Osaka: Powered by home runs from a trio of sluggers, South Korea won its final exhibition game before the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Japan against the Orix Buffaloes, with a final score of 8-5 at Kyocera Dome in Osaka.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Do-yeong homered for the second straight day and Shay Whitcomb launched his first dinger for South Korea, before Ahn Hyun-min joined the party with a solo shot. Dane Dunning made a strong impression in his South Korea debut by tossing three shutout innings before the bullpen took over.

South Korea's offensive surge began in the second inning after going down in order in the first. The team loaded the bases against Raiku Katayama with a single and two walks, leading to Park Dong-won driving in the opening run. A fielder's choice from Kim Ju-won increased the lead to 2-0. Kim Do-yeong then blasted a three-run homer, his second in consecutive days, giving South Korea a commanding 5-0 lead and knocking Katayama out of the game.

The new pitcher, Shota Abe, hit Jahmai Jones, who stole second base. After a walk to Lee Jung-hoo, Ahn Hyun-min doubled to bring Jones home, further extending the lead to 6-0. Though the Buffaloes clawed back with three runs in the fourth inning, thanks to Yuma Mune's two-run single and a walk-induced run, South Korea's Shay Whitcomb responded with a solo home run in the fifth inning.

Despite some late-inning bullpen struggles, including Jo Byeong-hyeon escaping a bases-loaded situation in the seventh and You Yeong-chan giving up two runs in the eighth, Ahn Hyun-min sealed the victory with his solo home run in the ninth. South Korea finished with ten hits in the game.

With this victory, South Korea is set to travel to Tokyo for an official practice at Tokyo Dome and will face Czechia in their first Pool C game of the WBC. The top two teams from the group will advance to the quarterfinals in Miami. South Korea aims to advance past the first round, a feat they haven't achieved in the past three editions of the WBC.