South Korea Walks Off Over Israel In Olympics

Image credit: South Korea walkoff (Photo by KAZUHIRO FUJIHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Eu-ji Yang drew a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, and South Korea beat Israel, 6-5, in the Group B opener at the Olympics on Thursday.

With runners placed on first and second due to start the 10th inning due to international tiebreaker rules, Israel closer Jeremy Bleich hit back-to-back hitters with two outs to force home the winning run. Bleich hit Kyoung-Min Hur to load the bases and hit Yang with the next pitch to give Korea the victory.

Ryan Lavarnway sent the game to extra innings with a solo home run in the top of the ninth for Israel, his second homer of the game. Ian Kinsler also homered for Israel, which was making its first-ever appearance in baseball in the Olympics.

Israel led 2-0 after three innings and 4-2 after six, but South Korea rallied to take its first lead in the seventh. Jung-Hoo Lee and Hyun-Soo Kim led off the seventh with back-to-back homers to tie it and Ji-Hwan Oh gave South Korea the lead with a two-out RBI double.

Lavarnway’s homer in the ninth off South Korea closer Seung-Hwan Oh gave Israel life, but Oh struck out the side in the top of the 10th to keep the score tied and set the stage for South Korea’s walkoff.

Israel will face the United States on Friday. South Korea will face the United States on Saturday.