The national baseball team on Wednesday advanced to the World Baseball Classic semifinals with a 2-1 win over Japan.

Outfielder Lee Jong-beom drove in two runs in the top of the eighth inning, and closer Oh Seung-hwan struck out the final two batters to preserve victory and knock Japan out of the tournament.

Replacing Koo Dae-sung in the bottom of the ninth with one out and a Japanese runner on first, the young but cool Oh posted his second save of the tournament.

Japan's Tsuyoshi Nishioka had earlier hit a solo homer off Koo to cut the deficit to one. Koo later allowed a single, promoting South Korea Manager Kim In-shik to call in Oh.

Starting pitcher Park Chan-ho got the win, giving up four hits and no runs over five innings. He was also helped by the tight defense of his teammates, including an early out of a Japanese runner sliding for home plate.

South Korea will face the United States or Mexico in the semifinal Saturday in San Diego.