Clinical South Korea dispatch Czech Republic in WBC as Moon hits grand slam into orbit

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moon-bo-gyeong/2u7bz8eh/"]Bo-Gyeong[/a] sent a grand slam into the seats in the first inning to get the Koreans off to the perfect start, whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/whicomb-shay/OdruQZJU/"]Whitcomb[/a] added one in the third with a 379-foot solo shot.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/6JB1nrVs/"]Czech Republic[/a] had plenty of hits of their own throughout the contest with a total of nine, but they were wasteful with runners on the base path, whereas [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-korea/2XIeMWkr/"]South Korea[/a] took advantage of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/czech-republic-6JB1nrVs/south-korea-2XIeMWkr/?mid=rJWU0BoB"]their opportunities[/a].[/p][embed guid="711173d4-154e-4c3f-9d4c-1fdef66e46e3" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029508002999410702" social-type="twitter" /][p]With the Czech side, made up of primarily amateur players, huge underdogs going into the Pool C clash, a good start on the mound was required to keep the score close.[/p][p]However, starting pitcher [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/padysak-daniel/61uL1llE/"]Daniel Padysak[/a] had a day to forget, getting just one out and loading the bases with two walks and a hit before Gyeong-Moon took him out of the game with one swing of the bat.[/p][p]For South Korea, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/so-hyeong-jun/t0PsLriR/"]So Hyeong-Jun[/a] navigated some early traffic to pitch three scoreless innings, allowing his side to build a six-run lead after the third. He would also pick up the win in the game.[/p][embed guid="6b2f518b-2291-4f24-8d25-ddcb235f4875" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029533140771901542" social-type="twitter" /][p]There was something to cheer for the Czech fans in attendance, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vavra-terrin/O87DJOqf/"]Terrin Vavra[/a] - a major leaguer with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/baltimore-orioles/EcZwBi3N/"]Baltimore Orioles[/a] - halved the deficit with a three-run home run in the fifth inning, putting some life back into the game and his dugout.[/p][embed guid="9af37fbf-3518-4da6-9a67-569011754ab3" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029521502832333145" social-type="twitter" /][p]That was short-lived, however, as Whitcomb struck again with another long bomb in the sixth, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jones-jahmai/AylT2CrA/"]Jahmai Jones[/a] added another in the eighth.[/p][p]The Czechs tacked on a consolation run in the ninth, but it was not enough as they were handed an opening defeat - the same fate as three years ago.[/p][p]They don't have much time to lick their wounds, as Pavel Chadim's charges will be back in action tomorrow, facing off against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/h2RcNuiG/"]Australia[/a], who [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/baseball-world-baseball-classic-australia-begin-wbc-campaign-with-shutout-victory-over-chinese-taipei/rLsh2YNp/"]won 3-0[/a] over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chinese-taipei/WpW7PCsR/"]Chinese Taipei[/a] earlier in the day, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/australia-h2RcNuiG/czech-republic-6JB1nrVs/?mid=lIb2r3Vq"]from 04:00 CET[/a].[/p][p]South Korea have to wait [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/japan-vuZGJUZ0/south-korea-2XIeMWkr/?mid=pphBts0d"]until Saturday[/a] for their next encounter, but it is a big one as they take on old rivals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/vuZGJUZ0/"]Japan[/a] in what will be a febrile atmosphere inside the Tokyo Dome.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/baseball/world/world-baseball-classic/"]Follow the World Baseball Classic with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]