Australia Opens World Baseball Classic With 3-0 Victory Over Chinese Taipei

TOKYO – Australia began its 2026 World Baseball Classic campaign with a decisive 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Thursday at the Tokyo Dome. The victory was propelled by strong pitching and timely hitting, including home runs from Robbie Perkins and Travis Bazzana.

Dominant Pitching Performance

Australian starter Alex Wells delivered a stellar performance, pitching three scoreless innings and striking out six batters. Jack O’Loughlin continued the momentum, allowing only two hits over the next three innings. Jon Kennedy secured the save for Australia.

Perkins and Bazzana Provide Offensive Spark

Australia broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when catcher Robbie Perkins hit a two-run home run. In the seventh inning, Travis Bazzana extended Australia’s lead with a solo home run, sending the ball 383 feet to right field. Bazzana, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians, is expected to begin the season in Triple-A.

Chinese Taipei Struggles to Generate Offense

Chinese Taipei’s offense struggled throughout the game, managing only three hits. They had a late opportunity in the ninth inning, getting runners on first and second base, but were unable to capitalize. Chieh-hsien Chen was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game.

Game Highlights

• Final Score: Australia 3, Chinese Taipei 0
• Key Hitters: Robbie Perkins (2-run HR), Travis Bazzana (solo HR)
• Pitching: Alex Wells (3 scoreless innings, 6 strikeouts), Jack O’Loughlin (3 innings, 2 hits)

Looking Ahead

Australia’s victory sets a positive tone for their World Baseball Classic journey. The top two teams in Group C will advance to the quarterfinals in the United States. Later on Thursday, South Korea faced the Czech Republic in another Group C matchup. Defending champion Japan will begin its tournament play on Friday against Taiwan.

Source: USA Today