KIA Tigers rookie Kim Doo-hyun (21), who was selected for South Korea’s U-23 national baseball team, almost got seriously hurt.
The Korean national baseball under-23 team led by head coach Choi Tae-won lost to Venezuela 4-8 in the opening round of Group B match of the 5th World Baseball Championship (U-23). It was Korea’s first loss at the championship, which beat Taiwan, South Africa, and the Netherlands in succession to secure three consecutive wins.메이저놀이터
Korea took the first run. In the bottom of the second inning, Korea scored first with a sacrifice fly by Kim Si-ang (Kium Heroes) on the third base with one out, which was made with a double by No. 4 Kim Dong-hyun (Sungkyunkwan University) and a sacrifice bunt by No. 5 Choi Sung-min (KT Wiz).
Starting pitcher Kim Tae-hyun (Gwangju Jeil High School) allowed a walk to the leadoff batter in the top of the third inning and handed over the mound to Kim Do-bin (Hanwha Eagles). Kim did not allow a run, treating the follow-up hitter with a ground ball, a fly ball and strikeout to shortstop.
Later, in the top of the fourth inning, Kim Do-bin, Son Joo-hwan (NC Dinos), and Kim Baek-san (Busan University of Science and Technology) took the mound in order and had five hits. They gave up five runs due to errors and wild pitches, and the score gap widened as they lost one more point in the top of the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Korea started chasing after Kim with a two-base hit by Kim Hyun-chong of the LG Twins in a chance to garner a bases-loaded walk with one out, which was made with Kim Si-ang’s double, Song Ho-jeong of the Hanwha Eagles (Hanyang University) and Lee Jung-hyun’s walk. In the bottom of the sixth inning, he also scored on consecutive wild pitches for Venezuela after Kim Dong-hyun’s hit fourth.
In the top of the seventh inning, a dizzying situation occurred. In the top of the seventh inning, Venezuela tried to bunt with runners on the first and second bases with no outs. Song Ho-jung grabbed the ball and threw it to the third base to catch a runner. Kim Doo-hyun (KIA), who came in through the cover of the third base, caught it and made an out count, but the Venezuelan runner on second base held up his legs and slid towards Kim Doo-hyun’s ankle. Kim lost his balance and fell backward, holding his ankle, and hit the third baseman in the process of getting up. As a result, the Venezuelan player was more excited and threw a fist, causing a bench clearance.
Kim Doo-hyun is a rookie who graduated from Suwon Shingok Elementary School, Maehyang Middle School, Gonggo High School, and Dongwon University and joined KIA in 2024 as No. 106 in the 11th round of the KBO Rookie Draft. His stable catch and smooth throwing movements were recognized for his defense ability to play all positions in the infield. Thanks to that, despite being a rookie in the last professional car, he was called up to bat instead of Park Chan-ho (29), who received a condolence leave as a good girl in the match against the Gwangju Samsung Lions on August 9.
South Korea lost 4-8 to Venezuela after losing two more points. With three wins and one loss in the opening round of Group B, South Korea will play the last game of the opening round at 11 a.m. on the 10th (Korea time) in Nicaragua and Shaoxing Stadium, and will be broadcast live on SPOTV.