him 11 for the tournament. Australia went through three pitchers in the first three innings — trying to slow the aggressive Koreans.
Ju Young Son picked up the win and starter Lachlan Wells took the loss.
South Korea raced to a 4-0 lead after three innings. Moon got his third hit and drove in another run in the fifth to put South Korea ahead 5-0. It was his fourth RBI of the game and gave South Korea its first five-run margin.
Australia twice cut its losing margin to four runs, but each time South Korea came back.
Japan (3-0) closes group play on Tuesday against Czechia (0-3).
