SK Wyverns Win Korean Series
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
The SK Wyverns beat the Doosan Bears 5-2 Monday to win the Korean Series, the first league championship for the franchise that was established in 2000.
The Wyverns, who finished in first place in the regular season to earn an automatic berth to the best-of-seven finals, came back from a 2-0 deficit and took four games in a row, including three-straight wins on the Bear's home ground of Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.
Starter Chei Byung-yong took the win, reliever Chung Dae-hyun struck out Lee Jong-wook for the final out, and Korean Series MVP Kim Jae-hyun, who hit two home runs and had four RBIs through the series, had another big night at the plate with his solo shot in the third inning proving as the winning run.
The Wyverns are the only team in Korean Series history to clinch the championship title after falling behind 2-0.
The Bears, reeling after winning the first two games on the road, seemed relieved to be back at Incheon's Munhak Stadium, as they struck early in the first inning, when Kim Dong-joo's double to left scored Kim Hyun-soo, who had advanced on a single.
However, the Bears squandered a crucial chance to increase their lead in the third inning, with Kim Hyun-soo hitting into a double play with runners on first and second, and Kim Dong-joo ending the inning with a strikeout with men on first and third.
The visitors paid for their missed opportunities right away with SK Wyvern's hitters adjusting to the Bears' 19-year-old rookie starter Lim Tae-hoon in the third inning. Jeung Keun-woo belted a two-run shot after Choi Jeong reached first on a single. Kim Jae-hyun, who had been destroying Bears pitchers with his timely hitting since Game 3, followed with a mammoth shot that landed in the middle of the right-field stands to make it 3-1.
The Wyverns added two runs in the eighth on an RBI single by Choi, who was brought home on a double by Cho Dong-hwa off Bears reliever Lee Seung-hak.
The Bears continued their monumental struggles at the plate, confounded by Chei's wide arsenal of pitches and strong relief appearances by Cho Woong-chun and Ka Deuk-yum.
The Bears finally showed some fight after two outs in the ninth, with Yoo Jae-woong's single up the middle bringing home Jung Won-suk, who pinch ran for Hong Sung-heon. Min Byung-hyun doubled to right to advance Yoo to third, but Wyverns closer Jung struck out Lee on four pitches to clinch the win.