Tokyo: South Korean pitchers had an uneven performance in their team's victory over Czechia at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Thursday, securing an 11-4 win despite some pitching challenges.

According to Yonhap News Agency, starter So Hyeong-jun managed three shutout innings at Tokyo Dome, allowing four hits. However, the six relievers who followed displayed inconsistent performances, raising concerns about pitching depth against stronger future opponents. The South Korean lineup's four home runs masked these issues.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun had planned to keep So under 50 pitches to ensure his availability for upcoming games. So threw 42 pitches over three innings, making him eligible to pitch against Japan on Saturday after South Korea's rest day on Friday. Despite a 4-0 lead from Moon Bo-gyeong's grand slam, So struggled, allowing a hit in each inning and escaping a bases-loaded situation in the second inning.

Ryu had initially designated Jeong Woo-joo as the second pitcher, but Noh Kyung-eun, the team's oldest player at 41, took over in the fourth inning, conceding two singles but preventing Czechia from scoring. Jeong began the fifth inning, hitting Max Prejda with his first pitch. He recovered briefly before allowing a three-run homer to Terrin Vavra, reducing South Korea's lead to 6-3.

South Korea extended their lead with a two-run homer by Shay Whitcomb. Relievers Park Yeong-hyun, Jo Byeong-hyeon, and Kim Young-kyu each pitched scoreless innings, though Park and Jo showed diminished velocity. You Yeong-chan closed the game in the ninth, but not without difficulties, giving up a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly for Czechia's fourth run. His recent struggles in exhibition games pose questions about his role in upcoming matches against Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Australia.

Despite the win, South Korea narrowly outperformed Czechia in hits, 10-9, with South Korean pitchers allowing base runners in seven of the nine innings.