March 17, 2009, the third match between Korea and Japan in the second round of the 2nd WBC.
After a fierce battle with 1 win and 1 loss in the first round, the two teams met in the first game of the second round just before the semifinals. Although Japan's mound seemed invincible, Korea seized the opportunity in the bottom of the first inning when the starting pitcher faltered and scored 3 runs. With the pitchers' efforts, they allowed only 1 run and won 4-1.

After the game, Bong Jung-keun and Lee Jin-young, the MVPs of the day, proudly planted the Korean flag on the mound, showcasing the prestige of Korean baseball.

"Not just to win, but to make our opponent Japan unable to even think of winning for the next 30 years."

- Ichiro Suzuki, captain of the Japanese national baseball team, then active in Major League Baseball

The 2nd WBC in 2009. Japan, the inaugural champion, mobilized its top-tier members, including five Major Leaguers such as 'Ichiro Suzuki' and 'Daisuke Matsuzaka,' as well as its domestic league's top aces like 'Yu Darvish' and 'Toshiya Sugiuchi,' aiming for a second consecutive title. The total salary of the star-studded Japanese national baseball team was 131.5 billion won, over 17 times the 7.6 billion won total salary of the Korean national team.

1라운드 2번의 경기에서 1승 1패로 치열한 공방전을 펼친 후, 미국 펫코 파크에서 열린 2라운드 경기. 승자는 준결승에 진출하게 되는 상황. 대한민국은 1라운드 때 일본에 단 1실점도 내주지 않았던* 봉중근을 선발 투수로, 일본은 현재 메이저리그의 레전드 투수이자 당시 탈일본급 유망주로 평가받던 '다르빗슈 유'를 선발투수로 내세우게 된다.

*1라운드 대한민국은 일본에게 2:14로 콜드패를 당한 후, 1:0 진땀승을 거둔다. 당시 대한민국의 투수진은 일본 타자들에게 단 한개의 볼넷을 허용하지 않는 무결점 투구로 승리를 가져온다.

In the bottom of the first inning, taking advantage of the faltering Japanese starting pitcher 'Yu Darvish,' Korea scored 3 runs. Subsequently, with a winning combination of pitchers 'Yoon Suk-min, Kim Kwang-hyun, and Lim Chang-yong,' they allowed only 1 run, effectively shutting down the Japanese batters and securing the victory.

It was a perfect revenge at Petco Park, the same venue where they had lost to Japan in the previous tournament.

The highlight of the game was the showdown between starting pitcher 'Bong Jung-keun,' known as the Japan Killer, and Japan's top hitter 'Ichiro'.

'Bong Jung-keun' faced 'Ichiro' three times without allowing a single hit. Notably, in the top of the 5th inning, to keep 'Ichiro,' who had reached first base on an infield grounder, Bong showcased his specialty pickoff move to first base. After three consecutive pickoff attempts, 'Ichiro,' flustered by Bong's quick moves, ended up sliding back to first base in error.

This scene, contrasting Bong's calm pickoff moves with Ichiro's startled expression, is still remembered as one of the classic moments in Korea-Japan matches. Following this game, Bong Jung-keun earned the nickname 'Bong Yeo-sa,' meaning 'Bong the Fierce,' for his dominance over Japan.

 

"Amazing. Every strategy is spot on. Brilliant tactics have been confirmed once again in this tournament."
- WBC American commentators, after utilizing Kim Kwang-hyun, who had struggled in the previous game, to achieve 1 out in the 9th inning

The foreign press attributed Korea's victory, despite overwhelming odds, to the national team manager 'Kim In-sik.' At that time, he was suffering from the aftereffects of a stroke, but his ability to utilize players according to his own standards, along with precise defensive strategies and analytical skills against opposing pitchers, proved his mettle, earning him the title of Korea's best manager.

In the final, the Korean national team faced Japan again and, after an intense match that went into extra innings, unfortunately conceded a decisive hit to 'Ichiro Suzuki,' finishing as the runner-up. However, the 2009 WBC is recorded as a tournament that showcased the strength of Korean baseball, capable of overcoming a 17-fold salary difference to the world.

This final match was also selected as the best game in WBC history by MLB.com in March 2023 and is still remembered as one of the greatest games to date.

☞ TOP 10 games in World Baseball Classic history (Top 10 greatest games in WBC history introduced by MLB.com)