Australia defeated Taiwan 6-4 to finish third at the Asia Professional Baseball Championship 2026 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on November 15.
The Australian national team secured the bronze position one step higher than its standing in the previous tournament, STARNEWS reported. Australia debuted in the APBC in 2023 with four consecutive losses before recording an 8-7 opening victory over South Korea in the current tournament.
Losses to Japan and Taiwan left Australia tied at one win and two defeats alongside South Korea. Team Quality Balance metrics relegated Australia to the third-place match against Taiwan.
Taiwan held a 1-0 advantage after scoring in the bottom of the second inning before Australia turned the game in the top of the fifth. Three consecutive walks loaded the bases, allowing Brent Aierdale to tie the game with an RBI hit before Chris Burke was hit by a pitch to bring home the go-ahead run.
Blake Cabel and Clayton Campbell followed with back-to-back two-run doubles against a relief pitcher. The sequence produced five runs in the frame to establish a 5-1 lead.
Liu Jun-wei answered for Taiwan in the bottom of the fifth by driving in three runs with a double following consecutive hits and a walk. Relief pitcher Connor Mills halted the threat by retiring Lin Hong-jen with the bases loaded.
Australian relievers held Taiwan scoreless through the final four frames. Kyren Hall extinguished a bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the seventh inning with a strikeout and an infield grounder.
Australian baseball continues to expand its international footprint after defeating South Korea during the 2023 World Baseball Classic group stage and challenging them again in this tournament. South Korea secured its historical international successes with a runner-up finish at the 2006 World Baseball Classic, a semifinal appearance in 2009, and a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, though the national team has since sought a return to those podium finishes.
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