Seoul:The LG Twins edged out the Doosan Bears 4-1 to clinch the wild card spot in the South Korean baseball postseason on Wednesday. Austin Dean's two-run home run and Carlos Carrasco's strong pitching performance were key in the victory at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Twins, seeded fourth in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular season, needed only a tie or a win to advance. The Bears, as the fifth seed, required two consecutive wins to progress. Despite a commendable effort from starter Gwak Been, who struck out 10 over six innings, the Bears fell short. Gwak's only significant error was allowing Dean's home run in the first inning.
The Twins secured their win with two additional runs in the eighth inning, setting up a series against the third-seed Kia Tigers in the next round. Carrasco, in his KBO postseason debut, allowed just four hits and struck out three. Dean's home run early in the game set the tone for the Twins' offense.
The Bears struggled to capitalize on their opportunities, leaving runners stranded in key innings. Notably, Park Chan-ho was left at third in the first inning, and Kim Min-suk was doubled off in the second. In a crucial moment in the seventh, the Bears managed to score a run but could not overcome the Twins' lead.
The Twins' bullpen, using four pitchers after Carrasco, managed to hold off any further scoring from the Bears, securing the victory and their place in the next postseason series.