The Doosan Bears used a batting explosion to sweep the NC Dinos, snapping a two-game losing streak. The Bears kept their hopes alive for a third-place finish and a direct semi-playoff berth at the end of the regular season.
Doosan won the 16th game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League against NC 11-1 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Wednesday. The victory erased the sting of a 3-12 loss to the Sajik Lotte Giants the day before and snapped a three-game losing streak. Doosan also evened its record against NC at 8-8 this season.
Doosan’s bats were on fire on the day. 메이저놀이터 They lost the lead in the top of the first inning, but it didn’t matter. After Jose Rojas tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the first, Kim Jae-ho tied the game in the top of the second with an RBI double.
In the third inning, Yang Seok-hwan’s RBI single and Yang Ji-ji’s three-run homer made it 6-1 and gave the game away. In the bottom of the fourth, a solo home run by Heo Kyung-min, an RBI triple by Rojas, and an RBI sacrifice fly by Yang Seok-hwan made the score 9-1, ending NC’s chances of a comeback.
Doosan’s top hitters continued to hit well, with Jung Soo-bin going 1-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, one walk and one stolen base, Rojas going 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored, Yang Seok-hwan going 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and one run scored, Yang Yang-ji going 1-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and one run scored, Kim Jae-ho going 1-for-3 with a home run and one RBI, and Heo Kyung-min going 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Doosan bench’s game plan on the mound also shined. The 1+1 strategy of bringing in Lee Young-ha quickly behind veteran lefty Jang Won-joon to start the game worked. With the score 2-1 in the top of the third inning, Jang had done his job with four hits, one walk and one run in 2⅔ innings. They brought in Lee Young-ha with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the sixth to secure the win.
With the win, Doosan moved to within 0.5 games of third-place SSG Landers and NC. With five games remaining in the regular season, Doosan has laid the foundation for a possible third or fourth place finish. With a win against the KIA Tigers in Jamsil on the 13th, they can secure at least fifth place.
After struggling to hit NC pitching all season, it was also good to see the bats gain confidence with a big win in the final game of the regular season. Prior to this game, Doosan had the lowest team batting average of the nine clubs that faced NC in the 2023 season at 0.221. It was also a big difference from the league average of 0.240, which was also weak against the ‘Dinosaur’ mound.
The six-run second inning, especially against NC veteran Saidam Lee Jae-hak, who has given Doosan notoriety as the “Bears Killer” over the past few years, should give the team confidence for future postseason encounters.
On the other hand, NC’s loss to Doosan was devastating. They lost their chance to overtake SSG and move into sole possession of third place. Depending on the outcome of the remaining four games of the regular season, they could start the postseason in fifth place at worst, starting with the wild card decider.
“We gave up an early lead, but Rojas’ tying run came quickly to get us back in the game,” said Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop. “Not only did Rojas hit the home run, but he also laid the foundation for the big inning with a surprise bunt in the third inning with the bases loaded. Yang Seok-hwan also came through for the team with a bunt attempt,” he added.
“We can’t forget about Yang’s performance. He overcame an unfavorable pitch count to hit a decisive three-run home run, showing the majesty of a No. 4 hitter.” “Captain Heo Kyung-min also contributed to the team’s victory with two hits, including a home run.”
He also praised Lee Young-ha, who battled back to win the game. Lee shut down the NC bats with a heavy fastball that reached a top speed of 153 kilometers and an average speed of 150 kilometers. Lee also minimized bullpen usage by pitching the third inning.
“On the mound, Lee Young-ha pitched the best inning of the game, striking out four and walking none,” said Lee Seung-yeop. “Thanks to our fans for their unwavering support, we were able to break the losing streak. Thank you,” he added.