TOKYO — Korea launched four home runs to defeat Czechia 11-4 to begin its World Baseball Classic (WBC) campaign Thursday, getting off on the right foot in its quest toward a knockout spot. Shay Whitcomb, one of three U.S.-born players of Korean descent, smacked two homers after Moon Bo-gyeong hammered a first-inning grand slam to set the early tone at Tokyo Dome in the teams’ first Pool C game. Jahmai Jones added a solo blast in the eighth inning to cap South Korea’s explosion. Starter So Hyeong-jun tossed three shutout innings for South Korea, while six relievers held the opponent to four runs over the final six frames. For Czechia, Terrin Vavra hit a three-run homer in the fifth that briefly cut the South Korean lead to 6-3 and Jan Pospisil hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth for an inconsequential run. South Korea’s next game is against the defending champion Japan at 7 p.m. Saturday. Czechia will next play Australia at noon Friday. Australia beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 earlier Thursday, while Japan was idle. The top two nations at the end of pool play will qualify for the quarterfinals in
