Kia beat Doosan 6-3 to take Game 3 of Korean Series
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Na Ji-wan of the Kia Tigers celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Doosan Bears in the top of the ninth inning in Game 3 of the Korean Series at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Saturday. The Tigers won 6-3. / Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
The Kia Tigers defeated the Doosan Bears 6-3 in Game 3 of the Korean Series to take 2-1 series lead, Saturday.
At Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, the Tigers’ starter Pat Dean threw a solid seven innings and pinch hitter Na Ji-wan hit a two-run home run in the ninth to seal the victory. With the win, the Tigers need two more wins to claim their 11th Korean Series title.
It was the Tigers who scored first.
In the top of the third inning, Kim Sun-bin hit a single to right and advanced to second base with a sacrifice bunt. After Kim Min-sik hit a pop fly to shortstop, Lee Myung-ki hit a RBI double for a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers added two more runs in the top fourth. After one out, the Bears’ starter Michael Bowden walked two straight batters and committed a balk to send runners to second and third base. Then, An Chi-hong brought all runners home after hitting a single to right.
The Bears scored their first run in the bottom fourth as Yang Eui-ji hit a sacrifice fly.
The Tigers could pull Bowden early as Lee Myung-ki led off the top fifth with a double. Kim Joo-chan hit a sacrifice bunt to send Lee to third and Roger Bernadina hit a single to right off the Bears’ new pitcher Lee Yong-chan to make the score 4-1.
The Bears scored two more runs in the seventh and the eighth thanks to a solo home run by Nick Evans and Kim Jae-hwan’s RBI single to adhere to 4-3, but Na smacked an insurance two-run home run in the ninth to make it 6-3.
The Game 4 will take place at Jamsil Stadium on Sunday. The Tigers will start sidearm starter Im Gi-yeong while the Bears will counter with southpaw Yoo Hee-kwan. This will be the first Korean Series start for the 24-year-old Im who had recorded eight wins and six losses with an ERA of 3.65 in the regular season.