'40 billion won FA' Huh Kyung-min (KT Wiz) decorated his first home run after the transfer with a game-winning home run against his former team.
The professional baseball team KT Wiz won 8-3 against the Doosan Bears in their first matchup of the season, held on the 25th at Suwon KT Wiz Park in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League.
KT recorded 2 wins and 1 loss in the season, improving to a two-game winning streak after their opening day loss. On the other hand, Doosan, which lost all games in the mixed series against SSG Landers, fell into the pit of three consecutive losses to start the season.
The home team KT set up a starting lineup against Doosan's starter Choi Won-jun, including Kwang-Baek Ho (designated hitter), Mel Rojas Jr. (right fielder), Huh Kyung-min (third baseman), Kim Min-hyuk (left fielder), Cheon Seong-ho (second baseman), Hwang Jae-kyun (first baseman), Bae Jeong-dae (center fielder), and Kim Sang-soo (shortstop).
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol explained the reason for substituting Hwang Jae-kyun for Moon Sang-cheol, saying, 'Hwang Jae-kyun has been good against Choi Won-jun.' Hwang Jae-kyun's record against Choi Won-jun over the last three seasons is 5 hits in 13 at-bats, with 1 walk and a batting average of .385.
In response, Doosan set up their lineup against KT's starting pitcher Koh Young-pyo, with Kim Min-seok (left fielder), Kim Jae-hwan (designated hitter), Kang Seung-ho (third baseman), Jake Cave (right fielder), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Oh Myeong-jin (second baseman), Lee Yoo-chan (shortstop), and Jeong Soo-bin (center fielder).
Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop commented on the exclusion of shortstop Park Jun-young from the starting lineup, stating, "Park Jun-young finds it burdensome to face the left-handed pitcher (Koh Young-pyo). Lee Yoo-chan performed well the other day and has experience facing Koh Young-pyo from last year."
KT took the lead from the start. In the bottom of the first inning, missing a chance with no outs and runners on first and second, Cheon Seong-ho appeared as the lead-off hitter in the bottom of the second and changed the momentum with a double that struck the left-center wall. Hwang Jae-kyun then aided Cheon Seong-ho's advance to third base with a flyout to right field, and Bae Jeong-dae broke the scoreless tie with a one-RBI double after an 11-pitch battle against Choi Won-jun.
Although Bae Jeong-dae failed to steal third base, Kim Sang-soo kept the fire alive with a single to left field, and Kwang-Baek Ho extended the lead with a home run. On a 1B-1S count, he hit a low fastball (141 km) from Choi Won-jun for a 125-meter home run. It was his first home run after three games into the season.
Doosan began their counterattack in the top of the third inning. With two outs and runners on first and second, Kim Min-seok and Kang Seung-ho's hits led to Cave's one-RBI hit to bring them closer. In the top of the fifth, lead-off hitter Jeong Soo-bin reached scoring position with a single to left and a stolen base, and Kim Jae-hwan followed with a one-RBI hit to right field, narrowing the gap to one run.
Doosan did not stop there. Kang Seung-ho produced a left-field single on the first pitch, and Cave drew a walk after eight pitches, creating a one-out bases-loaded opportunity. Yang Eui-ji then hit a misdirected ground ball between the second baseman and right fielder, and fortune smiled upon them as the ball hit second baseman Cheon Seong-ho's glove and dropped. In the meantime, Kim Jae-hwan successfully scored the tying run.
The decisive moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning. KT's concentration shone after two outs. It started with a home run from transfer acquisition Huh Kyung-min. On a 1B-1S count, he smashed a 135 km slider from Doosan's left-handed pitcher Kim Ho-jun that was left over the middle, connecting for a 115-meter, game-winning home run. It was his first home run after three games since his transfer.
KT's offense continued. After Kim Min-hyuk's single sent Kim Ho-jun to the mound, Jang Seong-woo drew a walk against Choi Jun-ho, and Cheon Seong-ho filled the bases with a hit by pitch. Hwang Jae-kyun then hit a three-RBI double deep to the right, followed by a one-RBI single to left by Bae Jeong-dae, sealing the win.
KT's starter Koh Young-pyo left the game after pitching 4⅔ innings, giving up 8 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs. He was followed by Kim Min-soo (1⅓ innings, no earned runs), Son Dong-hyun (1 inning, no earned runs), Woo Gyu-min (1 inning, no earned runs), and Choi Dong-hwan (1 inning, no earned runs). The winning pitcher was Kim Min-gyu.
In the batting lineup, Bae Jeong-dae recorded 3 hits, while Kwang-Baek Ho, Huh Kyung-min, and Kim Min-hyuk contributed with multiple hits, leading to a decisive victory.
Doosan's substitute for Kwak Bin, Choi Won-jun, struggled, going 4 innings with 6 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 1 strikeout, and 3 earned runs, failing to complete 5 innings. The losing pitcher was Kim Ho-jun, with 2 earned runs in ⅔ inning. Kang Seung-ho's 3 hits and Cave's 2 hits, which broke the silence, went unrewarded in the loss.
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