"He was passive at the plate," even Kim Do-young of the mighty KIA Tigers reflected...

*This content was translated by AI.

'KIA Tigers' treasure' Kim Do-young (23) hit a home run at Jamsil Stadium. However, Austin Dean of the LG Twins, who is competing in the home run race, also hit a home run on the same day, maintaining the gap.

On the 28th, KIA secured a 12-1 victory in an away game against the Doosan Bears at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

After losing 2-3 to Doosan on the 26th and falling 1-8 on the 27th, KIA avoided a series sweep with two consecutive losses and managed to bounce back with a win.

KIA concluded its nine-game away series in the capital region (KT→Kiwoom→Doosan) with six wins and three losses. With 42 wins, two draws, and 35 losses, KIA maintained its fourth-place position in the league. The gap between KIA and Doosan widened from 2.5 games to 3.5 games.

KIA will now move to Gwangju to play a midweek three-game series against the SSG Landers, followed by a weekend series against the NC Dinos, also in Gwangju.

Kim Do-young started as the third hitter and third baseman, going 2-for-4 with one home run, one RBI, and one run scored, contributing to the team's victory.

Kim Do-young was retired on a third baseman's fly ball in the first inning and was out on a third baseman's grounder in his second at-bat in the fourth inning.

His bat finally came alive in the sixth inning. In a single inning, he stepped up to the plate twice, hitting a home run to left field and a double to left-center field.

With KIA leading 2-0, Kim Do-young, the leadoff hitter, faced a 1-1 count. He attacked a 142 km/h fastball on the third pitch and sent it over the left-field wall for a solo home run. The distance was 115 meters. This was Kim Do-young's 23rd home run of the season.

For a moment, Kim Do-young tied for first place in the home run race alongside Austin. However, Austin drew another arc in the Lotte Giants game at Sajik Stadium (his 24th home run of the season), reclaiming the top spot.

In the sixth inning, with Kim Do-young at the plate, he also hit a double to left-center field, showcasing his peak batting form.

After the game, Kim Do-young said, "I am happy to win on Sunday, the last day of the week. I am particularly satisfied that we could break our two-game losing streak. The nine-game away series was an important schedule for the team in the first half, and I am satisfied that we could conclude it with a good record."

He continued, "In the last two games, I felt my timing was not bad personally. However, I thought the reason the results were not good was because I was passive at the plate. In today's game, I tried to be more aggressive." He then revealed the secret to his good performance.

He added, "In yesterday's game, my timing was not right against a left-handed pitcher, so this time I tried to see the ball in front of the plate. A pitch came into the zone during a quick count of one ball and one strike, and I swung boldly to hit a home run," explaining the situation when he hit the home run.

Finally, he said, "Overall, my feel at the plate is good, and I am maintaining my condition. First, my goal is to maintain this good feel and finish the first half." He reaffirmed his determination.

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*This content was translated by AI.