Dutch outfielder Roger Bernadina kicks the ball during a World Baseball Classic Group A match against Panama, at Taichung Intercontinental Stadium, in Taichung, Taiwan, March 9, 2023. (AP Photo/I-Hwa Cheng)

TOKYO (AP) — The Netherlands earned its second victory in two days in Group A of the World Baseball Classic after defeating Panama 3-1 in Taiwan on Thursday.

Xander Bogaerts opened the scoring for the Dutch with a home run in the third inning and Jurickson Profar extended the lead with a one-run shot in the fifth.

Erasmo Caballero closed the gap for Panama with a single in the sixth that drove Jose Ramos in and made it 2-1 on the scoreboard.

The Netherlands sealed victory two sets later when Bogaerts scored on Alberto Baldonado’s wild field.

In Pool B, Robbie Perkins hit one of Australia’s three home runs in an 8-7 win over South Korea at the Tokyo Dome.

Leading 5-4 before the start of the eighth, Australia retired on Perkins’ three-run homer against Hyeon-Jong Yang, who had come on relief that inning and had just seven unouts.

Australia took a 2-0 lead in the fifth, but South Korea took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on Euiji Yang’s three-run home run to left field.

The South Koreans scored again in the sixth, but Australia came on three times in the seventh, including a three-run shot from Robbie Glendinning, to take control of the game.

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