World Baseball Classic

Japan beats Korea 13-4: WBC live updates and score

Updated Mar. 10, 2023 10:09 a.m. ET

The World Baseball Classic continued on Friday morning, as Shohei Ohtani and Japan handled the Republic of Korea.

Korea took a 3-0 lead in the third inning, but it was all Japan thereafter, as the latter proceeded to score 13 runs. Prior to Friday, the pair of Pool B teams opened the WBC in opposing fashion, as Korea lost to Australia, 8-7, while Japan defeated China, 8-1.

Here are the top plays from the game!

FINAL: Japan 13, Republic of Korea 4

We're off!

Yu Darvish pitched a one-two-three first inning for Japan in front of an amped-up crowd.

Korea strikes first

Baekho Kang led off the top of the third for the Republic of Korea with a double to left-center field.

The next batter, Euiji Yang, unloaded on a two-run home run to left field, giving Korea a 2-0 lead.

Euiji Yang crushes a home run deep to left field to give Korea a 2-0 lead over Japan

Korea took a 2-0 lead over Japan after Euji Yang took Yu Darvish deep to left field for a home run.

Make it three

With two outs in the top of the third, Jung Hoo Lee punched out a base hit to right field, scoring Korea's third run of the inning.

Japan strikes back

Japan got the first two batters of the bottom of the third on the basepaths before getting on the board. The third batter of the inning, Lars Nootbaar, hit an RBI single to right-center field, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.

The next batter, Kensuke Kondoh, hit a double off the bottom of the center field wall, driving in another run and putting runners on second and third. It also knocked starting pitcher Kwang Hyun Kim out of the game.

Lead change

Tae-in Won came into the game for Korea.

After Ohtani was intentionally walked and Munetaka Murakami popped up, Masataka Yoshida gave Japan the lead with a two-run single to center field.

Japan takes a 4-3 lead over Korea after base hits by Lars Nootbaar, Kensuke Kondoh and Masataka Yoshida

Japan took a 4-3 lead over Korea after base hits by Lars Nootbaar, Kensuke Kondoh and Masataka Yoshida.

Japan pitching change

Darvish was relieved by Shota Imanaga, who pitched a one-two-three fourth inning.

What a play!

With a three-player collision looming in the outfield grass, Nootbaar pulled off an amazing, head-first diving grab.

Japan's Lars Nootbaar lays out in left field to make a ridiculous play

Japan's Lars Nootbaar laid out in left field to make a ridiculous grab.

Juuust outta here

Kondoh got a hold of Won's curveball, hitting it just over the right field wall for a solo home run. It gave Japan a 5-3 lead.

Japan's Kensuke Kondoh belts a home run to give Japan a 5-3 lead over Korea

Japan took a 5-3 lead over Korea after Kensuke Kondoh belted a home run.

Productive outs

Directly after the solo home run and a pitching change, Ohtani doubled down the right field line off Korea's Been Gwak, as shown below. Then a groundout to first base and a sacrifice fly to the right field wall scored Ohtani for Japan's sixth run.

Japan's Shohei Ohtani belts a double to right field vs. Korea

Japan's Shohei Ohtani belted a double down the right field line vs. Korea.

Got one back

Korea cut into Japan's lead in the top of the sixth when Kunwoo Park smacked an opposite field, solo home run to right.

Kunwoo Park homers to bring Korea to a 6-4 deficit with Japan

Kunwoo Park crushed a home run to bring Korea to a 6-4 deficit with Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

Blowing it open

Takumu Nakano legged out a triple to begin what became an eventful bottom of the sixth for Japan.

A walk and a hit by pitch then loaded the bases for Japan, which was followed by Kondoh walking in a run. The next batter, Ohtani, singled in a run, moving everyone up a bag.