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Australia shuts out Chinese Taipei to begin WBC Pool C action

Published: 05 Mar. 2026, 17:30

Australia's pitcher Jon Kennedy, left, celebrates with teammates after they beat Chinese Taipei at a World Baseball Classic game in Tokyo on March 5. [AP/YONHAP]

Australia blanked Chinese Taipei 3-0 to begin Pool C play at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Tokyo on Thursday, prevailing in a battle between the two countries expected to battle Korea for a spot in the knockout round.

The teams traded zeros for four innings before Robbie Perkins put Australia on the board with a two-run home run off Chen Po-Yu in the bottom fifth.

Chinese Taipei was held to just two singles through the first six innings, with the first being a fourth-inning single by Chang Yu. Alex Wells gave Australia three shutout innings, and Jack O'Loughlin followed with three more scoreless frames.

Chinese Taipei tried to rally with two outs in the top sixth, when Lin An-Ko singled and Chen Chieh-Hsien got hit by a pitch from O'Loughlin. That gave Chinese Taipei a runner in scoring position for the first time in the game, but Chang Yu grounded out to third to end the inning.

Australia couldn't cash in after loading the bases in the bottom sixth, but tacked on a run in the bottom seventh, as Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 major league draft, smacked a solo homer off Chang Yi.

Taiwan's baseball players react following their defeat in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Pool C first round game between Australia and Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome on March 5. [AFP/YONHAP]

Chinese Taipei put together one last rally in the bottom ninth. With one out, Chang Yu reached on a throwing error by third baseman Curtis Mead — the play was initially ruled out but was overturned following a video review — and a pinch-hit single by Giljegiljaw Kungkuan brought the tying run to the plate.

Lyle Lin smoked a deep fly to center, bringing thousands of Chinese Taipei fans to their feet, but the ball died just in front of the wall on the warning track for the second out of the inning.

Chang Yu advanced to third on the play, and pinch hitter Chang Cheng-Yu represented final hope for Chinese Taipei.

Chang, however, grounded out back to pitcher Jon Kennedy to end the rally and the game.

Australia used just three pitchers to cover the nine innings, with Wells, O'Loughlin and Kennedy each throwing fewer than 50 pitches.

During the first round, pitchers are limited to 65 pitches, and those who toss 50 or more must rest for at least four days. Wells (46 pitches), O'Loughlin (44) and Kennedy (40) will all be available against Korea on Monday.

Korea will begin its tournament play against the Czech Republic later Thursday. Australia's next game will be against the Czech Republic at noon Friday, while Chinese Taipei will play defending champion Japan at 7 p.m. Friday.

Yonhap