Tokyo: The second exhibition baseball game between South Korea and Japan, held in Tokyo on Sunday, mirrored the previous day's matchup with South Korean pitchers facing control issues. South Korea initially took the lead by scoring three runs, but Japan quickly responded with three runs in the subsequent inning, exploiting the unstable South Korean bullpen.

According to Yonhap News Agency, in the prior Saturday game, South Korean relievers allowed eight walks and hit two batters over 4 2/3 innings, culminating in an 11-4 loss. The bullpen's struggles continued on Sunday, with six relievers conceding 11 walks over six innings while managing only six hits. A crucial solo home run by Kim Ju-won in the bottom of the ninth inning secured a 7-7 tie for South Korea at Tokyo Dome, where extra innings were not an option.

Overall, South Korean pitchers issued 21 walks in 17 innings across both games, raising concerns about their performance in the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) scheduled for March next year. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) had organized these exhibition games, including two prior games against the Czech Republic in Seoul, to expose young domestic league players to international baseball rules.

A significant difference between KBO and WBC rules is the absence of the automated ball-strike system (ABS) in the WBC, requiring pitchers to adapt to human umpire decisions. South Korean pitchers struggled with the tighter strike zones enforced by home plate umpires in Tokyo, failing to receive calls on borderline pitches that might have been ruled strikes under the ABS.

Notably, young pitchers who typically maintained control in the KBO began issuing numerous walks over the weekend. During Sunday's game, SSG Landers closer Jo Byeong-hyeon walked three batters in one inning, despite walking more than two batters in a game only three times in 69 games this year. The situation worsened as four of the walks on Sunday occurred with the bases loaded, with pitchers hesitating to challenge hitters directly.

While Japanese pitchers also issued seven walks, they managed to escape jams and limit damage, unlike their South Korean counterparts, who exacerbated their difficulties with additional walks. After the Saturday game, South Korean manager Ryu Ji-hyun urged his pitchers to incorporate secondary pitches and vary speeds, but these strategies proved ineffective on Sunday due to their inconsistent strike-throwing ability.