Bazzana's home run helps Australia defeat Chinese Taipei, securing an opening victory in the Classic.

The 2024 draft's top pick and MLB's No. 20 prospect, Travis Bazzana, lived up to expectations in his World Baseball Classic debut, contributing a solo home run and a hit to lead Australia to a 3-0 shutout win over Chinese Taipei, claiming victory in the Group C opener at the Tokyo Dome.

After hitting a single in his second at-bat, Bazzana launched a 383-foot home run in the seventh inning, extending Australia's lead to 3-0. For Bazzana, born in Hornsby, Australia, this was a perfect moment. After a dominant collegiate career at Oregon State University, he was selected first overall by the Cleveland Guardians in the 2024 draft. The young second baseman is showcasing his talent on the world stage, and his reputation is sure to grow when he makes his MLB debut for the Guardians this season.

Australia's victory was a collective effort. Catcher Robbie Perkins broke the scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning. The 31-year-old Perkins spent six years in the Colorado Rockies' minor league system from 2013 to 2018 and has since played in the Australian Baseball League.

Three runs proved sufficient for Australia's pitching staff. They held their opponents to just three hits and two walks while striking out nine batters in a complete-game shutout. Former MLB pitcher Alex Wells started with three hitless innings, striking out six, including five consecutive strikeouts to end his outing—tying for the third-longest consecutive strikeout streak in Classic history, according to MLB.com.

Left-hander Jack O'Loughlin relieved Wells and also pitched three scoreless innings. Like Wells, he has MLB experience, having appeared in four games for the Athletics in 2024 and pitching for the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes, last season. Another left-hander, Jon Kennedy, closed out the final three innings without allowing a run, securing the crucial win for Australia.

Australia's next match will be against the Czech Republic, while Chinese Taipei will face the defending champion, Japan.