By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
When the SK Wyverns lost the opening game of the Korean Series (KS) Sunday, critics might have been doubtful that the well-rested defending champions got rusty.
But the Incheon-based club proved the concerns were unnecessary as they defeated the Doosan Bears 5-2 in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series at Munhak Stadium Monday night.
Left fielder Park Jae-sang hit a tie-breaking, RBI double and veteran Kim Jae-hyun, the reigning KS MVP, slugged a two-run homer to even the championship series at 1-1.
The Bears, which fell to the Wyverns 4-2 in last year's KS after a 2-0 advantage, will host Game 3 at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul Wednesday.
Bears starting pitcher Kim Sun-woo, who went 4 1/3 innings with a 14.75 ERA in two outings against the Samsung Lions in the second round playoffs, still struggled in finding rhythm in the KS, allowing two runs in the first inning.
Jeong Keung-woo led off with a single and advanced on Jae-sang's sacrifice bunt. After Park Jae-hong's infield single, which put runners on first and third, Lee Jin-young singled home for a 1-0 lead.
The right-handed Kim allowed another run on a wild pitch.
The Bears, held to two hits by Wyverns starter Chae Byeong-yong into the fourth inning, leveled the match.
No. 4 hitter Kim Dong-joo doubled off right fielder Jae-hong's glove and next batter Hong Sung-heon, who had a solo homer Sunday, hit a triple off righty Chae to cut the deficit to one and Ko Young-min hit a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game 2-all.
However, the Wyverns did not waste time grabbing a lead again.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, speedy Keun-woo reached first base on third baseman Oh Jae-won's misplay and stole the second. Jae-sang hit a double off Sun-woo to lift the Wyverns to a 3-2 cushion.
Jae-won, who started as first baseman, was swapped to third after third baseman Dong-joo committed two errors in the third and fourth. Oh was also responsible for another blunder at the hot corner later that night.
Jae-hyun, who had a solo shot in Game 1, hit a two-run dinger off reliever Lim Tae-hoon in the seventh to seal the victory.
Wyverns third relief hurler Yoon Kil-hyun tossed two innings, striking out five.