In the 2026 World Baseball Classic quarterfinals at LoanDepot Park in Miami, South Korea’s starter Ryu Hyun-jin delivered a solid first inning but faltered in the second, allowing three runs over 1 1/3 innings with three strikeouts as the Dominican Republic rallied to a 3-0 lead.
Ryu’s Dominant First Inning
Ryu Hyun-jin set a strong tone early. He struck out leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr. on a full count, showcasing pinpoint control. Ketel Marte followed with a groundout to shortstop, and Juan Soto grounded out routinely to second base. The Dominican lineup struggled against Ryu’s mix, exiting the frame scoreless.
Trouble Brews in the Second
The bottom of the second inning unraveled quickly. Ryu issued a walk to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to start the frame. Manny Machado hit a grounder to third, advancing Guerrero to second. Junior Caminero then crushed a double to right field. Guerrero slid home safely, evading a strong tag attempt at the plate for the game’s first run.
Ryu battled back, but Heliot Rodriguez drew a walk, loading the bases. With two outs and runners in scoring position, the Korean ace induced grounders but couldn’t escape unscathed. Three runs crossed the plate, prompting catcher Park Dong-won to confer with Ryu on the mound amid visible frustration from the bench.
Bulpen Steps In
Manager Han Dong-hoon pulled Ryu after 1 1/3 innings. Reliever No Kyung-eun entered in emergency fashion and struck out Ketel Marte to finally slam the door on the inning. Despite the effort, Korea trailed 3-0, with the Dominican offense gaining momentum in this high-stakes WBC clash.
