With 'Nail's sharp pitching allowing only one run,' KIA finally breaks its three-game losing streak! 'Unlucky Doosan' with 'unexpected obstruction OUT and Yang Eui-ji's double OUT' [Gwangju On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers defeated Doosan Bears to escape a three-game losing streak, resetting the weekend series record to one win and one loss. The protagonist of the winning series will be decided in the final weekend game on the 14th.

On the 13th, KIA secured a 2-1 victory over Doosan in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game held at KIA Champions Field in Gwangju.

With this win, KIA recorded 34 wins, 1 tie, and 30 losses. Meanwhile, Doosan finished with 32 wins, 2 ties, and 31 losses. Doosan ended its two-game winning streak. Had Doosan won this day, the standings between the two teams, separated by just 0.5 games, could have been reversed. However, with KIA's victory, the team maintained its higher ranking.

For this game, KIA set its starting lineup as follows: Kim Min-gyu (left field), Kim Ho-ryeong (center field), Kim Do-young (designated hitter), Na Sung-beom (right field), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Byun Woo-hyeok (third baseman), Hwang Dae-in (first baseman), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Park Min (shortstop). The starting pitcher was James Nail.

In response, Doosan arranged its starting lineup as follows: Jeong Soobin (center field), Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Son Ah-seop (designated hitter), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Kim Min-seok (left field), Oh Myung-jin (first baseman), Ahn Jae-seok (third baseman), Lee Yu-chan (second baseman), and Jo Su-hyeong (left field). The starting pitcher was Wes Benjamin.

A tense pitching duel between Nail and Benjamin unfolded from the first through the third innings, but KIA broke the tie in the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, leadoff batter Kim Do-young reached base after a seven-pitch battle with a walk. Na Sung-beom struck out swinging, and Kim Sun-bin was out on a fly ball to left field, resulting in two outs. However, Byun Woo-hyeok targeted Benjamin's first pitch (a 137 km/h cutter) right down the middle, launching a two-run double to left-center field.

KIA added another run in the bottom of the fifth. Leadoff batter Kim Tae-gun reached base with a hit to left-center field. Following Park Min's sacrifice bunt, he advanced to second base. Kim Min-gyu was out on a fly ball to right field, making it two outs. Then, Kim Ho-ryeong connected with a fourth pitch (a curveball) in a 2-1 count, driving in a run with a single to left field.

Doosan immediately launched a counterattack. In the bottom of the sixth, leadoff batter Park Chan-ho reached base with a double to left-center field. Then, on Son Ah-seop's ground ball to second base, he reached third base and scored on Yang Eui-ji's sacrifice fly to left field, cutting the deficit to one run.

KIA removed starting pitcher Nail in the seventh and brought in Kwak Do-gyu. However, Kwak walked leadoff batter Oh Myung-jin. KIA then immediately replaced Kwak Do-gyu with Jo Sang-woo. The pinch-hitter Cameron also walked, giving Doosan a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. Then, on Lee Yu-chan's ground ball to second base, Cameron collided with KIA's second baseman Kim Sun-bin and was called out for obstruction. It was an unexpected play that Doosan had not anticipated. With runners on first and second, Jo Su-hyeong was out on a fly ball to center field, and Jeong Soobin struck out, leaving Doosan with missed opportunities.

In the bottom of the seventh, Doosan also removed Benjamin and brought in Kim Taek-yeon. Kim Taek-yeon displayed his normal form, throwing fastballs reaching up to 152 km/h. Although he allowed a single to left field to Kim Min-gyu with two outs, he got Kim Ho-ryeong out on a fly ball to center field, completing his pitching duties for the day.

In the top of the eighth, KIA replaced Jo Sang-woo with Jung Hae-young. However, Park Chan-ho singled to right field, and Son Ah-seop walked, giving Doosan another bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. The next batter was Yang Eui-ji, the de facto turning point of the game. However, Yang's well-hit ball was caught by KIA's third baseman Park Min's glove. Then, runner Park Chan-ho also failed to return to the base, resulting in a double out. The following batter, Park Ji-hoon, also struck out swinging, hanging his head in defeat. Ultimately, KIA brought in closer Sung Young-tak in the top of the ninth and secured the game with a one-run victory.

Nail pitched six innings (88 total pitches), allowing five hits, no walks, striking out six batters, and allowing one earned run, achieving his third win of the season (four losses). Meanwhile, Benjamin also pitched well with six innings, five hits allowed, two walks, seven strikeouts, and two earned runs, but took the loss. He now has five losses (three wins) for the season. KIA's offense recorded seven hits, including a multi-hit game from Kim Do-young. Doosan managed only six scattered hits.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.