The Tiger Corps escaped a five-game losing streak against Doosan, led by the terrifying No. 9 hitter Choi Won-jun.

The KIA Tigers won 8-4 in the second game of the season against the Doosan Bears in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 19th.

KIA recorded 10 wins and 12 losses for the season, redeeming themselves after a 1-7 defeat the previous day. They broke a five-game losing streak against Doosan and a four-game losing streak at Jamsil Stadium, while Doosan fell to 9 wins and 12 losses after their recent three-game winning streak was broken.

On the road, KIA faced Doosan's starting pitcher Choi Won-jun with a lineup consisting of Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Hong Jong-pyo (second baseman), Na Sung-bum (right fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Patrick Wisdom (first baseman), Lee Woo-sung (left fielder), Byun Woo-hyuk (third baseman), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Choi Won-jun (center fielder). Hong Jong-pyo replaced Kim Sun-bin, who received stitches inside his upper lip after a collision at first base with Park Gye-beom the previous day.

In response, the home team Doosan faced KIA's starting pitcher Adam Oller with Jeong Soo-bin (center fielder), Park Gye-beom (second baseman), Jake Cave (right fielder), Yang Eui-ji (designated hitter), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Kang Seung-ho (third baseman), Kim Ki-yeon (catcher), Park Jun-young (shortstop), and Jo Su-haeng (left fielder).

The first score was claimed by Doosan. In the bottom of the first inning, leading off was Jeong Soo-bin, who hit a surprising lead-off solo home run off Oller. After establishing a favorable count of 2B-1S, he targeted a 150km fastball on the inside and connected for a 115m homer. This was his first of the season and marked the 50th in KBO League history, achieving his 1,500th hit as a left-handed batter and outfielder for the Bears franchise.

KIA mounted a counterattack in the top of the third inning. Leadoff hitter Byun Woo-hyuk started with a hit, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Kim Tae-gun, and Choi Won-jun assisted Byun Woo-hyuk to reach second and third bases with a ground ball to the second baseman. Then Park Chan-ho hit a high infield ball, but third baseman Kang Seung-ho committed a fielding error near the mound. Meanwhile, Byun Woo-hyuk successfully scored to tie the game.

Doosan also rallied in the bottom of the third inning. After two outs, their concentration shone. Cave hit KBO League's first triple down the right-center and Yang Eui-ji followed with a one-run double that cleared the third baseman’s glove, breaking the 1-1 deadlock.

KIA tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the fourth after one out when Choi Hyung-woo hit a solo home run. After a full count battle, he connected with a fastball (141km) that was right down the middle, launching a massive 135m home run. It was his third of the season, the first since March 29 against Hanwha Eagles, after about three weeks.

KIA's offense continued. With Wisdom reaching base on a walk, Byun Woo-hyuk came in with two outs and delivered a one-run double that hit the top of the left-center fence for the lead. Following a straight walk by Kim Tae-gun, Choi Won-jun hit a one-run single to the right, adding another run.

Doosan did not back down. In the bottom of the fourth inning, after one out, Kim Ki-yeon hit a double that squeezed past the third baseman. Park Jun-young struck out looking, but Jo Su-haeng delivered a one-run single to left and stole second base, followed by Jeong Soo-bin's one-run single to left, tying the game at 4-4.

The turning point came in the top of the sixth inning. Lee Woo-sung walked, and Kim Tae-gun hit a double to set up two outs with runners on second and third, while Choi Won-jun hit a two-run single to left, breaking the deadlock once again. It was the decisive hit.

Doosan faced a challenge in the bottom of the seventh inning when leadoff hitters Jeong Soo-bin, Yang Eui-ji, and Yang Seok-hwan earned walks, placing them in a two-out bases-loaded situation, but Kim In-tae, who came in as a pinch hitter for Kang Seung-ho, grounded out to shortstop, missing an opportunity.

In the final top of the ninth inning, KIA's leadoff hitter Choi Won-jun hit a double, and with an out, after Park Chan-ho's hit, KIA found themselves with no outs and runners on first and third. Hong Jong-pyo's sacrifice fly brought in another run. Na Sung-bum followed with a double, and Choi Hyung-woo walked on an automatic intentional walk, loading the bases, while Wisdom capped off the game with a one-run single to left.

KIA’s starting pitcher Oller threw five innings, giving up nine hits (one home run), no walks, eight strikeouts, and four runs on 102 pitches, achieving his third win of the season (1 loss). Following him were Jeon Sang-hyun (one inning, no runs), Choi Ji-min (2/3 inning, no runs), Jo Sang-woo (one inning, no runs), and Jeong Hae-young (one and one-third innings, no runs).

In the lineup, Choi Won-jun showcased a one-man show with three hits in four at-bats, including the decisive hit, and three runs batted in.

In contrast, Doosan's starting pitcher Choi Won-jun pitched four innings, giving up four hits (one home run), two walks, two strikeouts, and four runs (three earned) on 88 pitches, finishing with no decision. The losing pitcher was Lee Young-ha, who allowed two runs in one inning. The multi-hits by Jeong Soo-bin, Cave, and Kim Ki-yeon failed to brighten the defeat.

[OSEN]