Japan – South Korea 3-5
KOR 000 000 203 5 9 1 JPN 000 002 001 3 7 1
South Korea scored three times in the top of the ninth to beat rival Japan 5-3. Hyun Soo Kim and Jong Wook Lee drove in the third and fourth run with RBI singles. Kim scored the fifth run on an error by catcher Shinnosuke Abe.
Japan tried to come back in the bottom of the ninth, scoring one run on an error by third baseman Dong Joo Kim, after Takahiro Arai reached with a triple. They put two more runners in scoring position with no outs, but failed to convert the golden opportunity, as a flyout, a strikeout and a groundout led to the end of the game.
Arai had brought Japan a 2-0 lead in the sixth with a two-run shot. But Korea answered immediately through a two-run homer by Dae Ho Lee to even the score again.
Tsuyoshi Wada (JPN) struck out ten in 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hits, two runs and a walk. Kwang Hyun Kim (KOR) gave up three hits, one run and a base on balls in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven. Suk Min Yoon (W 2-0) received the win. Hitoki Iwase (L 0-1) took the loss.
