KBO· Season 2026
Doosan Bears beat Kiwoom Heroes 8-5 at Gocheok Sky Dome to level the weekend series. Park Jun-soon hit a 2-run HR and Kim Taek-yeon escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Doosan built a 7-0 lead through six innings before weathering a Kiwoom comeback that cut the deficit to one run. The Bears starter Choi Seung-yong (2-7) pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven, before the bullpen took over.
The scoring began in the third. With two outs and the bases loaded, An Jae-seok laced a two-run double down the left-field line. In the fourth, Park Jun-soon crushed a two-run home run over the left-field wall — his 10th of the season — to extend the lead to 5-0. Park finished with three hits including the homer and a triple.
Doosan added two more in the sixth on a Kang Seung-ho sacrifice fly and a Park Jun-soon sacrifice fly, making it 7-0.
Kiwoom roared back in the bottom of the sixth. After starter Choi was pulled, reliever Park Chi-guk walked Hiura and allowed a sacrifice fly to An Chi-hong, then Park Chan-hyuk added another sac fly. Kim Dong-heon smashed a two-run double down the left-field line, cutting the lead to 7-4.
The Turning Point
The game swung decisively in the seventh. With the bases loaded and no outs, Doosan called on Kim Taek-yeon from the bullpen. The rookie produced a spectacular escape act: striking out Hiura on a 153 km/h fastball, striking out An Chi-hong on a 152 km/h fastball, then inducing a groundout from Park Chan-hyuk to end the threat without conceding a run.
Doosan added an insurance run in the eighth on a Park Jun-soon sacrifice fly. Kim Dong-heon hit a solo home run for Kiwoom in the bottom half, but Lee Young-ha closed out the ninth to seal the win.
Key Performers
- Park Jun-soon (Doosan Bears): 3 hits, 1 HR, 1 triple, 4 RBIs — including his 10th home run of the season. The offensive catalyst.
- Kim Taek-yeon (Doosan Bears): Escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh with back-to-back strikeouts on 152+ km/h fastballs. The moment that preserved the lead.
- Kim Dong-heon (Kiwoom Heroes): Two-run double in the sixth and a solo home run in the eighth. Three RBIs in a losing effort.
- Choi Seung-yong (Doosan Bears): 5⅓ IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 7 K. Earned his second win of the season.
Kiwoom starter Park Jun-hyun (1-4) lasted just 3⅔ innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits and six walks.
By the Numbers
Doosan's 8.85 hits per game (season average) translated into eight runs on nine hits, while Kiwoom's 8.15 hits per game produced five runs on ten hits — suggesting Doosan was more efficient with runners in scoring position. The Bears' bullpen escape in the seventh was the statistical difference: Kiwoom left the bases loaded in that inning and finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position across the final three frames.
What It Means
The win lifted Doosan to 41-2-40, reclaiming fifth place after Hanwha Eagles lost to LG Twins on the same day. Kiwoom dropped to 29-1-54, firmly anchored in last place (10th). The teams meet again on Sunday July 5 for the series decider at Gocheok Sky Dome.
Verdict
Doosan's early scoring barrage and Kim Taek-yeon's seventh-inning heroics were the difference. Kiwoom showed fight in cutting a 7-0 lead to 7-4, but couldn't capitalise on the bases-loaded opportunity that would have tied the game. The Bears' depth in the bullpen told the story.
Rivalry since 2023
Kiwoom Heroes vs Doosan Bears Head to Head Results· 50
Kiwoom Heroes and Doosan Bears have met 50 times — Kiwoom Heroes won 18, Doosan Bears won 31, with 1 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2023. Doosan Bears leads the head-to-head with 31 victories from 50 meetings. A combined 473 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 9.46 per match (193 for the home side, 280 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 48 matches (96%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 48 games (96%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 19–8 in 2024.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 5 Jul 2026