Doosan Bears beat Samsung Lions 9-8 to lead series 2-1

By Yoon Chul

The Doosan Bears grabbed a valuable 9-8 win in Game 3 of the second round playoff series against the Samsung Lions at the end of an extended 11th inning at Jamsil Stadium, Sunday.

With the bases loaded and no one out, Lim Jae-chul’s two-run double and captain Son Si-heon’s hit ended the game, which lasted four hours and 59 minutes.

The two team’s performance in the first inning was totally different.

With one out the Lions had loaded the bases following leadoff hitter Park Han-yi’s double, a hit by pitch and a walk.

Chae Tae-in, who didn’t record a single hit in the last two games of the series, hit a one-run single followed by veteran Park Jin-man’s two-run double for a 3-0 lead.

The Bears first two hitters replied with consecutive hits and Lee Jong-wook’s sacrifice bunt sent runners to third and second. But veteran Kim Dong-joo, who was batting .375 with two homers in the series, was sent back to the dugout on a flyball.

After another walk to load the bases, Kim Hyun-soo, who had been evaluated as the most consistent hitter in the KBO, but marked only .100 in the post season including five games in the first round of the playoffs against the Lotte Giants, only grounded the ball for the third out.

In the top of the second Park’s second double and Park Suk-min’s RBI-double gave the Lions a 4-0 lead, and saw Bears’ starter Kim Sun-woo removed from the mound.

In the bottom of the inning, Son a double and rookie catcher Yang Eui-ji’s RBI-single put the team on the scoreboard, but they still trailed 4-1.

In the third, Oh Jae-won, Lee Jong-wook and Kim Dong-joo’s consecutive hits earned another run, so Lions manager Sun Dong-ryul called his solid bullpen pitcher Kwon Oh-joon to the mound.

With an out Kim Hyun-soo got a chance to add to the score with runners on third and second, but he stumbled and hit a groundball, leading to a double play.

The Bears’ hitters finally began to punish the Lions bullpen in the fourth.

Son and Yang got to second and first with a hit and a walk, but Lee Won-seok’s sacrifice bunt failed to send a runner to third.

However, Jung Soo-bin’s two-run triple and Lee Jong-wook’s hit reversed the game for a 5-4 Bears’ lead.

Lions’ boss Sun called on Kwon, Jung Hyun-wook and Kwon Hyuk from the bullpen early, but they failed to live up to his expectations.

In the sixth, Bears’ leadoff hitter Jung Soo-bin reached first with a walk and arrived at the third thanks to Oh’s hit and Lee jong-wook’s bunt.

Ko Young-min hit the first pitch off Lions reliever Lee Woo-sun and while the ball was caught by outfielder Park Han-yi, Jung made it to home plate for a 6-4 lead.

With the Bears’ two relievers Lee Hyun-seung and American Les Walrond keeping the lead without allowing a run in two, and three and 2/3 innings, respectively, until the seventh, the team looked to be set for the win.

But the game went down a different path.

Lions’ pinch hitter Cho Young-hoon hit a solo home run from Jung Jae-hoon, and with a runner on first, Park Han-yi recorded his third double of the game to tie it at 6-6.

The Bears looked to grab the win in the bottom of the ninth thanks to Kim Dong-joo’s triple with an out, but closer Ahn Ji-man didn’t allow a score.

The Lions overcame the crisis and also had chance as leadoff batter Chae Sang-byung hit a double in the extended 10th but they failed to score.

In the top of the 11th the bases were loaded thanks to a hit-by-pitch, a hit and a walk. Another hit-by-pitch to Chae and Kim Sang-soo’s squeeze play gave the Lions an 8-6 lead, after which Lim Tae-hoon stepped down from the mound due to reaching his maximum number of pitches.

But the game wasn’t over.

In the bottom of the 11th, the bases were loaded by two walks and a hit, and Lim’s blast landing in deep left field brought two home to tie the game 8-8.

Son’s hit then allowed a runner home for the come-from-behind win.

Game 4 is scheduled today at Jamsil Stadium.