Coach Lee Seung-yup “Choi Seung-yong really played a big role, Park Yoo-yeon praised for offensive performance”
The Doosan Bears rode a two-hit performance to victory in a game in which they used an alternate starting lineup.
Doosan won 5–3 against the Samsung Lions in the 2023 KBO League regular season at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Monday.
It wasn’t an easy game. Samsung was last in the league this season, but had a strong second-half surge, led by Goo Ja-rook, who was batting .333 through seven days. Doosan, on the other hand, had Won-Jun Choi scratched from the first team roster due to back stiffness, so they brought out replacement starter Seung-Yong Choi. Without a deep bullpen, it was difficult for Doosan to manage the game if Choi Seung-yong had to pitch only short innings.
However, Choi overcame his fears and dominated the Samsung bullpen to fulfill his duties as a starter. He went five and a third innings, giving up three hits, striking out one and walking one. After Choi relieved Choi Seung-yong, Kim Myung-shin pitched two innings of scoreless relief, Jung Chul-won pitched two-thirds of a scoreless inning, and Hong Gun-hee preserved the lead and the win despite giving up two runs (one earned) in the ninth inning due to poor defense by Yoo Soo-jin.
The bats came alive early to solidify the victory. First baseman Jung Soo-bin hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, the first home run in a home game in 14 years since 2009. Jung’s best friend, Heo Kyung-min, also contributed to the victory with a triple in the fourth inning, capitalizing on an error to score two more runs. Defensively, second baseman Kang Seung-ho induced a double play to minimize the team’s runs.
There is another hero. Catcher Park Yoo-yeon, who had only five hits in her first-team career after joining Doosan in 2017. On this day, he stepped into the starting catcher’s spot after the starting catcher Yang Ji-soo was scratched due to injury and immediately became the brainchild of the lower order, going 2-for-3 with one double, 꽁머니지급 one RBI, and one run scored. He made Yang’s absence from the offense completely forgotten for a day.
Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop said after the game, “Starting pitcher Choi Seung-yong really played a big role. He pitched 5⅓ innings with an ideal strike rate and was very helpful in managing the mound,” Lee said. “Top hitter Jung Soo-bin had a perfect game today, and second baseman Kang Seung-ho’s bold choice with the bases loaded in the sixth inning led to the victory,” he said, adding, “I also want to praise the offensive performance of Park Yoo-yeon, who wore the starting mask for the first time.”