The Korean national baseball team doesn’t have much to be positive about today after being smashed by Japan in the World Baseball Classic:

The national baseball team humiliated Taiwan in its first game of the World Baseball Classic, but it was Japan’s turn Saturday night.

Ichiro Suzuki went three for five and scored three runs as the defending tournament champion routed Korea, 14-2. The game was called after seven innings due to the mercy rule.

Korea must beat China Sunday to advance to the second round, which starts March 15 in San Diego. China upset Taiwan 4-1.

Japan led 3-0 in the first inning after Seiichi Uchikawa’s double brought in Hiroyuki Nakajima and Norichika Aoki.

Korea cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the same inning thanks to a two-run homer by Kim Tae-kyun. Korea, however, would not score again.

Starting pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun was rocked for eight runs in a little more than an inning before being benched. Japan then added six more runs, including a three-run homer by Shuichi Murata and a two-run shot by Kenji Johjima.

Japanese starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, the MVP of the 2006 tournament, got the win after giving up two runs on four hits in four innings.  [KBS Global]