The Doosan Bears beat the LG Twins 3-2 at the “2024 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League” held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Sunday. Following its 6-4 win on Sunday, the Bears beat its rival in Jamsil for two consecutive days and began its winning streak. It had 18 wins and 19 losses, and a winning percentage of 0.487 to overtake fifth-ranked LG by 1.0 game. After securing the winning series against the NC Dinos in three consecutive games during weekdays, LG lost consecutive games at home. 스포츠토토핫 It has 18 wins, two draws and 17 losses, with a 0.514 win percentage.
After starting pitcher Choi Jun-ho allowed two runs in four ⅓ innings, Lee Byung-hun (one ⅔ inning) and Kim Taek-yeon (one ⅔ inning) took responsibility for multiple innings to maintain the one-run lead. Choi Ji-gang (⅓ inning) and Hong Geon-hee (one inning) overcame the final crisis. In the attack, Kang Seung-ho's first two-run homerun in the first inning remained as the final hit. In the fourth inning, Lee Yoo-chan hit a lucky timely hit, falling backward after being hit by the third base. Yang Eui-ji made as many as three hits.
#Doosan Bears starting lineup
Jung Soo-bin (center fielder), Jeon Min-jae (striker), Kang Seung-ho (second baseman), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Henry Ramos (right fielder), Kim Ki-yeon (catcher), Lee Yoo-chan (third baseman) – Cho Sun-haeng (left fielder), starter Choi Jun-ho
Starting pitcher Choi Jun-ho experienced both good and bad days in his past two starts. He allowed one run in five innings in a game against the NC Dinos on April 23, when he made his debut as a starting pitcher for the first division, but he was substituted after allowing five runs (two earned runs) in one ⅔ in a game against the Hanwha Eagles on April 28.
#LG Twins starting lineup
Hong Chang-ki (right wing), Park Hae-min (center field), Kim Hyun-soo (left wing), Austin Dean (designated hitter), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Kim Bum-suk (first baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (striker), Park Dong-won (catcher) – Shin Min-jae (second baseman), starter Son Joo-young
In the past three games, Son was sluggish with 20 hits (three homers) and 14 runs (11 earned) in 12 innings. The result was different from the scoreless 15 innings in the first three games. Still, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said, “Son will play in more than 150 innings this year.” His intention is to let him have experience in the first division, as he has the talent to become a first starter in Korea.
Doosan took the lead from the start of the game. After the first batter Jung Soo-bin had a hit to the right-center, Kang Seung-ho, the third batter, stole second base and went to the scoring position. Kang, who got a chance to hit the second base with one out, hit a big home run when Son Joo-young's two-pitch slider was driven to the center with the ball count 1-0. The ball, which rose high at 35 degrees in launch angle, flew for a long time, recording an estimated flying distance of 123.9 meters. The speed of the ball reached 167.1 kilometers per hour.
Kang added a home run in three games after the game against Samsung on Sunday. He has nine homers, trailing the lead group by two. SSG Landers Choi Jung and Han Yu-seom, who hit 11 homers, and Hanwha Eagles Jonathan Periza are tying for first place in home runs through Sunday. Kang is also looking for double-digit home runs again in two years after he hit 10 in 2022. He has the most home runs in a season since his debut in 2022.
In the fourth inning, extra point was added. Yang Eui-ji, the first batter, hit an infield hit to shortstop and was caught advancing to the second base while taking advantage of the throw that fell behind (Yang Eui-ji recorded his 28th individual 2,600th hit). Instead, the next batter Yang Seok-hwan got on base with a walk and Kim Ki-yeon hit to the right, and Doosan had a chance to score a point with two outs and runners on the first and second bases. Lee Yoo-chan's grounder hit the third base, making it a lucky double. Doosan widened the score gap to 3-0.
Until the fourth inning, LG had only two hits and one walk against Doosan starter Choi Jun-ho. Oh Ji-hwan was lucky enough to have a triple in the fifth inning by hitting a ball that fell in front of the right fielder and the second baseman. With one out and a third base on the ground, LG began to chase after Shin Min-jae hit a timely hit to the left. Hong Chang-ki's walk and Park Hae-min's hit to the right field loaded the bases with one out, and Kim Hyun-soo's sacrifice fly to the center fielder came out. The gap narrowed to one point.
Choi overwhelmed LG's batters through the fourth inning, but lost a point in the fifth inning, leaving the mound after failing to meet the requirements for a starting win. Until the fifth inning with one out, he had five hits, two walks, two strikeouts, and two runs in four ⅓ innings. After retiring starter Kim Yu-seong in three innings on Tuesday, Doosan continued to make a “quick hook” for starter until the next game.
Lee Byung-hun, who garnered a relief victory by allowing no run in one ⅓ on Tuesday, took charge of multiple innings once again. On Saturday, he came right behind Choi Jun-ho and recorded one walk and no run in one ⅔ until the sixth inning, before handing the ball over to Kim Taek-yeon, a top-rated prospect.
Kim pitched one ⅔ inning. Even when his ball control was shaky, he maintained a one-run lead by banking on his ball power, while giving up two walks in the seventh inning. After giving up a double to Moon after two outs in the eighth inning, he was replaced by setup man Choi Ji-gang, and after Choi gave up one walk, he overcame the crisis by inducing him to hit a ground ball. In the ninth inning, Hong Geon-hee, the closing pitcher of the season, secured the one-run lead with six balls and achieved his third save of the season.
While giving up nine hits including a home run, Son was on the mound until the sixth inning. After allowing three runs through the fourth inning, Son achieved his second quality start of the season by allowing no run through the fifth and sixth innings. He pitched 97 pitches. His maximum speed was 150 kilometers per hour. He threw 23 sliders, 21 fork balls and 12 curveballs in addition to 41 fastballs.
In the sixth inning, he avoided losing points as he interfered with his opponent's defense when facing a crisis with runners on the second and third bases with one out. Kim Tae-geun, who entered the second base as a pinch runner, collided with shortstop Oh Ji-hwan. Coach Lee Seung-yeop appealed briefly, but he was convinced by the umpires' explanation and returned home. With runners on the first and third bases with two outs, Son blocked Lee Yoo-chan with a grounder to the third base. It was a short hit, but third baseman Moon Bo-kyung made a quick judgment and successfully handled the short bound.
LG also kept its bullpen session from the seventh inning to maintain a one-point gap, but failed to collect points due to Doosan`s all-out struggle. Doosan is leading LG in five games by posting four wins and one loss overall. Last year, LG overwhelmed LG with 11 wins and five losses, but this year, the situation is the opposite.
