"This is why AG was selected" — KIA opponent, 7 innings, KKKKKKKK, 1 run allowed, perfect pitching... Doosan '5th place' threatens KIA with a half-game lead [Gwangju Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Doosan Bears secured a victory over KIA Tigers in the first game of a three-game weekend series, gaining the upper hand.

On the 12th, Doosan defeated KIA 4-2 in a regular-season home game at the KIA Champions Field in Gwangju as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With this win, Doosan improved to 2 consecutive victories, recording 32 wins, 2 draws, and 30 losses. Sitting in 6th place, Doosan narrowed the gap with 5th-place KIA from 1.5 games to 0.5 games. Meanwhile, KIA fell into a three-game losing streak, finishing with 33 wins, 1 draw, and 30 losses.

KIA fielded its starting lineup in the following order: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Han Jun-soo (catcher), Kim Do-young (designated hitter), Na Sung-beom (right fielder), Adellin (first baseman), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Byun Woo-hyeok (third baseman), Kim Kyu-sung (shortstop), and Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder). Yang Hyeon-jong was the starting pitcher.

In response, Doosan set its batting order as follows: Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Cameron (right fielder), Son Ah-seop (designated hitter), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Kim Min-seok (left fielder), Park Ji-hoon (third baseman), Oh Myung-jin (first baseman), Lee Yu-chan (second baseman), and Jo Su-haeng (center fielder). Choi Min-seok was the starting pitcher.

Doosan took an early lead in the second inning with a powerful hit, seizing control of the game. Leading off, Yang Eui-ji, after a full-count battle extending to eight pitches, connected with a fastball on the ninth pitch and launched a solo home run over the left-field wall. This marked the moment Yang, who had hit a home run in the ninth inning of the previous day's (11th) game against Lotte Giants, recorded back-to-back home runs.

Suppressed by Doosan's starting pitcher Choi Min-seok, KIA tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Leading off, Han Jun-soo reached base on a hit-by-pitch, followed by Kim Do-young striking out on three pitches. Na Sung-beom then drew a walk. As Adellin was thrown out on a fly ball to left field, Kim Sun-bin hit a two-run single to left-center, tying the score.

Doosan immediately responded in the top of the fifth inning to reclaim the lead. Leading off, Lee Yu-chan reached base with a single to left field. Following a sacrifice bunt by Jo Su-haeng that advanced Lee to second base, Park Chan-ho executed a bunt toward first base, creating a one-out, bases-loaded situation. While Cameron's outfield fly ball was mishandled by Kim Kyu-sung, Lee Yu-chan scored from third base, making it 2-1. Son Ah-seop then hit a double to left-center, but Cameron was thrown out at home plate on an incredible no-bounce throw by Kim Ho-ryeong.

In the top of the sixth inning, Doosan added two more runs, effectively sealing the game. With starting pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong replaced by Choi Min-seok, Kim Min-seok reached base on a hit-by-pitch with one out. With two outs, Oh Myung-jin hit a two-run double to left-center, extending the lead to 3-1. Lee Yu-chan followed with a two-run single to left field, pushing the score to 4-1. Although Na Sung-beom hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, that was all KIA could manage.

Choi Min-seok, recently selected for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games national team, delivered a stellar performance over 7 innings (98 pitches), allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 hit-by-pitch, striking out 8 batters, and surrendering only 1 earned run, securing his sixth win of the season (2 losses). His 8 strikeouts tied his personal single-game record, previously set on May 7, 2026, against LG in Jamsil. Park Chi-guk and Lee Young-ha each pitched one inning, allowing one run. Among the batters, Park Chan-ho, Lee Yu-chan, and Son Ah-seop each recorded three hits, while Oh Myung-jin added two. In contrast, KIA managed only scattered hits, totaling three.

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*This content was translated by AI.