Will Smith played a part in the United States’ 9-1 win over Great Britain Saturday night to improve to 2-0 in Pool B in the World Baseball Classic. But he was also on the wrong end of a couple of nice defensive plays that prevented an even bigger night for the Dodgers catcher.
Smith walked twice and threw out a baserunner trying to steal second base against Great Britain. But he was also robbed of a solo home run in the second inning, when former teammate Trayce Thompson made a leaping catch over the right field wall to bring it back.
Smith also tattooed a ball 104.1 mph in the sixth inning with the bases loaded, but left fielder Kristian Robinson tracked it down in the gap, making Smith settle for a sacrifice fly instead of extra bases. Smith had another hard-hit flyout to Thompson in the eighth inning.
Old friend Hyun-jin Ryu, two and a half weeks shy of his 39th birthday, was back on the mound for Korea for the first time in the World Baseball Classic since 2009. The former Dodgers left-hander allowed a solo home run in the second inning and worked around two singles and two steals to get through three innings with just the one run allowed with three strikeouts against Chinese Taipei.
In a back-and-forth contest in which no team ever lead by more than one run, Chinese Taipei scored in the 10th inning to outlast Korea 5-4.
Ryu, who returned to the KBO the last two years after pitching over a decade in MLB, talked with Michael Clair at MLB.com about his history in international play, including winning an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and finishing as the runner-up in the 2009 WBC:
“As a young guy back then, I remember a lot of good veterans were there for me. So, I try to do the same thing. We have a much younger pitching staff compared to years ago with the national team. I just try to be there. I think one thing I want to do for them is not only care about my baseball here now, but try to think for the young kids, so they can grow. Just being there really, but I’m also getting a lot of energy and things to learn from those young kids, as well.”
Hyeseong Kim walked in the eighth inning and scored the tying run from first base on a double.
With the tying run on third base and one out in the 10th, Kim laid down a squeeze bunt but the runner was out at home. Kim stole second to get into scoring position, but he was stranded to end the game.
After throwing a scoreless inning on Friday, Edwin Díaz did not pitch for Puerto Rico on Saturday. Puerto Rico erased deficits in the ninth and 10th innings to stun Panama and improve to 2-0 in the tournament. Daniel Hernaiz delivered the walk-off blast for Puerto Rico in front of his home fans with one of the most joyous celebrations you’ll ever see on a baseball field.
It was the second walk-off home run of the day in the WBC, with Ozzie Albies delivering the game-winning blast for Netherlands earlier Saturday to beat Nicaragua. Those are the first two walk-off home runs in World Baseball Classic history.
Sunday WBC schedule
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3 a.m. PT: Japan vs. Australia (FS1)
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9 a.m.: Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands (Fox)
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9 a.m.: Cuba vs. Colombia (FS2)
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10 a.m.: Italy vs. Great Britain (Tubi)
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4 p.m.: Israel vs. Nicauragua (Tubi)
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4 p.m.: Canada vs. Panama (FS2)
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5 p.m.: Mexico vs. Brazil (FS1)
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