Doosan Bears 5, Hanwha Eagles 3 – Benjamin Leads the Way | June 25 Review

Game Summary

The Doosan Bears secured a decisive victory over the Hanwha Eagles on June 25, 2026, winning by a score of 5-3 in a competitive matchup at Hanwha Eagles Park. The Bears’ balanced offensive attack combined with solid pitching performances proved sufficient to overcome the Eagles’ late-inning surge. Despite being held scoreless through the first three innings, the Bears broke through in the fourth inning and maintained their advantage throughout the contest. The victory improved Doosan’s record to 36 wins and 37 losses with 2 draws, positioning them in fifth place in the KBO standings, while Hanwha dropped to 34 wins, 37 losses, and 2 draws in sixth place.

Pitching Performance

The Doosan Bears’ pitching staff delivered a strong collective effort, with starter Benjamin earning the victory after allowing just five hits and one earned run over 5⅔ innings of work. The foreign pitcher demonstrated excellent command, striking out four batters while walking three. Kim Taek-yeon provided crucial relief work, throwing 1⅓ innings without allowing a run on just one hit while recording two strikeouts. However, Lee Yong-chan’s brief appearance in the seventh inning proved costly, as the reliever surrendered two runs on two hits in just ⅔ of an inning pitched. Lee Young-ha closed out the game effectively, earning a save by retiring the Eagles in the ninth inning without allowing a hit across 1⅓ innings with two strikeouts.

The Hanwha Eagles’ pitching rotation struggled with consistency throughout the afternoon. Starter Park Jun-young absorbed the loss despite pitching only three innings, surrendering two runs on one hit while walking two batters and striking out three. The Eagles’ bullpen, featuring Park Jun-young (appearing again), Jung Woo-ju, and Kang Jae-min, combined to allow three additional runs across six innings of relief work. The Eagles’ pitching staff collected nine hits against Doosan’s lineup but proved unable to silence the Bears’ offensive weapons when opportunities presented themselves.

Offensive Highlights

The Doosan Bears’ offense displayed versatility and timely hitting throughout the contest. Park Jun-soon led the offensive charge, recording two hits in four at-bats including a home run in the seventh inning while driving in one run. Kim Min-seok emerged as the game’s most impactful hitter, recording two hits in four at-bats while driving in two critical runs, including a go-ahead triple in the fourth inning that proved instrumental in establishing Doosan’s lead. Yoon Jun-ho contributed two hits in four at-bats, while Kim In-tae added a late hit that resulted in an additional run batted in. Oh Myung-jin recorded one hit in four attempts with an RBI.

The Hanwha Eagles mounted offensive resistance despite the ultimate outcome. Kang Baek-ho led the Eagles’ offensive efforts with two hits in four at-bats, including a two-run home run in the eighth inning that momentarily threatened the Bears’ advantage. Noh Si-hwan recorded one hit in three at-bats but contributed significantly with his solo home run in the sixth inning. Shim Woo-jun proved to be a spark plug in the Eagles’ lineup, recording three hits in four at-bats, though he was unable to convert these opportunities into runs. Lee Jin-young added two hits to the Eagles’ total of nine hits distributed across the lineup.

Key Play of the Game

The pivotal moment of the contest occurred in the fourth inning when Kim Min-seok delivered a two-out triple to right field, scoring runners from first and second base to give the Doosan Bears a 2-0 advantage. This go-ahead hit established the momentum that the Bears would maintain throughout the remainder of the game. Though the Hanwha Eagles would close the gap with solo home runs from Noh Si-hwan and Kang Baek-ho in the sixth and eighth innings respectively, the early deficit proved insurmountable. Park Jun-soon’s solo home run in the seventh inning extended Doosan’s lead to 3-1, and despite Kang Baek-ho’s two-run blast that closed the gap to one run in the eighth, the Bears’ pitching staff proved steady enough to preserve the victory.

Standings Impact

This victory carries implications for both teams’ playoff positioning as the 2026 KBO season progresses. The Doosan Bears’ win maintains their presence in the fifth-place position with a 36-37-2 record, keeping them within striking distance of the teams above them in the standings. The loss drops the Hanwha Eagles to sixth place with a 34-37-2 record, widening the gap between themselves and the playoff contenders. As both teams approach the latter stages of the season, each game becomes increasingly critical in determining which franchises will secure postseason berths and which will watch from the sidelines.