'KIA Adellin strikes again! Five of eight hits were home runs...' Doosan defeated, two-game losing streak snapped, 'Yang Hyeon-jong earns third win' [Gwangju Game Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers defeated Doosan Bears, resetting the midweek series record to 1 win and 1 loss.

On the 13th, at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field, KIA defeated Doosan 9-2 in a regular-season home game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

After losing 1-5 to Doosan the previous day (12th), KIA successfully counterattacked, breaking their losing streak at two games. KIA finished with 18 wins, 1 tie, and 20 losses. Meanwhile, Doosan ended their three-game winning streak. Before this game, Doosan had a winning percentage of .500 with only one win remaining, but after today's loss, they recorded 18 wins, 1 tie, and 20 losses.

KIA lined up Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Park Sang-jun (first baseman), Kim Seon-bin (second baseman), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Adellin (designated hitter), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Kim Ho-ryung (center fielder), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Kim Kyu-sung (shortstop) in the starting lineup. The starting pitcher was the veteran Yang Hyeon-jong.

In response, Doosan lined up Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Park Ji-hoon (third baseman), Park Jun-soon (second baseman), Cameron (right fielder), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Kang Seung-ho (first baseman), Jung Soobin (center fielder), Yoon Jun-ho (catcher), and Lee Yu-chan (left fielder) in the starting lineup. The starting pitcher was Choi Jun-ho.

Doosan took the early lead. In the first inning with two outs and no runners on base, Park Jun-soon hit a solo home run to left field. This was Park Jun-soon's sixth home run of the season and marked his third consecutive game with a home run.

With this home run, Park Jun-soon set the record for the youngest player in Bears franchise history to hit home runs in three consecutive games (19 years, 10 months). The previous record was held by Shim Jung-soo (OB, 20 years, 1 month, 2 days, June 7, 1995, against Hanwha at Hanbat Stadium). This also ranks as the fourth-youngest record in KBO history.

KIA began their counterattack in the second inning. In the bottom of the second, they responded with a powerful hit. With two outs and no runners on base, 'home-field captain' Kim Tae-gun hit a solo home run over the left-field fence to tie the game.

In the third inning, KIA extended their lead with another powerful hit. After one out, Park Sang-jun hit a two-run double over the right-field fence after a 11-pitch at-bat. Then, with two outs, Kim Do-young drew a straight walk, and Adellin stepped up to the plate. Adellin attacked the third slider in a 1-1 count and hit a three-run home run over the left-field fence. This was Adellin's fifth home run of the season. Adellin recorded eight hits in this game, five of which were home runs. The score extended to 4-1.

KIA added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Doosan replaced starting pitcher Choi Jun-ho with Kim Jung-woo. Leadoff hitter Kim Ho-ryung reached base with an infield hit deep to the shortstop position, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Kim Tae-gun then bunted for a sacrifice, creating a one-out, bases-loaded opportunity. Kim Kyu-sung then drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Doosan scored one run in the fifth inning with a home run. In the top of the fifth, leadoff hitter Yoon Jun-ho hit a solo home run to left field off Yang Hyeon-jong. The score became 5-2. In response, in the bottom of the sixth with one out and no runners on base, Na Sung-beom, who had been somewhat underperforming, hit a solo home run to left-center field. The score extended to 6-2, a four-run lead.

KIA added three more runs in the eighth inning to seal the victory. Doosan replaced pitcher Choi Ju-hyung with Park Jeong-soo. With no outs and runners on first and third, Kim Ho-ryung hit a two-run single to left-center field. Then, with the bases loaded, Kim Kyu-sung hit a sacrifice fly to left field. On the subsequent ground ball by leadoff hitter Park Jae-hyun to the third baseman, Kim Ho-ryung scored from third base, extending the lead to 9-2.

KIA starting pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong pitched 5 innings (82 pitches total), allowing 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 batters, giving up 2 earned runs. He secured his third win of the season (3 losses). Jo Sang-woo, Kim Beom-soo, Jung Hae-young, and Lee Hyung-beom followed in relief to secure the team victory. In the batting lineup, which recorded 9 hits, Adellin, Kim Ho-ryung, and Kim Tae-gun each recorded multi-hit games.

Doosan starting pitcher Choi Jun-ho took the loss after pitching 3 innings (70 pitches total), allowing 4 hits (2 home runs), 2 walks, and striking out 3 batters, giving up 4 earned runs. Kim Jung-woo (1 inning, 1 run), Park Shin-ji (2 innings, 1 run), Choi Ju-hyung (1 inning, scoreless), and Park Jeong-soo (1 inning, 3 runs) followed in relief. The Doosan batting lineup managed only 4 scattered hits.

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*This content was translated by AI.