KBO Recap: KT Wiz 9-8 Doosan Bears | September 20 Highlights & Scores

Game Summary

The KT Wiz pulled off a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Doosan Bears on September 20, surviving a late comeback attempt to maintain their commanding position atop the KBO standings. In a game that saw the pitching matchup completely fall apart, both teams combined for seven home runs and numerous defensive miscues. The Bears clawed back from an early deficit, but KT held on with solid late-inning relief work, with closer Kim Jung-un locking down the final stretch.

Pitching Performance

Ko Young-pyo was the beneficiary of all the offensive fireworks, earning his 13th win despite giving up just one run across seven innings. The KT starter struck out four and scattered only three hits, putting the Wiz in position to close out the game. However, the bullpen situation deteriorated quickly when Ko left the game. Sugimoto failed to record an out while allowing three runs on three hits. The relief corps continued to struggle—Ju Gwon and Son Dong-hyun each pitched brief appearances and surrendered multiple runs. By the time Kim Jung-un entered in the eighth inning, the game had become uncomfortably close.

For Doosan, it was a complete disaster on the mound. Park Shin-ji lasted just one and a third innings, charged with five runs on seven hits before being pulled immediately. The Bears cycled through seven different pitchers trying to contain the damage, with Kim Dong-joo, Yoon Tae-ho, Lee Yong-chan, Lee Byung-hun, Kim Young-hyun, and Takada all taking turns. None could establish any rhythm, and several contributed to the scoring with wild pitches or earned runs. It was the kind of performance that leaves a manager’s head spinning on the bench.

Offensive Highlights

The Bears’ offense showed fight throughout, particularly in the final innings. Jang Jun-won, the Wiz’s catcher, was the unlikely power hero early on, launching two home runs to account for five runs across the second and third innings. Severino answered back with authority for Doosan, driving in three runs with his fifth home run of the season in the eighth inning. Park Ji-hun added his second homer in that same frame, keeping Doosan within striking distance. Yangsuk-hwan contributed a solo shot in the seventh.

The game’s key batting moments came in bursts rather than methodical accumulation. Kim Min-seok went 2-for-5 with an RBI for Doosan, while Yongseok Oh and Kim Hyun-su each chipped in with multi-hit performances for KT. Hillieard, appearing in just a couple at-bats, drove in a crucial run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning that set the tone early. The Wiz simply had more contributions across the lineup when it mattered most.

Key Play of the Game

The decisive blow came in the first inning when Hillieard delivered a sacrifice fly with runners on the corners and one out. That early 1-0 lead proved to be the difference in a game that swung back and forth with remarkable speed. Doosan answered quickly with its own power display, but they never quite managed to overtake KT despite multiple opportunities. The Bears loaded the bases in the eighth and ninth innings without pushing across the tying run, a frustration that defined their comeback attempt.

Beyond the individual plays, the turning point was the complete ineffectiveness of Doosan’s bullpen. When Park Shin-ji exited after barely getting anyone out, the Bears’ pitching staff simply couldn’t stabilize the game. KT’s hitters capitalized on the chaos, and even when the relief pitchers got into trouble, Kim Jung-un arrived to shut the door with four strikeouts over his save situation.

Standings Impact

This victory pushes KT to 78 wins with just 47 losses, extending their commanding lead atop the regular season standings. Doosan remains stuck in fifth place at 65-62, now 13 games behind the division leaders. The gap between first and fifth place in the KBO has rarely been this wide this late in a season, and wins like this one—where KT survives despite sloppy late-inning pitching—underscore their resilience. Doosan, meanwhile, must answer serious questions about their bullpen depth heading into the postseason picture.