The winning manager also emphasized, "It was a game where the first run is crucial" → 'AG roster gap' Samsung's fatal defensive collapse in the 1st inning

*This content was translated by AI.

"It was a game where the first run mattered."

Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyung pinpointed the turning point of the game immediately after the match: the bottom of the 1st inning. Doosan's persistent focus with two outs clashed with Samsung Lions' defensive struggles, exacerbated by the absence of players called up for the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games (AG), causing the early momentum to swing wildly.

On the 16th, Doosan defeated Samsung in a home game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the '2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League' with a 3-1 victory, securing their second consecutive win. Meanwhile, Samsung, currently in first place and racing to fend off challenges from KT Wiz, could only settle for holding onto second place as their lineup went silent and defensive errors piled up.

In fact, the decisive moment that essentially decided the game on this day came in the bottom of the 1st inning. Doosan faced a two-out, first-base opportunity after Park Chan-ho's fly ball, followed by Park Ji-hoon's hit to right field and Kim Min-seok's strikeout. Then Yang Eui-ji's hit bounced high between the third baseman and shortstop. At that moment, Shim Jae-hoon, who was filling in for starting shortstop Lee Jae-hyun called up to the AG national team, failed to track the ball and hesitated.

Although it appeared to be a ground ball that should have been fielded by the shortstop, it resulted in a hit to left field, allowing first-base runner Park Ji-hoon to advance all the way to third base, instantly creating a two-out, bases-loaded crisis. Park Ji-hoon did not miss the opportunity and took an extra base on his run. While officially recorded as a hit to left field, it was close to an unassisted error by Shim Jae-hoon.

Then came an even more fatal defensive mistake. Severino stepped up to the plate and hit a powerful ball soaring toward the center-field wall. Park Seung-kyu, who started in place of starting center fielder Kim Ji-chan who had joined the AG national team team, chased the ball but made a critical error by momentarily losing sight of it. The ball cleared Park Seung-kyu's height and struck the center-field fence directly. With two outs already recorded, the two runners who had started on automatic bases easily crossed home plate. It was the moment Doosan took an easy 2-0 lead thanks to Severino's two-run double.

Samsung responded in the top of the 2nd inning when Jeon Byeong-woo launched a massive solo home run traveling 135 meters (his 9th of the season), narrowing the score to 2-1. However, they managed only three hits and numerous strikeouts, failing to add any more runs. In contrast, Doosan solidified their lead in the bottom of the 4th inning when Yang Seok-hwan hit a solo home run over the left-center field fence against pitcher Chris Paddack after a full count (his 3rd of the season, traveling 130 meters). The score remained unchanged for the rest of the game, ending with a final 3-1 victory for Doosan.

After the game, manager Kim Won-hyung praised his batters' focus: "In a game where the first run is crucial, Park Ji-hoon and Yang Eui-ji got hits in the bottom of the 1st to create scoring opportunities, and Severino drove them in with aggressive swings from the very first pitch. When additional runs were needed, Yang Seok-hwan hit a decisive home run to secure the win."

The manager also commended his pitching staff: "Starting pitcher Benjamin pitched well to build a winning atmosphere, Takada (1 2/3 innings) and Kim Taek-yeon (1 1/3 innings) perfectly held the line for three innings combined. Closer Lee Young-ha effectively shut down the opposing lineup's key hitters and secured a valuable save."

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*This content was translated by AI.