Havana, March 5 (RHC) – The Australian team took the crown today at the majestic Tokyo Dome by defeating Chinese Taipei 3-2, in the game that kicked off hostilities in Group C of the VI World Baseball Classic.
The Australians took the lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs. Two innings later, in the so-called “lucky” inning, star left-hander Travis Bazzana hit a home run to right field to seal the 3-0 victory.
Australia sent three pitchers to the mound: Alex Wells, Jack O’Loughlin, and Jon Kennedy, each pitching three innings. The win, however, went to Loughlin, while Kennedy earned the save.
In the game, the Australians collected seven hits and committed one error, while Chinese Taipei managed only three hits and committed no errors on defense.
Speaking to the media shortly after the important challenge concluded, Brazzana stated that the two things he thought about most as a child were playing in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) and, of course, the MLB World Series.
The long home run by Australia’s number 64 silenced the stands of the Tokyo Dome, packed today with thousands of fans who traveled from Taipei to cheer on their team in a game that was clearly crucial for their hopes of advancing to the next round.
In addition to the loss, the Taipei team suffered a regrettable loss: their captain, Chen Chieh-hsien, was hit by a pitch on his left hand and had to leave the game.
In the continuation of the tournament here, Australia will face the Czech Republic tomorrow, while Chinese Taipei will take on none other than the hosts: the formidable Japanese team, which dreams of winning its fourth World Baseball Classic title this year.
The 2026 WBC will feature twenty teams divided into four groups, playing an initial round-robin tournament.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals (March 13 and 14), and in the case of Group C, the qualifiers will travel to Miami, Florida, which will also host the semifinals (March 15 and 16) and the championship game (March 17).
