KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK! Doosan's 9-7 Kiwoom 'Kim Won-hyung's first win over Kiwoom, a home run for Seo Geon-chang's return game. [Icheon Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Doosan Bears beat the Kiwoom Heroes in their first exhibition game of the year.

Doosan won the opening game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League exhibition game against Kiwoom at Bears Park in Icheon on the 12th.

The game was also Kim Won-hyung's debut as Doosan's head coach. Doosan made up the starting lineup in the order of Jung Soo-bin (center fielder), Park Chan-ho (striker), Daz Cameron (right fielder), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Ahn Jae-seok (third baseman), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Oh Myung-jin (second baseman), Kim Dae-han (left fielder), and Kim Ki-yeon (catcher). The starting pitcher was Chris Flexen, who played the ace role during Doosan's dynasty.

In response, Kiwoom drew up the starting lineup in the order of Trenton Brooks (first baseman), An Chi-hong (designated hitter), Lim Ji-yeol (left fielder), Choi Joo-hwan (third baseman), Park Chan-hyuk (right fielder), Lim Byung-wook (middle fielder), Eo Jun-seo (striker), Kim Gun-hee (catcher), and Park Han-gyeol (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Ha Young-min.

The first point was drawn by Kiwoom after one out in the top of the fourth inning. Doosan starter Flexen handed over the mound to Lee Kyo-hoon after pitching three ⅓ innings with two walks and eight strikeouts. After pinch hitter Choo Jae-hyun got on base with a hit in left-center, pinch hitter Kim Dong-heon drew a straight walk. The ninth batter Park Han-kyul then hit Lee Kyo-hoon's first pitch two-seam fastball (138km) and hit a timely hit that fell inside the left-field line.

Doosan immediately turned the game around with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kiwoom also replaced the pitcher from Ha Young-min to Park Joon-hyun. Ha Young-min's pitching performance on the day was two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in three innings. Leading hitter Yang Eui-ji got on base with a walk after the game of the seventh pitch and settled on second base taking advantage of a wild pitch at Yang Seok-hwan's at-bat after one out. In the end, Yang Seok-hwan hit a superior timely double, bringing the game to 1-1 origin. This wasn't the end. Subsequent Oh Myung-jin hit a timely hit to right-center to make it 2-1.

Doosan scored an extra point with a big single in the bottom of the fifth inning. a situation in which there is no runner with one out. Jung Soo-bin drew a solo arch over the right fence against Kiwoom bullpen Oh Seok-joo. The score was 3-1.

In the top of the sixth inning, Kim Tae-jin got on base with a hit to the middle of the eighth pitch after two outs in the Kiwoom. Yang Hyun-jong, who entered the next at-bat, hit a timely double to right-center and brought first baseman Kim Tae-jin home.

Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning, he made a big inning that scored six runs and virtually decided the game. After leading hitter Kang Seung-ho hit a triple to cut right-center against changed pitcher Yoon Seok-won, Kim Dae-han drew a walk after one out. Park Ji-hoon then scored a timely hit to right-center. The score was 4-2. Lee Yoo-chan fired a three-run shot over the left fence to run to 7-2 with two outs and runners on first and second bases. Doosan went on to take second and third base chances with Kim Joo-oh's right-handed hit and Kim In-tae's double on the right-field line. Here, Ahn Jae-seok scored a two-run timely double that fell inside the right-wing line, further widening the gap to seven points.

Kiwoom recovered two runs in the top of the seventh. Doosan's pitcher has changed from Kim Myung-shin to Choi Ji-gang. Leading hitter Lee Hyung-jong and follow-up Kim Ji-seok got on base with consecutive walks. Joo Sung-won's grounder to the second base made a mistake when he hit a grounder to the second base, and in the meantime, second baseman Lee Hyung-jong scored. Then, with one out, third baseman Kim Ji-seok made a home-in and 9-4 when Choi Jae-young grounded out in front of the pitcher. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Seo Geon-chang, who returned to the Kiwoom ahead of this season, scored a superior solo shot. Kiwoom continued to add two more runs in the top of the ninth inning, but the game was not reversed in the end.

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*This content was translated by AI.