Twins look to capture Korean Series title with ace Kelly on mound

A win away from capturing their first Korean Series title in 29 years, the LG Twins will send their top starter, Casey Kelly, to the hill in the potential clinching game. In a rematch of the opening contest of this best-of-seven series, the KT Wiz will counter with right-hander Ko Young-pyo on Monday as they try to stay alive. The starting pitching matchup was announced Sunday, the eve of Game 5 of the Korea Baseball Organization championship round. After dropping Game 1 last Tuesday, the Twins

Nov. 12, 2023

American lefty vs. S. Korean righty to duel in pivotal Game 3 of Korean Series

With the Korean Series against the LG Twins knotted at one game apiece, the KT Wiz will turn to their American ace Wes Benjamin trying to win their first home game in the best-of-seven set Friday. The Twins will send homegrown right-hander Im Chan-kyu to the hill, as they look to steal a game on the road. The Wiz won the opening game of the series 3-2 on Tuesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Then on the following day, the Wiz opened up a 4-0 lead after the first inning before the Twins ra

Nov. 9, 2023

Be it playoff beard or routine, Wiz ace Benjamin not changing anything

KT Wiz left-hander Wes Benjamin is about to pitch in the biggest game of his career in South Korea this week, but he says he won't change anything -- including his facial hair. Benjamin last shaved after the Wiz dropped their second straight game against the NC Dinos in the previous Korea Baseball Organization postseason series on Oct. 31. Then the Wiz won three games in a row to take the best-of-five series and reach the Korean Series. Benjamin is now in full playoff beard mode. "I do

Nov. 8, 2023

LG Twins turn rare triple play in Korean Series

The LG Twins turned a rare triple play in the opening game of the Korean Series against the KT Wiz on Tuesday. With runners at first and second with nobody out in the top of the second inning, the Wiz's Moon Sang-chul put down a bunt trying to advance the runners. But the ball stopped right in front of the home plate in fair territory. Catcher Park Dong-won picked it up and threw out the lead runner Jang Sung-woo at third, where shortstop Oh Ji-hwan was covering the bag. Oh then threw to fi

Nov. 7, 2023

LG Twins looking to end KBO title drought vs. surging KT Wiz

In 1994, the last time the LG Twins won the Korean Series title as the champions of the Korea Baseball Organization, the league only had eight teams. The KT Wiz didn't even exist then. The Wiz joined the league in 2015 as the 10th team. Just six years later, they won their first Korean Series championship. Starting Tuesday, the two clubs will square off in the best-of-seven Korean Series, with the Twins trying to end a drought that has gone on for nearly three decades, and the Wiz chasing t

Nov. 6, 2023

Wiz face steep odds in bid to keep KBO title hopes alive

Having been pushed to the brink of elimination in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason, the KT Wiz must pull off a rare feat to stay alive against the NC Dinos. The Wiz dropped the first two games of the best-of-five second round in the postseason at home in Suwon, just south of Seoul. The series now moves to the Dinos' home in the southeastern city of Changwon, for Game 3 at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and, if necessary, Game 4 at 6:30 p.m. Friday. If the Wiz bounce back to steal the next two

Nov. 2, 2023

3 yrs removed from KBO title, Dinos make another push with new-look roster

The NC Dinos won their first and so far only Korean Series title three years ago, but three years can be like an eternity in baseball. From the Dinos' title-winning roster of 30 players in 2020, only seven have returned for this year's postseason in the Korea Baseball Organization. And one of those seven didn't even play any game in 2020 but has been a key contributor this year, as the Dinos sit a win away from reaching the next round. Change is the name of the game: players are c

Oct. 25, 2023

Dinos beat Landers on road to open KBO postseason series

Riding strong starting pitching and timely hitting, the NC Dinos held off the SSG Landers 4-3 to begin their first-round series in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason Sunday. Kim Seong-uk delivered a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, west of Seoul, backing a scoreless start by Shin Min-hyeok. The Dinos added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth, and they all counted as the Landers made things interesting with a two-r

Oct. 22, 2023

Cuban veteran to duel homegrown pitcher to begin KBO postseason series

A veteran left-hander from Cuba will be up against a homegrown right-hander to begin a South Korean baseball postseason series on Sunday. The SSG Landers, defending Korean Series champions, announced Saturday that Roenis Elias will start Game 1 of their first round Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) playoff series against the NC Dinos. The Dinos will counter with right-hander Shin Min-hyeok. The first pitch is 2 p.m. Sunday at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon. As the No. 3

Oct. 21, 2023

American ace captures Triple Crown, veteran earns 1st career batting title in KBO

A first-year American pitcher made history, and a veteran outfielder captured his first career batting title, as the 2023 South Korean baseball regular season drew to a conclusion Tuesday night. NC Dinos starter Erick Fedde became the first foreign pitcher, and only the fourth pitcher overall, to win the Triple Crown in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history, as the league leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Fedde finished with 20 wins, 209 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA. He is also the fifth pitc

Oct. 17, 2023

KBO postseason brackets set on final day of regular season

The 2023 regular season in South Korean baseball wrapped up Tuesday, with the playoff brackets finally set after all 10 clubs completed their 144-game schedule. The final postseason spot up for grabs in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) was the No. 3 seed, and the defending champions SSG Landers claimed it with a 5-0 victory over the Doosan Bears on Tuesday. The NC Dinos, who were holding down the No. 3 spot Sunday, dropped their final two regular season games to end up in fourth place. Th

Oct. 17, 2023

S. Korea beats Chinese Taipei for 4th straight baseball gold

SHAOXING, China (Yonhap) -- South Korea won an unprecedented fourth straight Asian Games baseball gold medal Saturday, with a 2-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in the final. Starter Moon Dong-ju struck out seven in six shutout frames, while South Korea scored its two runs without the benefit of hits on this rainy night at Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Centre in Shaoxing, China, southeast of the main host city of Hangzhou. South Korea manager Ryu Joong-il won his second career Asiad gold

Oct. 7, 2023

S. Korea shuts out Japan to inch closer to baseball final berth

South Korea defeated Japan 2-0 on Thursday to move a step closer to a berth in the Asian Games baseball gold medal game. Starter Park Se-woong tossed six shutout innings and cleanup Roh Si-hwan drove in both runs for South Korea's first win in the Super Round at Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Centre in Shaoxing, southeast of the main host city, Hangzhou. South Korea, three-time defending champion, reached the Super Round after finishing in second place in Group B, behind Chinese Taipei, i

Oct. 5, 2023

S. Korea cruises past N. Korea in women's basketball

HANGZHOU, China -- South Korea defeated North Korea 81-62 in a highly-anticipated women's basketball preliminary game at the Asian Games in China on Friday, as the countries that formed a joint team five years ago returned as foes. South Korea overcame an early 21-11 deficit to win its second straight game in Group C at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium, as the closely-contested affair quickly turned into a blowout. Five players on both sides had also played on the 2018 unified Korea

Sept. 29, 2023

Dodgers prospect trying to fit in with S. Korean nat'l baseball team

As the only high school pitcher on the South Korean Asian Games baseball team, teen prospect Jang Hyun-seok is trying to find his bearings among veterans, with the continental competition fast approaching. The 19-year-old from Masan Yongma High School is the only amateur for South Korea bound for Hangzhou, China. He may be short on experience, but he isn't short on talent, as attested by his recent signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. And nearly touching 160 kph (99.4 mph) with a fastball

Sept. 24, 2023

Wiz ace Cuevas voted KBO's top player for August

KT Wiz ace William Cuevas was announced as the top player in South Korean baseball for August on Monday. The Korea Baseball Organization said Cuevas was voted the Player of the Month for August, after going a perfect 5-0 in five starts that month while giving up just two earned runs in 36 innings, for a sparkling ERA of 0.50. The Venezuelan right-hander struck out 37 and walked only three. For August, Cuevas led all qualified KBO starts in wins and ERA, and ranked second in strikeouts. Cuevas to

Sept. 11, 2023

Padres' Kim Ha-seong sets new career high in hits

Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres has established a new career high for hits in a season. Kim went 1-for-4 against the Houston Astros in Minute Maid Park in Houston on Sunday, picking up his 131st hit of the season. Kim collected 130 hits in 150 games as a big league sophomore last year but has surpassed that total in his 139th game this season. The milestone hit came in Kim's second trip to the plate at the top of the Padres' lineup in the top of the third. He hit a soft liner to s

Sept. 11, 2023

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin goes 5 solid innings in no-decision vs. Rockies

Toronto Blue Jays starter Ryu Hyun-jin has settled for a no-decision after pitching five solid innings in a notorious hitters' park, with the bullpen costing the South Korean pitcher his fourth consecutive win. Ryu held the Colorado Rockies to two runs on four hits in five innings at Coors Field in Denver on Friday local time, as the Jays won 13-9. Ryu struck out three and walked two while remaining at 3-1 for the season. His ERA rose slightly from 2.25 to 2.48. All the damage against Ryu c

Sept. 2, 2023

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin wins 3rd straight start

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays has won his third straight start while also helping snap the club's three-game losing streak. Ryu held the Cleveland Guardians to three runs -- two earned -- on four hits in five innings, as the Blue Jays prevailed 8-3 at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Saturday. Two of those hits were solo home runs. Ryu, who struck out five and didn't walk any, improved to 3-1 for the year, while his ERA went up slightly from 1.89 to 2.25. The South Korean left-hande

Aug. 27, 2023

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin wins 2nd straight start, extends unearned run streak to 14 innings

Toronto Blue Jays starter Ryu Hyun-jin has won his second straight start while increasing his stretch of not giving up an earned run to 14 innings. Ryu gave up two runs, both unearned, on four hits in five innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sunday (local time), helping the Blue Jays to a 10-3 victory. Ryu struck out a season-high seven batters and walked just one. The South Korean left-hander improved to 2-1 for the season and lowered his ERA from 2.

Aug. 21, 2023