Nine-time champions the United States gave the impression they could hit home runs at will in their first game of the tournament on Friday against the Netherlands and confirmed the notion on Saturday against five-time winners Korea. The world No. 5 hit a couple of solo shots en route to an 8-3 victory against Korea, ranked 3rd in the world.
Despite four defensive errors and seven walks, USA pitchers were never under pressure against a Korean lineup that hit just a single.
Kevin McGonigle went down 0-2 in the count, then turned the sixth pitch of the game into a towering home run to the right.
Korea starter Myung-geun Park got the second out and then left. His reliever Young-cheol Yoon struggled with control and walked the second USA run home.
In the bottom of the second, a walk and a strike out wild pitch set up right fielder Kim Jongmin who hit an RBI single. It would be the only Korean hit of the night. The second run scored on an error.
Catcher Blake Mitchell homered off Yoon on a full count to put the US ahead, 3-2 in the top of the third.
The US broke the score open in the fourth on a bases-loaded triple by right fielder Gavin Drahovac before hard-throwing reliever Cameron Johnson gave up the third Korean run on a dropped fly ball in the outfield.
