WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: CHOI HAS U.S. FEELING BLUE DODGER HITS HOME RUN FOR KOREA AS IT TAKES 7-1 LEAD.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - He wasn't wearing his Dodgers uniform, nor was he serenaded by familiar chants of ``Hee-Seop Choi'' that he receives every time he goes to the plate.

But Choi felt right at home, just down the road from Dodger Stadium. Choi didn't start Monday's World Baseball Classic game against the U.S. but he sure finished it.

Choi hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run off reliever Dan Wheeler to give Korea a five-run lead, and Korea took a 7-1 lead after seven innings at Angel Stadium.

Choi, who hit a towering home run to the right field corner, stands out among his teammates at 6-foot-5. He stood out with his bat this time.

He wasn't able to crack a starting position at first base with the Dodgers or Korea. Seung Yeop Lee, Korea's baseball star, has first covered. Choi seemed to be just fine coming off the bench.

Dontrelle Willis got off to another shaky start for the U.S. He allowed two runs on three hits and gave up a solo home run to Lee. For Lee, it must have been sweet. Lee is making unofficial auditions to play for a major league team once his contract with the Yomiuri Giants expires.

Willis couldn't have had a worse first outing for the U.S. team when he allowed six hits - three of which were triples - and five earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings against Canada. The U.S. lost that game and had Mexico not thumped Canada, it could've been out of the WBC. He allowed three runs on four hits in three innings.

Korea led 2-0 but Ken Griffey Jr. put the U.S. within reach on a solo home run in the third.

The U.S. had men in scoring position but couldn't convert. The U.S. had the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning but starter Min Han Son struck out Jason Varitek.

In the fourth inning, the U.S. squandered another prime chance after 21- year-old reliever Byung Doo Jun walked Chipper Jones to start the inning and walked Varitek. With two on and no one out, the U.S. still couldn't score. Jun struck out Mark Teixeira and reliever Byung Hyun Kim, who pitches for the Colorado Rockies, came in to strike out Matt Holliday.

Chase Utley (UCLA) singled off Kim to load the bases but Kim but got Vernon Wells to strike out on a pitch that was high and outside to get Korea out of quite a jam.

Utley made two errors and heard it from the crowd. His second error came on a ball hit by Choi in foul territory in the sixth inning. Utley had the ball in his glove and dropped it. He was booed then and also when he went to the plate in the seventh inning.

Derek Jeter has had a fine World Baseball Classic and his first-inning single gave him at least one hit in each of the five WBC games.

--Last hurrah? Roger Clemens is scheduled to pitch for the U.S. on Thursday when it faces Mexico in its last pool play game of the second round. If the U.S. makes the semifinals, it will play at Petco Park Saturday in San Diego.

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Vernon Wells of the U.S. reacts after striking out with the bases loaded in the fourth inning on Monday.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press