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| Na Sung-bum / Photo=DB |
KIA routed Samsung 15-5 on April 8 at Gwangju’s Kia Champions Field in a 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League home game.
With the win, KIA moved to 3-7, while Samsung sits at 5-4-1 (W-L-T).
KIA starter Kim Tae-hyung struggled — 3 1/3 innings, nine hits (one homer), one strikeout and three walks — allowing five runs but escaped without taking the loss.
Offensively, Kim Sun-bin reached base five times (2-for-2, three walks) with one RBI and three runs. Na Sung-bum drove in five runs and Castro added four RBIs to pace the attack.
Samsung starter Lee Seung-hyun was shelled, giving up 11 hits (two homers), eight walks and 12 runs over 2 2/3 innings, taking the loss.
Samsung struck first. In the top of the first, Choi Hyung-woo walked and Diaz singled, and with two outs and runners on the corners, Koo Ja-wook delivered an RBI single.
KIA answered quickly. In the bottom of the first, after walks to Kim Sun-bin and Kim Do-young put two on with two outs, Castro and Na Sung-bum hit RBI singles to flip the game.
Riding that momentum, KIA broke it open in the second. Back-to-back hits from Park Jae-hyun and Dale, followed by a Kim Sun-bin walk, loaded the bases with two outs. Castro cleared the bases with a double, and Na Sung-bum added an RBI single to push it to 6-1.
Han Jun-soo then singled and Park Sang-jun drew a walk to reload the bases, and Park Jae-hyun’s two-run single made it 8-1.
In the third, Kim Sun-bin’s hit set up Kim Do-young’s two-run homer, putting KIA in double digits at 10. After a Castro walk, Na Sung-bum capped the inning with a two-run homer to stretch the lead to 12-1.
Samsung fought back in the fourth. Lee Jae-hyun and Kim Ji-chan’s hits put runners at first and second with one out; a wild pitch moved them to second and third, and Ryu Ji-hyuk’s two-run single to shallow right started the rally.
With one out and a runner at first, Choi Hyung-woo battled to a full count and then launched a two-run homer over the right-field wall, cutting the deficit to 12-5.
KIA responded immediately. In the bottom of the fourth, after a third-base fielding error, a walk and a shortstop fielding error loaded the bases with one out, and Na Sung-bum’s sacrifice fly to right pushed the lead back to 13-5.
KIA put the game away in the fifth. With one out and runners on first and second after hits by Park Sang-jun and Dale, Kim Ho-ryeong delivered an RBI single to center and Kim Sun-bin followed with an RBI knock, restoring a 15-5, double-digit lead.
KIA turned to the bullpen and Choi Ji-min, Jo Sang-woo, Lee Tae-yang and Han Jae-seung combined to shut down Samsung’s lineup and close out the win.
[Sports Today reporter Kang Tae-gu sports@stoo.com]
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