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“If you think of the two things I thought about most growing up
it was, like, playing in the WBC and being in the Tokyo Dome
cause we'd always come here — and playing the World Series and
MLB. It’s special," Bazzana said.
Of course, his World Series dream is yet to come.
He also credited Perkins for getting Australia in front,
removing some pressure.
“It makes slowing down the environment a touch easier when you
have two runs already,” Bazzana said. “I was feeling good in the
box and got a good pitch to hit.”
The two big swings were enough in a tight game dominated by
pitching on both sides. Taiwan managed only three hits, and
Australia had seven.
It was a critical victory for Australia, which also won its
first game in 2023, defeating South Korea enroute to reaching
the quarterfinals and a narrow 4-3 loss to Cuba.
Australian starter Alex Wells pitched three no-hit innings with
Jack O'Loughlin negotiating the next three and allowing only two
hits and setting the stage for the bullpen.
O'Loughlin got the victory with a save for Jon Kennedy. Po-Yu
Chen was the losing pitcher.
Following Perkins' homer, Taiwan put two runners on in the sixth
with two out but failed to score. The second to reach base was
Chieh-hsien Chen who was hit by a pitch on the his right hand
and left the game.
Australia loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth and failed
to score when Chris Burke popped out on the second pitch from
reliever Yi Chang. Taiwan put two runners on the top of the
ninth and almost tied the game on a deep flyout by Lyle Lin.
South Korea-Czech Republic later
In the second Group C game later in Tokyo, South Korea faced the
Czech Republic. Defending champion Japan opens play in Group C
on Friday against Taiwan.
The top two teams in the group advance to the quarterfinals in
the United States, joining the top two in the other three
groups.
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