Australia begin WBC campaign with shutout victory over Chinese Taipei

[p]Starting pitcher [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wells-alexander/CvhDl2gb/"]Alex Wells[/a] set his side up perfectly with five scoreless innings, including sending a no-hitter into the fourth inning, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/h2RcNuiG/"]Australia[/a] held [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chinese-taipei/WpW7PCsR/"]Chinese Taipei[/a] to just three hits in the nine-inning contest.[/p][p]It was their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/australia-h2RcNuiG/chinese-taipei-WpW7PCsR/?mid=tQ0Z01iU"]second-ever shutout[/a] in the World Baseball Classic.[/p][embed guid="f9c363c6-3194-46f4-93aa-a08bb24a9bfa" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029405873072672971" social-type="twitter" /][p]Their bats were not explosive, but third baseman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mead-curtis/dIIWDyMp/"]Curtis Mead[/a] got them going with the first hit of the tournament in the bottom of the first inning. It took until the fifth inning of the contest for the WBC's first run.[/p][p]Australia's catcher [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perkins-robert/nsZhMhfE/"]Robbie Perkins[/a] - the Australian Baseball League's leading home run hitter - smashed a two-run homer, driving in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wingrove-rixon/A5lsoIwS/"]Rixon Wingrove[/a] after he was hit by a pitch.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bazzana-travis/hdbKIfID/"]Travis Bazzana[/a] - the 2024 number one draft pick of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-guardians/4K05MrFG/"]Cleveland Guardians[/a] - then tacked on the final run of the game in the seventh inning with a no-doubter to right field.[/p][embed guid="5ec36a86-d8fd-44b3-9197-bff1495862ea" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029422998076133387" social-type="twitter" /][p]The biggest concern for Chinese Taipei, along with the lack of runs, was the departure of team captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chen-chieh-hsien/vkpZDCO6/"]Chieh-Hsien Chen[/a] in the sixth inning. He was hit by a pitch from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/o-loughlin-jack/8nV4lEHG/"]Jack O'Loughlin[/a] and headed straight into the locker room to not return to play, although he provided a pep talk to his charges in the closing stages.[/p][p]His teammates did try to rally late on in the final inning, putting two runners aboard, but they were unable to cash in and succumbed to defeat.[/p][embed guid="ab6773f1-0e52-46d0-bae8-35c7467b44bb" url="https://x.com/WBCBaseball/status/2029446935388606711" social-type="twitter" /][p]Both teams are back in action on Friday, with Australia looking to make it [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/australia-h2RcNuiG/czech-republic-6JB1nrVs/?mid=lIb2r3Vq"]two wins from two[/a] against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/6JB1nrVs/"]Czech Republic[/a] from 04:00 CET, before Chinese Taipei face their toughest test of pool play, when they take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/vuZGJUZ0/"]Japan[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/baseball/chinese-taipei-WpW7PCsR/japan-vuZGJUZ0/?mid=pvRqL4xn"]from 11:00 CET[/a].[/p][p]The Czechs would lose their clash against South Korea 11-4 - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/baseball-world-baseball-classic-clinical-south-korea-dispatch-czech-republic-in-wbc-as-moon-hits-grand-slam-into-orbit/Quws6fxP/"]read that report now.[/a][/p]