YOKOHAMA, Japan — Plum graduate Scott McGough struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief to help the United States defeat South Korea, 4-2, on Saturday at the Olympics.

The Americans improved to 2-0.

Nick Martinez started and struck out nine over five innings, allowing one run and four hits.

“Felt comfortable the whole game,” Martinez said.

Martinez was 17-30 for Texas from 2014-17 and signed with the Pacific League’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters after the Rangers demoted him to Triple-A 13 times. He switched to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this season and is 7-2 with a 2.03 ERA.

While MLB refused to allow 40-man roster players at the Olympics and many teams blocked top prospects from participating, Nippon Professional Baseball stopped its season, as did the Korean league (KPO).

“I’m familiar with Asian-style baseball,” Martínez said. “I’ve been fortunate to watch a little bit of the KBO during quarantine last year, so I was able to see some of these guys play and get some information on them. And playing at this field definitely helps.”

McGough, Edwin Jackson, Anthony Gose and David Robertson finished a five-hitter for the Americans, who struck out 14.

Red Sox prospect Triston Casas hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fourth off side-arming right-hander Ko Youngpyo (0-1), and Nick Allen went deep with a solo shot in the fifth.

South Korea, which started seven left-handed hitters, went ahead in the first after Park Hae-min led off with a three-hopper to shortstop and beat Allen’s throw for an infield single. He scored when Kim Hyun-soo, who played for Baltimore and Philadelphia in 2016-17, grounded into a forceout.

An overshifted infield, with former Pirates third baseman Todd Frazier on the right side and second baseman Eddy Alvarez in short right field, likely got the U.S. four extra outs. Manager Mike Scioscia credited coach Darren Fenster with the positioning.

“Today we were able to shrink the field,” Scioscia said.

McGough, a 31-year-old right-hander, had his only big league experience in six games with Miami in 2015. He is in his third season with the Pacific League’s Yakult Swallows.

Gose reached 98.9 mph in his 1 1/3 innings; no other pitcher has topped 94.5 mph.

Robertson got the save after allowing a walk, double and Oh Jaeil’s sacrifice fly.

Youngpyo (0-1) allowed one baserunner through three innings before tiring.

Youngpyo gave up three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out six and walked none.

“He kept us off balance the first time around the order. We didn’t have too many good looks there,” Scioscia said.

South Korea (1-1) faces the Dominican Republic (1-1) on Sunday.

The United States, which beat Israel 8-1 in its opener, earned Sunday off as the Group B winner and plays Group A winner Japan (2-0) on Monday night in the start of a double-elimination second stage.

“We know every game is going to be tough,” Scioscia said.

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