'With' KIA, how perfectly it comes alive! From his debut at-bat in the first inning, a three-run homer by foreign investor Kim Do-young and Park Jae-hyun, a total of 7 hits. Manager Lee Beom-ho kept his Children's Day promise. 'Hanwha 12:7 crushed' [Gwangju On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers secured a pleasant victory against Hanwha Eagles on Children's Day.

KIA defeated Hanwha 12-7 in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game held at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on the 5th. With this win, KIA now stands at 15 wins and 16 losses, needing just one more victory to reach a .500 winning percentage. Meanwhile, Hanwha, now in a two-game losing streak, sits at 12 wins and 19 losses, holding 9th place in the league.

For this game, KIA set its starting lineup in the following order: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Kim Do-young (designated hitter), Adellin (first baseman), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Dale (shortstop), Han Jun-soo (catcher), and Park Min (third baseman). The starting pitcher was Lee Ui-ri. Prior to this game, Lee Ui-ri had appeared in six games this season with a record of 1 win, 3 losses, and an ERA of 7.23.

In response, Hanwha set its starting lineup as follows: Lee Jin-young (center fielder), Peraza (right fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (left fielder), Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-seong (first baseman), Heo In-seo (catcher), Ha Joo-seok (second baseman), and Sim Woo-jun (shortstop). The starting pitcher was left-handed rookie Kang Geon-woo, a graduate of Bukil High School, selected in the second round, 13th overall. Kang Geon-woo had recorded 8 innings pitched in five games this season, allowing 14 hits (one home run), issuing six walks, striking out six batters, and giving up five runs (four earned), for an ERA of 4.50.

KIA took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. After two outs in the bottom of the first, Kim Sun-bin reached base with a hit to left field. Kim Do-young then hit a hit to left-center field, creating a two-out, bases-loaded opportunity. Adellin stepped up to the plate. The Champions Field erupted in warm applause welcoming him in his new KIA uniform. Adellin carefully selected the first pitch, a curveball, and the second and third pitches, sliders outside the strike zone. He then watched a 143 km/h strike go by.

Then, on the fifth pitch, Adellin attacked a slider (127 km/h) that was tightly inside the outside zone from Hanwha's starter Kang Geon-woo, launching a three-run home run that soared well over the center-field wall. The foreign hitter, who came as an unexpected foreign bat, hit a powerful home run in his very first at-bat. The distance was measured at 127 meters.

Prior to Adellin, there were 21 players in KBO League history who hit a home run in their debut at-bat. Adellin became the 22nd player to achieve this historic feat. Among foreign players, he is the sixth. Adellin also set the second debut-at-bat home run record in Tigers franchise history (the first was by Hwang Jung-rim on September 14, 2012, in the second game against Lotte DH at Mudeung).

In response, Hanwha scored five runs in the top of the second inning to turn the game around. Leadoff batter Noh Si-hwan hit a solo home run over the left-field wall. This was followed by Chae Eun-seong's hit to center field, Heo In-seo's walk, Lee Ui-ri's balk, and Ha Joo-seok being hit by a pitch, giving Hanwha a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity. Although Sim Woo-jun and Lee Jin-young were struck out in succession, Peraza and Moon Hyun-bin each drew a bases-loaded walk, tying the game at 3-3. KIA then removed Lee Ui-ri and brought in Kim Tae-hyung. Against Kim Tae-hyung, Kang Baek-ho hit a two-run single to left field, making the score 5-3.

KIA immediately tied the game again in the bottom of the second inning. Leadoff batter Dale drew a walk, Han Jun-soo hit a single to left field, and Park Min drew a walk, creating a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity. Hanwha then removed Kang Geon-woo and brought in Yoon San-heum. Park Jae-hyun hit a two-run single to left field, and Kim Ho-ryeong hit a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at 5-5.

With both teams failing to score in the third and fourth innings, KIA broke the tie again in the fifth inning. In the bottom of the fifth, leadoff batter Park Jae-hyun hit a solo home run to left-center field off the new pitcher, Park Sang-won. Then, with two outs, Kim Do-young hit a solo home run to center field, extending the lead to 7-5. In the sixth inning, with two outs and runners on first and third, Park Jae-hyun hit a two-run single to left-center field, making the score 8-5.

Ultimately, KIA succeeded in scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, sealing the victory. Hanwha brought in Kim Jong-soo in the bottom of the seventh, followed by Ju Hyun-sang. KIA then drew a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity with leadoff batter Kim Sun-bin and the following batter Kim Do-young hitting consecutive singles, and Adellin drawing a walk. Although Na Sung-beom was thrown out on a fly ball to left field, Jung Hyun-chang hit a two-run single to left field, Han Jun-soo hit a single to left field, and Park Jae-hyun hit a two-run single to left field with two outs, extending the lead to 12-5. In the top of the ninth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, Heo In-seo hit a two-run double to left-center field, scoring two runs, but that was all.

KIA starter Lee Ui-ri pitched 1⅔ innings, allowing 2 hits, issuing 5 walks, being hit by a pitch once, striking out 3 batters, and giving up 5 runs (5 earned). His total pitch count was 49. Kim Tae-hyung then took over the mound, pitching 2⅓ innings, allowing 3 hits, issuing 1 walk, being hit by a pitch once, striking out 1 batter, and allowing no runs. Han Jae-seung (1 inning, no hits allowed, scoreless) earned the win. Jo Sang-woo (⅓ inning, 1 hit allowed, 2 walks, scoreless), Kim Beom-soo (⅔ inning, no hits allowed, scoreless), Choi Ji-min (1 inning, 1 hit allowed, scoreless), Jang Jae-hyuk (1 inning, 1 hit allowed, 2 strikeouts, scoreless), and Kim Geon-guk (1 inning, 2 hits allowed, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 2 runs allowed) pitched in succession. In the KIA lineup, which hit 14 hits in total, leadoff batter Park Jae-hyun went 4-for-5 with 1 home run, 4 RBIs, and 1 run scored, delivering a powerful performance. Kim Do-young went 3-for-4 with 1 home run, 1 RBI, and 3 runs scored, playing brilliantly. Kim Sun-bin and Han Jun-soo also contributed with multi-hit performances. Park Jae-hyun tied the single-game personal record for most hits (4 hits) and recorded the most RBIs in a game (4 RBIs).

Hanwha starter Kang Geon-woo pitched 1 inning, allowing 4 hits, issuing 2 walks, striking out 1 batter, and giving up 5 runs (5 earned). His total pitch count was 32. Yoon San-heum then pitched 3 innings, allowing 1 hit and no runs. Park Sang-won took the loss, pitching ⅔ innings, allowing 2 hits, issuing 1 walk, and giving up 2 runs. Kim Jong-soo pitched 1⅓ innings, allowing 2 hits, issuing 1 walk, striking out 2 batters, and giving up 1 run. Ju Hyun-sang pitched ⅓ inning, allowing 3 hits, issuing 1 walk, and giving up 4 runs. Won Jong-hyuk pitched ⅔ inning, allowing 2 hits and no runs. Kwon Min-gyu pitched 1 inning, allowing no hits, issuing 1 walk, striking out 1 batter, and allowing no runs. In the Hanwha lineup, which managed 10 hits, Noh Si-hwan went 3-for-5 with 1 home run, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored, fighting hard. Chae Eun-seong and Kang Baek-ho also recorded multi-hit performances.

Before the game, KIA manager Lee Beom-ho, welcoming Children's Day, said, "We get to play baseball in Gwangju again on Children's Day. I hope the children have a wonderful Children's Day. For the children to receive gifts on Children's Day, their parents must be in a good mood. (Laughs) Since we need to win today for the parents to be happy, we will do our best to secure a victory." He made this promise with a lighthearted joke. And he kept that promise.

After the game, the manager said, "Park Jae-hyun led the team's offense with 4 RBIs, including a go-ahead solo home run. Adellin made a strong impression on home fans by hitting a three-run home run in his first KBO League at-bat. I expect Kim Do-young, who also performed well today, to continue playing a key role in the middle of the lineup. I also want to praise Jung Hyun-chang for his go-ahead RBI. On the mound, Kim Beom-soo, who entered in a crisis situation with one out and bases loaded in the top of the sixth, protected the lead with a perfect performance. Han Jae-seung, Choi Ji-min, and others, including Kim Tae-hyung, also pitched with stability. It feels even more meaningful that we could gift a victory to the children who visited the baseball stadium on Children's Day. All players worked hard."

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*This content was translated by AI.