SOUTH KOREA – The defending champion SK Wyverns split a pair of games with the Hanwha Eagles to open the 2009 Korea Baseball Organization season this past weekend at Incheon Stadium.

The Eagles, steered by Korean national team manager Kim In-sik, claimed an 8-2 victory in the season-opening matchup Saturday. Ryu Hyun-jin (1-0) fanned six while allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings to secure the win.

Hanhwa, which led the KBO with 120 home runs last season, flexed their muscle again in the season opener. Shortstop Song Kwang-min hit the season’s first long ball in the second inning, while new import Victor Diaz added a three-run blast.

Third baseman Lee Bum-ho, who hit three home runs in the World Baseball Classic, also delivered a two-run shot for the Eagles in the eighth to seal the easy win.

On Sunday, SK scored three runs in the fourth and went on to register a 5-3 victory to gain a split in the season-opening series. Diaz continued swinging the bat well for Hanhwa with a 3-fo-4 effort that included a double and his second home run in as many games.

SAMSUNG LIONS SWEEP LG TWINS

Samsung’s Yoon Seong-hwan outpitched Bong Jung-geun on Opening Day, and the Lions started the new season on a winning note with a sweep over the LG Twins this past weekend.

Yoon (1-0) shutdown the Twins allowing three hits and one run in a masterful seven-inning outing to pick up the win in a 6-2 victory. Bong (0-1), who helped South Korea nab a pair of victories over Japan in the WBC, was tagged for two runs an eight hits in five effective innings on the hill.

LG’s Roberto Petagine connected for a ninth-inning solo homer off Samsung reliever Kwon Hyeok.

On Sunday, Samsung rallied from a 3-1 deficit to complete the sweep with a 5-3 triumph. Centerfielder Woo Dong-gyun smacked a game-tying two-run bomb in the fifth, and RBIs by Choi Hyeong-woo and Park Seok-min in the same inning clinch the win for the Lions.

DOOSAN BEARS MAUL KIA TIGERS

Doosan erupted for five runs in the fifth off national team hurler Yoon Seok-min to win the season opener 7-5 en route to the Bears weekend sweep against the Kia Tigers.

Yoon (0-1) pitched 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball before the wheels came off in the game-turning fifth frame.

The Bears got a trio of doubles from Kim Dong-ju, Kim Hyeon-su and Matt Watson to break open a tie game and roll to their fist victory of the season.

Former major leaguer Kim Sun-woo (1-0) worked six innings to notch the win.

The Bears jumped out front early Sunday on catcher Choi Seung-hwan’s two-run shot in the second and held on for a 3-1 victory.

Jeong Jae-hoon (1-0) struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings to claim the win.

HEROES SALVAGE SPLIT WITH LOTTE

The Heroes rebounded from a bitter-tasting 3-2 meltdown Saturday to rout the Lotte Giants 10-1 the next day to salvage a split in the weekend opening series.

Lotte catcher Kang Min-ho hit, who starred for the national team at the recent World Baseball Classic, swatted a one-out solo home run in the seventh to tie the game at 2-2. Later in the inning, Kim Joo-chan was credited with a game-winning RBI double after the Heroes left fielder misplayed his towering fly ball.

In the second meeting between the two squads, Cliff Brumbaugh went 3-for-5 with a homer, two runs scored and six RBIs as the Heroes coasted to the lopsided victory.

Kim Soo-kyeong (1-0) allowed one run and five hits in seven strong innings to post the win.

Photo courtesy of world.kbs.co.kr

Tags: South Korea