Australia Rallies Past Korea 8-7 in APBC Opener
Australia beats Korea 8-7 in the 2026 APBC opener as Chris Burke and Max Durrington deliver decisive ninth-inning doubles at Tokyo Dome.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Australia recovered from a six-run Korea rally and scored twice in the ninth inning to win 8-7 in the opening game of the 2026 Asia Professional Baseball Championship at Tokyo Dome on Thursday. Chris Burke broke a 6-6 tie with an RBI double before Max Durrington added the run that ultimately decided a tense finish.
The result gave Australia a 1-0 start in the four-team tournament and left Korea 0-1. It was also a sharp response from an Australian side that had watched an early four-run advantage disappear in one inning.
Korea turns the game with a six-run sixth
Australia struck first when Blake Cavill launched a three-run home run in the opening inning. The lead grew to 4-0 before Korea’s offense finally broke through in the sixth.
Kim Ju-won started the comeback with a two-run homer. Kim Whee-jip then cleared the bases with a three-run double, and Park Jae-hyun’s RBI single completed a six-run inning that put Korea ahead 6-4.
The sudden swing appeared to have changed the game. Instead, Australia stayed within reach and delivered its answer in the eighth. Clayton Campbell hit a two-run home run to level the score at 6-6 and restore the pressure to Korea’s bullpen.
Burke and Durrington deliver in the ninth
Australia moved in front for good in the top of the ninth. Burke drove an RBI double into the outfield for a 7-6 lead, and Durrington followed with another run-scoring double to make it 8-6.
That insurance run became crucial in the bottom half. Korea pulled within one on Kim Do-yeong’s sacrifice fly and advanced the potential tying run to third base, but Ahn Hyun-min popped out to end the game.
Kieren Hall earned the win for Australia, while Choi Jun-yong took the loss for Korea.
What the APBC opening win means
The Asia Professional Baseball Championship is designed around young professionals. Eligible players are generally 24 or younger or within their first three professional seasons, with each team permitted up to three over-age players.
Australia, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei play a round-robin schedule at Tokyo Dome, with the top two teams advancing to the championship game on November 15.
For Australia, the opener showed both its power and resilience. Cavill supplied the early blow, Campbell erased the deficit, and Burke and Durrington finished the comeback after Korea had seized control. Korea, runner-up in the tournament’s first two editions, now faces immediate pressure in the short preliminary round.
