Doosan Bears’ ambitious ‘customized lineup’ against Thomas Panoni was successful. The batting line showed strength, including Kang Seung-ho and Park Jun-young, who had their hands in the game for two consecutive games, as well as starting catcher Yang Eui-ji’s home run and Yang Seok-hwan’s 4 RBIs. Even starting pitcher Raul Alcantara, who gained momentum in scoring support, pitched well. Doosan, which is moving forward with the goal of playing fall baseball, secured a winning series by showing a well-organized performance in pitching and batting.
Doosan won 8-3 in the 14th game of the season against the KIA Tigers of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League held at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field on the 17th, recording 63 wins, 1 draw, and 57 losses.
On the other hand, KIA, which was unable to break its losing streak even after sending out a foreign pitcher as the starter, fell into a quagmire of four consecutive losses. The season record was 60 wins, 2 draws, and 56 losses.
▲Four hours of bloody battle Afterwards, the two teams were unable to avoid an ‘eight-game series’ due to rain. The
two teams fought for over four hours in the first game of the series on the 15th. There were no interruptions due to rain during the game, and only Seungbuksa extended play, and the game time was long. In particular, in the case of KIA, where starter Yoon Young-cheol went down without completing 4 innings, as many as 7 relievers were used.
The result was Doosan’s 8-6 victory. Doosan, which was in crisis due to Lee Woo-sung’s first grand slam in his professional debut in the bottom of the 4th inning and Kim Sun-bin’s RBI double in the bottom of the 5th, balanced the score at 6-6 with pinch hitter Park Jun-young’s solo shot in the top of the 8th inning, which was leading 5-6. In addition, in the top of the 9th inning, Kim In-tae and Park Jun-young turned the game around with consecutive walkouts, and closing pitcher Jeong Cheol-won recorded three outs.
Kang Seung-ho, who got on base with a walk in his first at-bat, recorded a home run, a triple, a double, and a single in the following four at-bats, achieving the 30th cycling hit in KBO League history and the first ‘reverse natural cycling hit’. In addition, after starter Brandon Waddell was replaced, Lee Young-ha, Kim Kang-ryul, Kim Myeong-shin, and Jeong Cheol-won took the mound in relief and held a scoreless relay, tightly tying up the KIA batting lineup.
Doosan, which had a 5-game winning streak, had its sights set on securing a winning series with a 6-game winning streak, while KIA’s replacement starter, Hwang Dong-ha, had to carry a heavy burden. Looking at the starting matchup alone, Doosan’s superiority was expected in the game on the 16th.
However, the biggest variable this season, ‘weather’, caused trouble again. A considerable amount of rain fell in the Gwangju area from the morning of the 16th, and the rain became heavier after 2 p.m. Although a tarp was installed at Gwangju-KIA Champions Field the night before, puddles of water formed throughout the ground, making it difficult to start the game.
Neither team was happy about the rain cancellation, but the rain showed no signs of stopping. In the end, the game was canceled due to rain and was rescheduled on the 18th. Although both Doosan and KIA had a day off, they ended up entering a forced march to play an 8-game series until the 24th.
▲Starting lineups for both teams and pre-game manager comments
– Doosan: Jeong Soo-bin (center fielder) – Kim Jae-ho (shortstop) – Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman) – Yang Eui-ji (catcher) – Jose Rojas (left fielder) – Kang Seung-ho (second baseman) – Heo Gyeong-min ( Third baseman) – Park Joon-young (designated hitter) – Jo Soo-haeng (right fielder), starting pitcher Alcantara –
KIA: Kim Do-young (shortstop) – Choi Won-jun (right fielder) – Na Seong-beom (designated hitter) – Choi Hyung-woo (left fielder) – Socrates Brito (center fielder) – Kim Seon-bin (2nd baseman) – Hwang Dae-in (1st baseman) – Byun Woo-hyuk (3rd baseman) – Han Jun-su (catcher), starting pitcher Panoni Doosan,
looking for 6 consecutive wins, changed its lineup. In the game against Jamsil KIA on the 6th, left-handed slugger Kim Jae-hwan, who struggled against Panoni, was excluded from the starting lineup, and Park Jun-young was given the opportunity to start as the number 8 designated hitter.
Before the game, Doosan coach Lee Seung-yeop said, “Today is the second time, so it will get better. Panoni was very good that day. I couldn’t do anything, but I tried it once and there were changes in the batting order, so I will try to win today. Since Alcantara is coming out, Doosan coach Lee Seung-yeop said, “It’s a game we can’t lose,” he said. “Panoni’s hitting percentage against left-handed batters (0.257) is higher than when he faced right-handed batters (0.227), but in the last match, left-handed batters, including Kim Jae-hwan, had a hard time. Park Jun-young showed a good performance in the previous game. “That’s why we released it first,” he said, expressing his
KIA’s plan is to have Byun Woo-hyuk play the hot corner instead of Choi Jeong-yong, and Na Seong-beom, who was hit on his left little toe by a foul ball during the home game against the LG Twins on the 10th, will serve as the designated hitter until the 18th. As his condition has improved significantly, if the player says he is okay, he will also play outfield defense starting against Gwangju LG on the 19th.
KIA coach Kim Jong-guk said, “On the 15th, our hitters did a good job targeting Brandon Waddell’s pitches. It’s one game at a time, so there’s nothing to order.” He added, “The players and coaches prepare on their own, so the manager should not worry about the results and just relax.” “I want them to do it,” he said, ordering the players to play with confidence. Regarding Kim Do-young, who has been sluggish recently, he said, “I think it’s because I’m paying attention to what I should have done without worrying about the batting order. I’m sure there are some areas where I lack experience, but I just hope he does well in his fight with the pitcher.”
expectations for Panoni’s customized lineup.
▲KIA nullified the opportunity to score first in the bottom of the first inning, and Seung-ho Kang’s go-ahead solo shot
Doosan finished the top of the first inning with three consecutive ground balls, while KIA created an opportunity to score with Choi Won-jun’s walk and Na Seong-beom’s hit with one out in the bottom of the first inning. . As it was connected to batters with one shot, KIA was able to aim for more than just the first score.
However, Choi Hyung-woo hit Alcantara’s 6th pitch fastball at a full count and retreated with a fly to right field, and Socrates, who appeared at 1st and 3rd base with 2 outs, also swallowed his disappointment with a fly ball to left field. In the end, the inning had to end with two runners left on base.
Doosan, having overcome the crisis, succeeded in taking the lead with the first run in the top of the second inning. The main character is infielder Kang Seung-ho, who experienced a cycling hit in the previous game. Kang Seung-ho, who was at bat with two outs, pulled Panoni’s fifth pitch curve with the ball count at 2-2, and drew a solo arch that went over the left wall. This is Kang Seung-ho’s 7th home run this season and his 2nd consecutive home run. The flying distance was measured at 115m. Panoni, who hit one home run in the game against the Daegu Samsung Lions on the 12th, gave up home runs in two consecutive games for the first time this season.
▲KIA needed to score a large amount of points, but somehow there was some disappointment.
KIA did not sit still either. In the bottom of the second inning, leadoff hitter Kim Sun-bin got on base with an infield hit, and after Hwang Dae-in’s strikeout, Byun Woo-hyuk also got on base with a hit, putting Alcantara in a hard line. With 1 out and 1st and 3rd bases, Han Jun-su’s 1 RBI hit at the right time allowed KIA to balance the score at 1-1.
But that was all KIA scored in the bottom of the second inning. With one out and runners on first and second base, Kim Do-young touched Alcantara’s second forkball, and the batted ball went straight to shortstop Kim Jae-ho. The inning ended as a double play between the shortstop, second baseman, and first baseman was completed.
Doosan, who allowed the score to be tied, took the lead again by scoring one point in the top of the third inning. With one out, Jo Su-haeng made a hit with a surprise bunt, and after Su-bin Jeong’s fly ball to center field, third baseman Woo-hyuk Byun made a catching error when Jae-ho Kim grounded out. Yang Seok-hwan, who had an opportunity with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd base, caught Panoni’s cut fastball on the first pitch and called second base runner Jo Soo-haeng home with a left-handed hit. The score is 2-1.
KIA put pressure on Alcantara in the bottom of the third inning when leadoff hitter Choi Won-jun hit a double that passed the height of the right fielder, but Na Seong-beom and Choi Hyeong-woo struck out one after another. Socrates, who hit Alcantara’s third forkball with the ball count at 1-1, was out with a straight hit from the second baseman.
▲In a game that seemed to be entering a lull, both Doosan teams ran away with a 4-run lead with a big inning, but
neither team was able to score in the 4th inning. Doosan got on base with Kang Seung-ho’s single with 1 out, but after Heo Gyeong-min’s fly ball to center field, Panoni’s check hit with 2 outs and runners on first base threw cold water on Doosan. KIA swallowed their disappointment as Kim Sun-bin, Hwang Dae-in, and Byun Woo-hyuk were unable to get on base and suffered a triple strike. Alcantara, who struggled until the third inning, saved his strength with 11 pitches.
Doosan, who had been harassing Panoni by getting on base every inning since the top of the second inning, started the game in the top of the fifth inning. The starting point was a home run. Park Jun-young, who was named to the lineup after gaining the trust of Manager Lee Seung-yeop, hit Panoni’s 5th pitch fastball with the ball count of 2-2 and launched a solo shot that went over the left wall. Like Seung-ho Kang, Park Joon-young also hit home runs in two consecutive games. The score was 3-1.
This wasn’t the end. Following a heavy hit by follow-up hitter Cho Soo-haeng, Soo-bin Soo got on base with a surprise bunt, and after Kim Jae-ho’s sacrifice bunt, Yang Seok-hwan hit a double that hit the center-left wall with one out and 2nd and 3rd bases, putting 3rd base runner Cho Soo-haeng and 2nd base runner Su-bin Jeong on base. Everyone was guided home. With the completion of the big inning, the gap between the two teams widened to 4 points.
▲KIA’s counterattack, ‘2nd half OPS 1.107’ Na Seong-beom took the lead
Alcantara, who found stability in the bottom of the 4th inning, seemed to continue cruising in the bottom of the 5th inning. Third baseman Heo Gyeong-min gave Alcantara a boost by neatly catching Kim Do-young’s ground ball with 3 outs with 1 out and then connecting it with a throw motion.
However, KIA’s Choi Won-jun kept the spark alive with a single after two outs, and Na Seong-beom, who showed off his hot batting ability in the second half of the game with an OPS of 1.107 before today’s game, fired a two-run gun in pursuit. With the ball count 1-0, he hit Alcantara’s second forkball properly.
Thanks to Na Seong-beom, who hit his 18th home run of the season and his first home run in 5 days since the Daegu Samsung game on the 12th, KIA caught up to 3-5. Right fielder Cho Soo-haeng was playing backward defense considering Na Seong-beom’s long-hitting power, but he had no choice but to look at the batted ball.
▲The KIA bench was busy replacing pitchers and pinch hitting, but the effect was not great.
The team whose starting pitcher went down first was KIA, which urgently needed to escape a losing streak. Ahead of the top of the 6th inning, Yoon Jung-hyun took the mound in relief in place of starting pitcher Panoni. After Kang Seung-ho’s fly ball and Heo Gyeong-min’s fly ball, Park Jun-young’s grounder allowed shortstop Kim Do-young to get on base due to a catching error, and left-hander Kim Dae-yu came on the mound and ended the inning with Cho Soo-haeng’s ground ball. The move to prevent additional goals was successful to some extent.
Following two pitcher changes, KIA also fiddled with the pinch hitter card. When Kim Sun-bin came out with an infield hit with one out in the bottom먹튀검증 of the sixth inning, Ko Jong-wook appeared at Hwang Dae-in’s at-bat. Considering the fact that the team had recently benefited from Go Jong-wook’s pinch-hitting strategy and Hwang Dae-in’s lack of batting ability, it was enough for KIA to pull out the pinch-hitting card. However, the result was a strikeout. Follow-up batter Byun Woo-hyuk hit a grounder to third base and the inning ended.
▲Doosan took the opportunity through a mistake and took a step toward 6 consecutive wins. An
unexpected error occurred in the top of the 7th inning. The ground ball hit by leadoff hitter Jeong Soo-bin rolled slowly, and the ball thrown by Kim Dae-yu, the pitcher who caught the ball, exceeded the height of the first baseman. Meanwhile, hitter Soo-bin Jeong settled on second base. The throw was also inaccurate, and first baseman Oh Seon-woo, who was rushing to catch the ball, was late in returning to first base.
On the contrary, Doosan did not miss the opportunity as Kim Jae-ho’s sacrifice bunt made it to third base with one out after the opponent’s error. Yang Seok-hwan hit a timely hit with an RBI that hit the wire mesh at the top of the fence, and in the meantime, third base runner Su-bin Su easily headed home. The score was 6-3.
Doosan, not satisfied with the 3-point lead, began to ‘solidify’. In the top of the 8th inning, leadoff hitter Kang Seung-ho’s double and Heo Gyeong-min’s single put the team on first and third base with no outs, and after Park Jun-young’s strikeout, Cho Su-haeng reached first base with an infield hit. Meanwhile, third base runner Kang Seung-ho headed home, and first base runner Heo Gyeong-min headed to second base.
KIA ended the top of the 8th inning without allowing any additional runs as Jang Hyun-sik, who came on the mound with bases loaded and 1 out, induced Kim Jae-ho into a double play after Soo-bin Su-bin’s walk. However, the batting line was silent and it was difficult to close the distance.
The Doosan bullpen, which has been showing stable pitching since September, helped batters with a relay of good pitches. Kim Myung-shin, who was the first to pitch in relief, caught Han Jun-su, Kim Do-young, and Choi Won-jun in the bottom of the 7th inning with a ground ball, a fly ball, and a fly ball, respectively, and the third pitcher, Kim Kang-ryul, allowed a double to Choi Hyeong-woo with one out in the bottom of the 8th inning and then took a breather with Socrates’ shortstop fly ball. . Hong Geon-hee, who took the mound in the bottom of the 8th inning with 2 outs and runners on second base, ended the inning with Kim Sun-bin’s ground ball to shortstop.With Yang Eui-ji’s solo shot in the top of the 9th inning, the score of the game was tilted towards Doosan. KIA fans, sensing defeat, left the baseball stadium one by one after Yang Eui-ji’s home run. KIA tried to catch up somehow with Choi Won-jun’s walk after two batters Byun Woo-hyuk and Lee Chang-jin hit consecutive hits with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Jeong Cheol-won, who took the mound with two outs and the bases loaded, ended the game with Na Seong-beom’s strikeout in a full-count game.