Kang Seung-ho of the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) has recorded a “cycling hit” – a home run, triple, double, and single in the same game.
Doosan rode Kang Seung-ho’s performance to a thrilling 8-6 victory over the KIA Tigers in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on Friday.
With the win, sixth-ranked Doosan, which has won five straight games, eliminated the gap between itself and fifth-ranked Kia and heated up the fall baseball race. On the other hand, KIA, which had been riding a steep upward trajectory and looking to break into the top half of the standings, has lost three straight games, leaving its fifth-place position in doubt.
Bears and Tigers desperate for fall baseball
With both teams in desperate need of a win, Doosan struck first in the first inning when Yang Ji-sung singled to put runners on first and third base after an error by the KIA defense. However, KIA tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second thanks to a Doosan error.
In the third inning, the battle began in earnest. Doosan took the lead again in the top of the third with a solo home run by Kang Seung-ho. KIA quickly responded with a grand slam of their own as Lee Woo-sung hit a grand slam with the bases loaded.
However, Doosan did not give up. In the top of the fifth, Kang Seung-ho doubled and tripled, and Heo Kyung-min followed with a single to left to tie the game at 5-5.
KIA regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a Kim Sun-bin RBI single. But once again, Doosan answered in the top of the eighth with a solo home run by Park Joon-young, who came to the plate to make it 6-6. Doosan’s hard-fought victory in the end
In the top of the ninth, Heo Kyung-min and Kim In-tae drew back-to-back walks to push across a run, and Park Jun-young drew another walk to make it a two-run game.
With momentum on their side, Doosan brought in Chung Chul-won in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game with a triple play to secure the win. KIA, on the other hand, suffered a heartbreaking defeat when Jung Hae-young, who was supposed to close out the game, walked.
“Kang Seung-ho Day” 30th Cycling Hit in KBO History
The hero of the day was undoubtedly Kang Seung-ho. Kang Seung-ho, batting sixth for Doosan, took a changeup from KIA starter Yoon Young-chul in the top of the third inning and smashed a solo home run over the left field fence.
In the top of the fifth, he hit a triple, the most difficult gateway to a cycling hit. With runners on first and third and two outs, Kang hit a triple to right-center field against KIA’s reliever Kim Jae-yeol to bring home both runners. 안전놀이터
Kang Seung-ho, who was feeling hot at the plate, came close to a cycling hit in the top of the sixth inning with a double to left field against Lim Ki-young.