'Lee Eui-ri's 156km Fastball' KIA Defeats Doosan to Claim Eighth Consecutive Win in 623 Days

Five Scoreless Innings with Eight Strikeouts from Lee Eui-ri

Clutch Hits by Castro and Kim Sunbin Secure the Win

KIA Tigers surged to their eighth consecutive victory in 623 days, moving into sole possession of fourth place. This achievement was the result of a flawless start by Lee Eui-ri and cohesive performance from the batting lineup.

On April 17 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, KIA secured a resounding 7-3 win over the Doosan Bears in the first game of their 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League season series. With this victory, KIA recorded an eight-game winning streak for the first time in approximately one year and nine months since July 2024.

KIA Tigers' Lee Eui-ri is pitching in the away game against Doosan Bears in the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 17th. Courtesy of KIA Tigers

The standout performer was undoubtedly Lee Eui-ri. As the starting pitcher, Lee threw 91 pitches over five innings, allowing only five hits and two walks while striking out eight batters and keeping Doosan scoreless. He especially relied on a blazing fastball that reached up to 156 km/h, recording key strikeouts in crucial moments and claiming his first win of the season.

The KIA batters ignited from the very first inning. With two outs and runners on first and second, Harold Castro delivered a two-run double down the right-field line to put his team ahead. Consecutive hits from Park Min and Kim Kyuseong extended the lead to 3-0. In the seventh inning, Kim Sunbin’s two-run double widened the gap to 5-0, solidifying KIA’s advantage.

Doosan launched a fierce comeback attempt in the later innings. In the bottom of the seventh, Hwang Dongha faltered, giving up two runs, and one more run was allowed in the bottom of the eighth, narrowing the lead to 5-3. However, KIA responded in the top of the ninth with an RBI double from Kim Doyoung and a timely hit from Park Jungwoo, adding two more runs and decisively ending Doosan’s rally. In the bottom of the ninth, Kim Beomsoo took the mound and, with runners on first and second and two outs, struck out Son Ahseop to seal the victory.

Leadoff hitter Jared Dale went hitless in four at-bats, ending his consecutive game hitting streak since his debut, but Kim Horyeong sparked the offense with a multi-hit game and reached base three times, including a walk and a hit-by-pitch.

With their eighth straight win, KIA will send Adam Oller to the mound on April 18 in pursuit of a ninth consecutive victory. Doosan is scheduled to start left-hander Choi Seungyong.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.