Home > Sports > Baseball

Well-rested Bears cruise past Tigers in KBO

Published: 19 Apr. 2025, 09:59

Doosan Bears starter Cole Irvin pitches against the Kia Tigers during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on April 18. [DOOSAN BEARS]

Playing for the first time this week, the Doosan Bears showed no signs of rust Friday in the KBO.

Starter Cole Irvin carried a no-hitter into the fifth and threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball, while Jake Cave had three hits and three RBIs, as the Bears beat the Kia Tigers 7-1 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul.

With a sellout crowd of 23,750 fans on hand, leadoff Jung Soo-bin had two hits and two steals, and also scored twice for the Bears, who improved to 9-11-0 (wins-losses-ties) for the season.

The Tigers dropped to 9-12-0, a day after walking off the KT Wiz 5-4 in the bottom ninth.

The Bears played for the first time since Sunday. They had been scheduled to play the NC Dinos on the road at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, from Tuesday to Thursday. However, that three-game series was postponed due to ongoing safety checks at the stadium after a fan was killed in a freak accident that occurred during a game on March 29.

On Friday, the Bears scored their first run in the bottom first against starter Yoon Young-cheol, who couldn't find the zone early.

Jung walked on four straight pitches to open the inning. He then stole second base and advanced to third on a wild throw by catcher Kim Tae-gun.

After another walk issued by Yoon, Cave cashed in Jung with a single to right field.

The Bears doubled their lead in the bottom third, once again capitalizing on their speed.

No. 9 hitter Jo Soo-haeng drew a walk to begin the inning and stole second base. Jung then dropped a base hit into shallow center field, and Jo sprinted home to put the Bears up 2-0.

Jung Soo-bin of the Doosan Bears runs the bases during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game against the Kia Tigers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on April 18. [DOOSAN BEARS]

The Tigers cut their deficit to 2-1 in the top fifth with Lee Woo-sung's solo home run off starter Cole Irvin — their first hit of the game.

But in the bottom fifth, the Bears went back to their running ways to restore their two-run lead.

Jung began the rally with a single and then stole second base. Once again, Kim's throw went off target and trickled into center field, allowing Jung to take third.

Two batters later, Cave hit a sacrifice fly to left for his second RBI of the game.

The Bears increased their lead to 4-1 in the bottom sixth thanks to Kim In-tae's pinch-hit double.

Irvin got the hook with one out in the seventh after giving up a double to Lee Woo-sung, the only Tiger to get a hit off Irvin in this game. Reliever Choi Ji-kang then struck out the next two batters to keep the Bears up by three.

The Bears then put the game further out of the Tigers' reach in a three-run seventh inning. They pounded out four straight hits to begin that inning, including an RBI single by Cave and a two-run double by Yang Suk-hwan.

Jake Cave of the Doosan Bears celebrates his RBI single against the Kia Tigers during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on April 18. [DOOSAN BEARS]

Irvin threw 96 pitches, 56 for strikes, in improving to 3-1 this year and lowering his ERA from 2.63 to 2.37. He threw seven different types of pitches to the Tigers, including 36 sinkers, 32 four-seam fastballs and nine sweepers. Irvin touched 152 kilometers per hour (94.4 miles per hour).

Bears manager Lee Seung-yuop credited Irvin with setting the tone early and said his outfielders made plays when they had to.

"Our hitters were locked in up and down the lineup," Lee added. "Jung Soo-bin did great work as our leadoff man, and Cave was opportunistic with runners on base."

The Tigers lost second baseman Kim Sun-bin in the top of the sixth after he suffered a cut on the inside part of his upper lip in a collision with Bears second baseman Park Gye-beom.

With a runner at first, Kim put down a bunt and ran hard to first base. As Park came over to cover the bag and take the throw from Irvin, Kim's face smashed into Park's right shoulder.

Kim stayed down on the field for a few minutes while receiving treatment and then walked off under his own power with gauze in his mouth. He was taken to a local hospital for further tests.

This was Kim's first game back after missing the past 11 games with a calf injury.

Yonhap