TOKYO (AP): Rixon Wingrove had a three-run double in the first inning to get Australia started and Darryl George had an RBI run single in the seventh for a 12-2 victory over China on Saturday in a World Baseball Classic game due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Australia (2-0) scored twice in the third and five times in the fourth, highlighted by Robbie Glendinning’s two-run homer. Single runs in the sixth and seventh ended the game.
China (0-3) got its two runs in the fourth on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Jinjun Luo.
Australia is on track to finish in the top two in Pool B along with Japan and advance to the quarterfinals.
PANAMA 2, ITALY 0
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Jose Ramos hit a solo homer in the first and scored on Allen Cordoba’s single in the seventh inning as Panama beat Italy 2-0 in Group A.
Italy (1-2) had runners on first and third with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Nicky Lopez grounded into a game-ending double play.
Panama (2-2) pitchers held Italy to five hits and totaled six strikeouts. Harold Arauz started and pitched four innings to pick up the win.
