For a few innings, it looked like Asia-Pacific would pull off a very rare feat. Win while being no-hit by their opponent. Up 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning without the benefit of a hit, the South Koreans were just four outs away from pulling off the feat. But then Esmith Pineda stepped in for Latin America and smacked a 3-run shot in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the team from Panama the lead. And they just barely held on to that lead, surrendering a hit in the sixth inning but stranding the tying run at second base, winning 3-2 to advance to the International Championship game. 

Pineda's home run was one of just three hits for Latin America. They got singles from Jose Torres and Abel DeLeon while outhitting their Asian opponent 3-1. Seum Kwon got the only base knock for Asia-Pacific. Carlos Gonzalez hurled four innings for Latin America, giving up just two unearned runs on no hits. Edwar Bethancourth picked up the win with a scoreless frame, while Joaquin Tejada earned the save in the sixth inning. 

Jaekyeong Kim pitched admirably on the bump for South Korea, although he faltered late into his 4.1 inning outing, in which he was responsible for one run on two hits, striking out nine. 

Pitching dominates the game

The game was a pitcher's duel from the start. Kim and Gonzalez duked it out on the hill, each hurler posting zero after zero on the scoreboard. 

Gonzalez set the tone by striking out two in a 1-2-3, 13-pitch first inning. Kim matched his zero with  one of his own, although he did hit Gonzalez with two outs, stranding him with a strikeout to end the frame. 

Gonzalez had another perfect inning in the second, picking up two more strikeouts, sandwiched around a groundout, although he had to through 17 pitches. Kim got out of a mini-jam in the bottom of the inning, striking out the side to work around a walk and a single from DeLeon with two outs to put a runner in scoring position. 

Gonzalez continued to be perfect on the mound for Panama, striking out the first two batters of the inning and inducing an inning-ending groundout. Kim worked around two more baserunners in the third inning, striking out two in the frame to work around a walk and an error, utilizng a double play to strand runners on the corners. Halfway through the game, Latin America looked like the side ready for a breakthrough, but it was Asia-Pacific that would strike in the fourth inning. 

After issuing a leadoff walk to begin the inning, Gonzalez cost himself the shutout with a throwing error of his own that scored one run and sent Kwon, the batter, all the way to third. Kwon would score on Youbin Choi's sacrifice fly. The inning ended without a hit for the South Koreans, but with two runs on the scoreboard. Cruz singled for the Latin Americans in the fourth, but he was left standing on first base, with Panama still trailing 2-0. Asia-Pacific's potentially rally in the fifth was snuffed out by a caught stealing, bringing Latin America to bat in the fifth. 

3-run shot gives Latin America the lead

Kim struck out the first batter of the fifth inning, but, after issuing a walk, he was pulled from the ballgame, on the hook for the lone baserunner he left. His bullpen couldn't get the job done, as, after striking out one batter for the second out, his relief hurler issued another walk, bringing Pineda to the plate. Pineda watched two balls go by, before taking a called strike, giving himself a 2-1 hitter's count. He didn't waste the count, blasting a bomb to dead center field for a three-run home run and a 3-2 Latin America lead. 

Panama players celebrate after taking the lead (Joe Amon/ESPN)
Panama players celebrate after taking the lead (Joe Amon/ESPN)

Handing the ball to Tejada with the job of holding the lead, Panama's ace responded. He gave up the no-hitter, but, most importantly, he held onto the lead, giving Latin America the victory. Kwon led off with a single, but Tejada whiffed the next two batters, although a pair of wild pitches brought the tying run within 60 feet. He worked Choi to a 2-2 count, before inducing a ground ball to his shortstop, ending the game. 

Latin America, with the victory, gets an automatic berth through to the International Championship. They could get a rematch against this Asia-Pacific squad there, but the South Koreans will have to defeat a red-hot Mexico squad to get there. 

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