The Kia Tigers' offense exploded as they secured a comeback victory.

Kia won the first game of the 2025 Korea Professional Baseball series against the Kiwoom Heroes on the 25th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, winning 11-6. Starter Adam Oller allowed 3 runs early but held the mound with his first quality start. They overwhelmed with 17 hits, including consecutive home runs by Na Sung Bum, a tying shot by Choi Won Jun, a solo homer by Choi Hyung Woo, and a two-run shot by Wisdom.

Kiwoom's lineup consisted of Song Sung Moon (second base), Puig (designated hitter), Lee Joo Hyung (center field), Cardenas (right field), Choi Joo Hwan (first base), Kim Dong Heon (catcher), Park Joo Hong (left field), Kim Tae Jin (shortstop), and Eo Jun Seo (third base). Manager Hong Won Ki, who suffered two consecutive losses to start the season, noted, "The offense has potential," showing a strong determination to break the losing streak.

Kia put forth a lineup featuring Park Chan Ho (shortstop), Wisdom (third base), Na Sung Bum (right field), Choi Hyung Woo (designated hitter), Kim Sun Bin (second base), Lee Woo Sung (left field), Seo Geon Chang (first base), Kim Tae Koon (catcher), and Choi Won Jun (center field). This was a new lineup that placed the hitless Wisdom in the second spot, and it paid off.

One of the key points of the game was the debut performance of Kia starter Adam Oller. The Kiwoom batters attacked fiercely in the top of the first inning. Lead-off batter Song Sung Moon reached base with a hit to right field and successfully stole second. After one out, Lee Joo Hyung lightly pushed a slapper to create runners on first and third, leading to a sacrifice fly by Cardenas for the first run.

Next, Choi Joo Hwan struck Oller’s fastball hard to split the gap in right-center for another run. Oller induced Kim Dong Heon into a grounder to the shortstop, but Park Chan Ho made a throwing error. Park Joo Hong took advantage of this miscue, hitting a timely single to right field, extending the lead to 3-0. Continued hits made Oller’s expression concerning.

Kia's offense supported Oller. In the bottom of the first, Park Chan Ho's hit and Na Sung Bum's two-run homer kept them in the game. The Kia battery mixed changeups and sliders to focus on off-speed pitches, resulting in positive outcomes. Oller held 11 batters perfectly up until the fourth inning. In the meantime, the Kia offense successfully turned the game around with explosive homers.

In the second inning, after two outs, Choi Won Jun launched a bullet-like solo homer to tie the game. In the third inning, Na Sung Bum's consecutive reversed solo homer and Choi Hyung Woo's mid-range solo homer flipped the score to 5-3. In the fourth, after one out, Choi Won Jun got on base with a hit, setting up Patrick Wisdom's left-field two-run homer. He decorated his first hit of the season with a home run. Kia's five home runs game marked the first since May 25, 2018, against NC in Masan (featuring Kim Joo Chan, Han Seung Taek with 2, Lee Bum Ho, and Jung Sung Hoon) after 2496 days.

Kiwoom, who had been pressured by Oller's pitching, responded in the top of the fifth when lead-off rookie Eo Jun Seo hit a solo homer to left, closing the gap by one run. This was also his first hit of the season. Kia continued the assault in the bottom of the fifth. After Kim Sun Bin drew a walk, Lee Woo Sung reached base due to a third baseman's fielding error. Following a sacrifice bunt by Seo Geon Chang, Kim Tae Koon's sacrifice fly added another run.

Kia added more runs in the sixth inning. Kim Gyu Sung reached base with a hit to right field, and after one out, Na Sung Bum's infield hit at third base, followed by Choi Hyung Woo's single to right, created a bases-loaded opportunity. Switch hitter Kim Sun Bin delivered a timely hit in front of the center fielder, extending the score gap to 10-4. Kiwoom didn't give up and, in the top of the seventh, strung together 3 hits and 3 walks against Kia's left-handed pitcher Lee Joon Young and Kwon Do Ryu, narrowing the gap by two runs and maintaining the tension.

Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Kia stretched their lead to 11-6 when Wisdom delivered a timely hit to left field with runners on first and third and one out. Wisdom recorded 3 RBIs with a homer and a hit, starting to adapt. Oller earned a satisfying first win with a quality start, pitching 6 innings, allowing 5 hits (1 home run), no walks, striking out 6, and giving up 4 runs (3 earned). Kim Yun Ha took the loss, pitching 5 innings, allowing 9 hits, and 8 runs.

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