South Korea defeats Japan in Asian Games baseball final — Korea Herald
South Korea's national baseball team defeated Japan 3-1 in the final of the 2026 Asian Games at Toyohashi Municipal Stadium in Japan's Aichi Prefecture. The team won its fifth consecutive gold medal at the tournament and its seventh title in the competition's history, Korea Herald reports.
South Korea's winning streak in Asian Games baseball began in Guangzhou in 2010 and continued in Incheon in 2014, Jakarta-Palembang in 2018, and Hangzhou in 2022. In the final, the Koreans avenged their 0-5 loss to Japan in the Super Round two days earlier.
Lead in the second inning
The game began on schedule despite persistent rain. South Korea opened the scoring in the second inning: Yoon Dong-hee hit a double, and Moon Hyun-bin drove him in with a single to left-center field. The Korean team later loaded the bases but failed to extend its lead.
South Korea's starting pitcher Kwak Bin was on the mound for six and one-third innings. He allowed one run, four hits and two walks while recording nine strikeouts. Earlier in the tournament, Kwak pitched six scoreless innings against Chinese Taipei, recording 10 strikeouts.
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Decisive eighth inning
Japan tied the score in the seventh inning. After singles by Ryosuke Aizawa and Shohei Mizutani, Yuki Sato hit an RBI single. Kwak was replaced by reliever Cho Byung-hyun, who ended the inning with two strikeouts.
In the eighth inning, Kim Ji-chan began South Korea's rally with a double and advanced to third base after Cho Hyun-woo's sacrifice bunt. Following a walk to Kim Joo-won, Kim Do-young hit an infield single, scoring Kim Ji-chan and putting the team ahead. Moon Bo-kyung added another RBI single to set the final score at 3-1.
Closer Park Young-hyun entered the game in the eighth inning with one out and a runner on second base and did not allow Japan to score. In the ninth, he issued a walk and allowed a single with two outs before ending the game by striking out Masato Shibasaki. Kim Do-young had two hits in five at-bats in the final and drove in the go-ahead run.
The gold medal also grants military service exemptions to 16 players on the Korean national team who have not yet completed their service, including Kim Do-young, Moon Hyun-bin, Lee Jae-hyun, Seo Hyun-jun and Kim Young-woo.
