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Doosan Bears beat LG Twins 5–2 in Children’s Day derby

Published: 06 May. 2025, 11:40 Updated: 06 May. 2025, 17:16

Doosan Bears outfielder Jung Soo-bin, right, celebrates during the KBO game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on May 5. [DOOSAN BEARS]

The Doosan Bears edged out the LG Twins 5-2 in this year’s Children’s Day derby — held on the national holiday on May 5 — at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on Monday, marking the return of the long-running rivalry after rainouts in both 2022 and 2023.

Monday's game, which has featured the two Seoul-based clubs annually since 1996, delivered a solid showing for the Bears, improving their all-time Children’s Day record against the Twins to 16 wins and 11 losses.

The victory marked the Bears' second three-game winning streak of the 2025 season.

Veteran outfielder Jung Soo-bin set the tone early and factored into every one of the Bears' first four runs.

He went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, three runs and two walks. Jung reached on an infield hit and later scored on a single by Kim Jae-hwan in the first inning.

Jung launched a solo homer — his second of the season — off Twins starter Song Seung-gi in the third inning, driving a 144-kilometer-per-hour (89 mile-per-hour) fastball just over the right field wall.

Doosan Bears outfielder Jung Soo-bin in action during the KBO game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on May 5. [DOOSAN BEARS]

Jung came through again in the fifth with a run-scoring double down the right field line and advanced to third on a throw to home. He scored on Yang Eui-ji’s infield single, giving Doosan a 4-1 lead.

Bears starter Colton Eastman threw six strong innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five to earn his fifth win of the season.

The loss knocked the Twins out of sole possession of first place. The Hanwha Eagles tied them at the top of the standings after beating the Samsung Lions 3-1 in Daejeon. Both teams now sit at 22-13 with a .629 winning percentage as of press time Tuesday.

Eagles starter Ryan Weiss gave up one run across seven innings to improve to 5-1, and closer Kim Seo-hyun earned his 11th save, the most in the league.

The win extended Hanwha’s streak to seven games. It also marked the first time in 18 years that the Eagles led the standings after playing more than 30 games in a season. The last time came on June 2, 2007, also following a win over the Lions.

Elsewhere, the Kia Tigers beat the Kiwoom Heroes 13-1 at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul, with every Tigers starter scoring at least once.

Choi Hyung-woo hit a three-run homer, his fifth of the season, to become the fourth player in KBO history to reach 400 career home runs.

Starter Yang Hyeon-jong allowed one run in six innings and became the first pitcher in league history to record 2,100 career strikeouts.

Over in Incheon, the SSG Landers beat the Lotte Giants 7-1, handing them their third straight loss. The NC Dinos, meanwhile, defeated the KT Wiz 6-2 in Suwon, Gyeonggi, for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

Monday's games also saw massive crowds across the country, with the KBO drawing sellout crowds at four stadiums and total attendance this season surpassing 3 million in 175 games — the fewest ever needed to hit the mark.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]