Mexico strong as super round of the U-12 Baseball World Cup takes off

An impressive Mexico defeated (7-2) Korea playing little less then perfect. Their line up sent 17 hitters to the plate in the first 2 at bats.
Korea’s over aggressive base running didn’t prove to be the proper strategy, as they lost 2 runners at the home plate.

Mexico was off a strong start against Korea star pitcher Jang Seongmu, who hadn’t allowed an earned run so far. After 2 quick outs, center fielder Tirado (who closed the qualifyig round with a.786 batting average) reached on a base hit and then stole second. He scored on second baseman Monjaras single. Catcher Nava followed with another base hit, first baseman Gallego walked to load the bases and  right fielder Saldana singled to make it 2-0. Korea visited Jang but this didn’t help the starting pitcher recover: he walked third baseman Fornue to make it 3-0. Pitcher Juan Hernandez, who went to the plate as the ninth hitter for Mexico in the first, was the third out.
Mexico was not done. With one out, left fielder Macias walked to become the first runner of the second inning. Tirado singled on Jang’s first pitch and, after Monjaras flied out, also Nava singled (once again, getting to a first pitch) to score Macias. After he walked Gallegos, it was all for Jang Seongmu. Still, with Kim Jongwoo on the mound, things didn’t improve for Korea. Saldana went deep to left for a 2 RBI double to extend Mexico’s lead to 6-0. In their second at bat Mexico sent 8 to the plate.
In the bottom half of the frame Korea showed signs of life, taking advantage of a wild pitch, as catcher Woo Jeongyu struck reached despite striking out, with a double by left fielder Lee Jinjung and scoring their first run on a balk. They also stranded  a runner when Woo tried to boldly score from third on second baseman Kim Jiwook grounder.

Despite 3 walks, Kim Jongwoo blanked Mexico’s bats from the third inning on and Korea attempted a comeback in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Lee Jinjung reached on an error and got to third as Jang Seongmu singled. On Kim Jiwook grounder to second, Lee Jinjung headed towards home just to become the second out. Korea scored anyway as pinch hitter So Changhyun singled. So was the third out when he took off too soon for a steal attempt and pitcher Hernandez picked him off.

Mexico celebrates star center fielder Juan Tirado after his sixth inning home run

With one out in the sixth, Tirado worked to a full count against So Changhyun, the third pitcher for Korea, and after 3 consecutive foul balls homered on a towering fly ball to right to make it 7-2. Iker Gallegos moved from first to the mound to get the last 6 outs.