The bear's roar begins. Doosan met the KIA Tigers, who had an eight-game winning streak, and fired a signal of resurgence by securing their first winning series of the season.
The pro baseball team Doosan Bears defeated the KIA Tigers 6-3 in the third game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League season held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 19th.
Doosan, after three consecutive losses, ran a two-game winning streak and achieved its emotional first winning series of the season. 7 wins, 1 draw, 11 losses. Meanwhile, KIA, which had an eight-game winning streak and then fell into a two-game losing streak, became 10 wins and 9 losses.
The home team Doosan set the starting lineup against KIA left-handed starter Yang Hyeon-jong as shortstop Park Chan-ho, third baseman Park Ji-hoon, second baseman Park Jun-soon, designated hitter Yang Eui-ji, left fielder Kim Min-seok, first baseman Kang Seung-ho, right fielder Daz Cameron, catcher Yoon Jun-ho, and center fielder Jung Soo-bin.
KIA submitted the order of Park Jae-hyun (right fielder), Lee Ho-yeon (first baseman), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Harold Castro (left fielder), Na Sung-bum (designated hitter), Han Jun-su (catcher), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Jeong Hyun-chang (shortstop), and Kim Gyu-seong (second baseman) against Doosan starter Choi Min-seok. Except for Kim Do-young and Kim Ho-ryeong, seven players were left-handed batters in a dramatic lineup.
KIA manager Lee Beom-ho said, "Doosan starter Choi Min-seok's performance against left-handed and right-handed batters is too different. Right-handed batters are very hard to hit. Their batting average against them is low. But the batting average against left-handed batters is high. So we excluded many right-handed batters."
The first run belonged to Doosan. In the bottom of the first, Park Chan-ho had a hit to center, Park Ji-hoon laid down a brilliant bunt hit, and Park Jun-soon created a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. Yang Eui-ji's well-hit ball was stopped by third baseman Kim Do-young's great defense and turned into a third-to-second-to-first double play, but on that play third-base runner Park Chan-ho scored the run that broke the 0-0 tie. The 2-out, runners at first and third chance that continued with Kim Min-seok's straight walk was wasted when Kang Seung-ho struck out swinging.
In the bottom of the third, with one out and no runners, Park Jun-soon extended the lead with a solo home run. After watching Yang Hyeon-jong's first pitch ball, Park Jun-soon swung at a 2-0 changeup that came down the middle (128 km) and connected for a 110m left-field home run. It was his second homer of the season, coming two weeks after the May 5 game at Jamsil against the Hanwha Eagles.
After missing chances in the top of the first with two outs and runners at first and second and in the top of the second with a runner at first and no outs, KIA counterattacked in the top of the fourth. Leadoff hitter Castro hit a double, Na Sung-bum drew a walk, and Han Jun-su laid down a sacrifice bunt to set up runners at second and third with one out. Kim Ho-ryeong then hit an RBI single to left, and Jeong Hyun-chang followed with a sacrifice fly to center, tying the game at 2-2.
The Doosan lineup rallied in the bottom of the fifth. Leadoff hitter Park Chan-ho started the rally with a double, and Park Ji-hoon laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring up a runner at third with one out. Then Park Jun-soon hit a grounder to third that brought third-base runner Park Chan-ho home. Third baseman Kim Do-young fielded the ball and quickly threw home, but Park Chan-ho twisted his body skillfully to avoid the tag and touched home plate. The umpire's initial out call was overturned after video review.
Doosan did not stop. While Yang Eui-ji's grounder to short helped first-base runner Park Jun-soon advance to second, Kim Min-seok delivered a go-ahead two-run double.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cameron delivered a welcome solo home run as the leadoff hitter. Cameron watched Hwang Dong-ha's first pitch ball, then targeted a 130 km slider down the middle on the second pitch and hit a 125m left-field home run. He reported his fourth home run of the season in his third game since the April 16 game in Incheon against the SSG Landers.
In the top of the seventh, KIA filled the bases with two outs after leadoff hitter Jeong Hyun-chang and Lee Ho-yeon hit singles and Kim Do-young drew a walk, but Castro flew out to center, ending the opportunity.
Doosan clinched the game in the bottom of the seventh with leadoff hitter Park Jun-soon's solo home run. Park Jun-soon drove a fastball that came high on Han Jae-seung's first pitch (146 km) after he was brought in, connecting for a 125m center-left home run. Park Jun-soon achieved his first career multi-homer game.
In the top of the eighth, after two outs, Kim Ho-ryeong, after an eight-pitch duel, hit an infield single to right, and pinch-hitter Jerid Dale followed with a single to left, forcing Lee Byung-hun out of the game. Then Park Min hit a run-scoring double to left off Doosan closer Kim Taek-yeon. KIA continued with a 2-out, runners at second and third chance, but Park Jae-hyun struck out swinging, and additional runs failed to materialize.
Doosan starter Choi Min-seok earned his third win of the season (undefeated) with a strong outing of six innings, five hits allowed, four walks, three strikeouts, two earned runs, and 87 pitches. He was followed by Tamura Ichiro (2/3 inning, scoreless) - Lee Byung-hun (1 inning, one earned run) - Kim Taek-yeon (1 1/3 innings, scoreless).
At the plate, Park Jun-soon led the offense with four at-bats, three hits (two home runs), three RBIs and three runs, and Cameron had four at-bats, three hits (one home run), one RBI and one run. The foreign player Cameron, who had been in a slump, created a momentum shift with a near-cycle performance missing only a triple. Park Chan-ho stabbed his former team with three at-bats, two hits, two walks and two runs, and Kim Min-seok again delivered a spirited baserunning effort that knocked off his helmet, finishing with three at-bats, two hits, one RBI and one walk.
KIA starter Yang Hyeon-jong suffered his second loss of the season (one win) amid a rough outing of 4 2/3 innings, eight hits allowed (one home run), one walk, three strikeouts, four earned runs and 81 pitches. Castro's three hits and one run did not see the light of day.
Doosan will play a three-game midweek series against the Lotte Giants at Sajik starting on the 21st after one day of rest. KIA will move to Suwon to meet the KT Wiz. <
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