SSG Landers took satisfying revenge.
On the 13th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, they beat the Kia Tigers 3-2 in a 2026 professional baseball exhibition game. Takeda Shota, brought in under the Asia quota, threw three perfect innings. The 276-home run slugger from Doosan hit an opening run to signal a comeback. It was a meaningful gain for SSG.
SSG lined up Park Seong-han (shortstop) Eredia (left fielder) Kim Seong-uk (right fielder) Kim Jae-hwan (designated hitter) Go Myung-jun (third baseman) Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder) Lee Ji-young (catcher) Hyun Won-hoe (first baseman) Jeong Jun-jae (second baseman). Kia started Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder) Park Jung-woo (right fielder) Castro (left fielder) Na Sung-bum (designated hitter) Kim Seon-bin (second baseman) Oh Seon-woo (first baseman) Kim Gyu-seong (shortstop) Joo Hyo-sang (catcher) Park Min (third baseman).
SSG's No. 4 hitter Kim Jae-hwan launched the early attack. Leading off the top of the second, he worked a full count, connected with KIA starter Kim Tae-hyoung's slider and drove it over the right fence for a solo home run. It was a hopeful blast that came in just the team's second exhibition game. In his next at-bat he was ruled out at first base but he hit a hard line drive.
SSG added another run in the fifth. With two outs against KIA's Hong Min-kyu, Jeong Jun-jae hit a triple that rolled to the right-field wall. Park Seong-han brought him home with a base hit to center. Eredia followed with an RBI hit that cleared the left fielder's reach, stretching the lead to 3-0. Taking the baton, Choi Min-jun worked two innings, allowing only two hits and no runs. In the sixth, Moon Seung-won came on and endured a no-out, runners on second situation.
KIA, who had been struggling to score, mounted a rally in the seventh against left-hander Kim Taek-hyung. After one out, Jeong Hyun-chang was hit by a pitch, Yun Do-hyun hit a double and Kim Gyu-seong hit a sacrifice fly, and then with two outs and runners at first and second, Park Min reached with a bloop single to right, cutting the deficit to 2-3. SSG brought in closer Kim Min to stop further damage in the following two-out, runners at first and third comeback threat. Kim Min worked through the eighth, and Lee Ro-woon preserved the win in the ninth.
Starter Shota, who won 66 games in the Japanese league, delivered an artful pitching performance. He retired all nine batters, striking out four, completing a no-hit, no-walk perfect outing. With a 143 km/h fastball, a 142 km/h two-seam, a slider and a changeup, and mixing in a lowest-106 km/h Arirang curve, his seasoned speed changes and command subdued Kia's hitters.
KIA starter Kim Tae-hyoung also earned passing marks. He gave up a home run to Kim Jae-hwan but otherwise had a solid first outing, allowing four hits, striking out three and yielding one run over three innings. He threw a 149 km/h fastball at top speed (30), with 13 sliders, three changeups and one curve. The pitches showed power, but a mistake pitch resulted in the home run.
KIA rookie Kim Hyun-soo came in in the sixth, giving up a hit and two walks but allowing no runs. Choi Ji-min, showing his former overpowering stuff, shut down the seventh. In the eighth, veteran Hong Geon-hee took the mound and easily retired the side. In the ninth, Jeon Sang-hyun allowed a double but recorded three outs without allowing a run.
Jared Dale, returning from the WBC tournament, pinch-hit in the seventh but was retired on a fly to right. Fans applauded and chanted his name, soothing the pain of the crucial error in the Korea game. Dale is scheduled to start from the KT game in Gwangju on the 14th as he begins to acclimate to the KBO League.
[OSEN]