LG Twins defeat Doosan Bears 5-1 in KBO matchup, extend winning streak

The offense exploded for four quick runs in the first inning, and the bullpen bent without breaking, as the LG Twins defeated the Doosan Bears 5-1 in South Korean baseball Wednesday.

By beating their Seoul rivals in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for the second straight night, the Twins improved to 66-51-1 (wins-losses-ties) and stayed in third place.

The Bears fell to 61-54-4 but remained in fifth place.

Before 20,274 fans at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the capital, the Twins ambushed Bears starter Choi Seung-yong for four runs on six hits in the top of the first inning.

After a single and a double put men at second and third, Moon Bo-gyeong cashed in both runners with a single to center.

Choi allowed two more singles to load the bases for Park Dong-won, who drove a rocket off the body of third baseman An Jae-seok for an infield hit. As the ball ricocheted into foul territory, two runners came home to give the Twins a 4-0 lead.

The Bears tried to punch back right away in the bottom of the first but stranded two runners against starter Kim Yun-sik.

As Choi settled down to retire seven straight batters after Park's two-run hit in the first inning, the Bears got a run back in the third. Park Chan-ho drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on a flyout. Park Jun-soon then brought him home with a single to right -- knocking Kim out of the game in the process.

The Bears wasted a chance to further cut the deficit in the bottom of the fourth, when Park Chan-ho flied out with two outs and runners at second and third.

In the seventh, the Bears got two straight singles off reliever Jon Kennedy, but then Park Jun-soon bounced into an inning-ending, momentum-killing double play.

The Twins gave themselves some breathing room in the eighth, as Moon Jeong-bin smacked a solo home run off reliever Park Chi-guk.

The blast, which traveled 130 meters into the seats in right-center field, further strengthened Moon's breakout season. The sophomore now has 16 home runs in just 65 games, both career highs.

"I am happy with the home run, but I feel even better about the win for the team," Moon said. "I had not been feeling great at the plate lately, but I got a hit in my first at-bat today and then hit that home run."

Moon flexed some serious power by going the opposite field and going over the deepest part of Jamsil, the league's largest stadium.

"When I am swinging the bat well, I tend to drive the ball the other way," he said. "I think this home run will help me get going again."

After his rough first inning, Choi held the Twins without a hit over the next three frames. Five relievers then limited the Twins to a run on three hits.

However, bats let the Bears down again, as they managed just one run for the second consecutive game.

For the Twins, Kim Jin-su was credited with the win thanks to 1 2/3 innings of scoreless work in their bullpen day.