Korea Comes Up Short in WBC Final, 5-3

The loss was painful but exciting and touching to the Korean people.

Korea lost to Japan 3-5 in the final of the World Baseball Classic yesterday in the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Lee Bum-ho (Hanwha Eagles) hit a dramatic one-run single to tie the score.

In top of the 10th, however, Japan`s Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners) hit a two-run double off Korea’s fourth pitcher Lim Chang-yong (Yakult Swallows) that scored two runs. Japanese reliever Yu Darvish closed out the inning to give his team its second straight title.

Japan outhit Korea 15-5 but two double plays got Korea out of crises.

Kim In-shik (Hanwha Eagles) managed Korea despite his poor health. He suffered a bad cold in the tournament and could barely stand up, but encouraged players through his full trust and consideration.

Kim’s “great challenge” allowed Korea to beat Japan twice in the tournament as well as Mexico and Venezuela, two teams which had numerous players in the U.S. Major League. Korea demonstrated its status as an undisputed baseball powerhouse again after last year’s Olympics in Beijing.

why@donga.com