Doosan won 11-1 in the 16th game of the season against NC in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 12th. The previous day, they washed away the pain of losing 3-12 to the Sajik Lotte Giants and succeeded in escaping their losing streak. This season's record against NC also ended with a tie of 8 wins and 8 losses.
Doosan's batters' bats were on fire that day. NC lost the first run in the top of the first inning, but it wasn't a problem. After balancing the game with Jose Rojas' tying solo home run in the bottom of the first inning, Jae-ho Kim's one-run double in the bottom of the second inning turned the game around.
In the bottom of the third inning, Yang Seok-hwan's 1 RBI hit and Yang Eui-ji's 3-run home run made it 6-1, completely taking control and control of the game. In the bottom of the 4th inning, Heo Gyeong-min's solo home run, Rojas' 1 RBI triple, and Yang Seok-hwan's 1 RBI outfield sacrifice fly made the score 9-1, breaking NC's will to chase early.
Soo-bin Soo, 1 hit in 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 stolen base, Rojas 3 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, Seok-hwan Yang 1 hit in 3 at-bats, 2 RBIs, 1 run, Eui-ji Yang 1 hit in 4 at-bats, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 1 run, Jae-ho Kim 3 at-bats The main hitters showed off their good hitting skills, including 1 hit and 1 RBI, and Heo Gyeong-min 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 home run, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
Doosan's bench's mound operation plan also shined. The 1+1 strategy of quickly adding Lee Young-ha behind veteran left-hander Jang Won-jun, who was the starting pitcher, was successful. Jang Won-jun did his part with 4 hits, 1 strikeout, and 1 run in 2⅔ innings, and the pitcher was replaced in the top of the 3rd inning with a 2-1 lead. By putting Lee Young-ha on first base with one out and one out, they were able to prevent runs until two outs in the top of the sixth inning and secure the win.
With the win that day, Doosan trailed SSG Landers and NC, tied for third place, by 0.5 games. In the remaining 5 games of the regular league, we have laid the foundation to dream of leaping to 3rd and 4th place. If they win against the Jamsil KIA Tigers on the 13th, it will be possible to secure at least 5th place.
While they had difficulty targeting the NC pitching staff throughout this season, the batters gained confidence with a big win in the last match of the regular season. Before this game, Doosan recorded the lowest team batting average of 0.221 among the nine clubs that faced NC in the 2023 season. He was weak against the ‘dinosaur’ mound, showing a large difference from the league average batting average of 0.240.
In particular, he was able to gain confidence in future postseason matches by scoring 6 points in the second inning against NC veteran sidearm Lee Jae-hak, who had been infamous for Doosan as the 'Bears Killer' for the past few years.
On the other hand, NC suffered a fatal injury after losing against Doosan that day. The opportunity to surpass SSG and rise to third place has disappeared. Depending on the results of the remaining four games in the regular season, the worst case scenario cannot be ruled out, where the team is ranked 5th and starts the postseason from the wild card game.
Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop said, “We gave up the first run, but we were able to get the game back in motion thanks to Rojas’ tying run quickly,” adding, “Rojas not only hit this home run, but also laid the foundation for a big inning with a surprise bunt from first base with no outs in the third inning.” Yang Seok-hwan, who came out, also attempted a bunt and showed his support for the team,” he said, expressing satisfaction.
He continued, "Yang Eui-ji's performance cannot be left out. He overcame an unfavorable ball count and hit a decisive 3-run home run, showing the majesty of a number 4 hitter." He added, "Captain Heo Gyeong-min also contributed greatly to the team's victory by scoring 2 RBIs, including a home run. “I added it,” he said, praising it.
He did not forget to praise Lee Young-ha for his fighting spirit. Lee Young-ha put the NC batting line to sleep with a heavy fastball with a maximum velocity of 153km and an average velocity of 150km. Lee Young-ha took charge of three innings, minimizing bullpen consumption.
Manager Seung-yeop Lee added, "On the mound, Young-ha Lee gave the best pitching, allowing 3 scoreless innings without 4 outs. Thanks to the fans who supported us unwaveringly, we were able to end the losing streak. Thank you."