Believe it or not, Korea defeated USA and remains to be the only unbeaten team. As for Pool 2, all four teams has one win and one lost, need to use the last two games to decide who will be advanced to final four.
Pool 1:
Korea 7, United States 3
USA - 001 000 002 -- 3 KOREA - 201 301 00x -- 7
The only unbeaten team in the World Baseball Classic powered its way to another victory Monday night as surprisingly adept-at-everything Korea defeated Team USA, 7-3, before 21,288 at Angel Stadium. First baseman Seung-Yeop Lee hit another home run, his fifth of the tournament, Hee-Seop Choi slugged his first — in a pinch-hit role — and the Korea pitching staff stymied the best lineup it has seen so far in the 16-team tournament as Korea improved to 2-0 in Round 2 and 5-0 overall.
For the second consecutive time in this inaugural World Baseball Classic, Team USA lost the middle of the three games in round-robin pool play to put itself in serious danger of being eliminated from the tournament. This time it was the streaking Koreans, who thumped the U.S., but this time the Americans must defeat Mexico on Thursday to stay alive, not South Africa.
Pool 2:
Dominican Republic 7, Cuba 3
DOMINICAN REP - 004 111 000 -- 7 CUBA - 000 000 102 -- 3
The California dreaming continues for the Dominican Republic. Odalis Perez was stellar on the mound, the Dominican Republic offense was explosive at the plate and if there were any remaining doubts, the scoreboard at Hiram Bithorn Stadium said it all.
The Cubans suffered another rare and disappointing loss on Monday, and afterward were not particularly interested in talking about it. A day after an inspired win over Venezuela to open Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic, Cuba could not overcome its own mistakes and dropped a 7-3 decision to the Dominican Republic.
VENEZUELA - 000 020 040 -- 6 PUERTO RICO - 000 000 000 -- 0
Puerto Rico starter Joel Pineiro was effective, but his effort was not enough Monday night as Puerto Rico was defeated, 6-0, by Venezuela in the second game of the second round for both clubs.
The ball was still in flight, soaring through the air of Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Victor Martinez stood there for a few seconds and watched, taking in one of the finest moments of his young career. And before the grand slam had even landed in the last row of the right-field bleachers, the entire Venezuelan team had bounced out of the dugout to make sure it was in proper position to mob him.
