SEOUL — In a tight exhibition game on Sunday, the San Diego Padres edged out a 1-0 win against the South Korean national team, a match that left Padres manager Mike Shildt notably impressed with the Korean pitchers' performance. The Padres struggled offensively, managing only four hits against five different South Korean pitchers at the Gocheok Sky Dome.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the quality of South Korea's pitching was particularly noteworthy. He commended the South Korean starting pitcher, Moon Dong-ju, for recovering after a rocky start and completing the first inning with only one run allowed despite issuing four walks. The run resulted from a wild pitch by Moon in the early stages of the game, which turned out to be the only score of the match.
The Padres' manager also praised the second South Korean pitcher, Won Tae-in, for his outstanding performance over two scoreless innings, highlighting his changeup that left Padres players, including Jake Cronenworth and Fernando Tatis Jr., in admiration.
Despite the Padres' lack of offensive production, Shildt viewed the game positively, seeing it as a good preparation for the upcoming regular season games, including an exhibition against the LG Twins and a two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He acknowledged the challenges faced by his team in generating runs but expressed confidence in their improvement and readiness for the season ahead.
The game also featured a homecoming for Padres South Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong, who received a warm welcome from over 12,000 fans. Kim contributed a hit in four at-bats and maintained solid defense throughout the game. Shildt expressed his satisfaction with Kim's performance and the positive reaction from the local crowd, acknowledging the significance of the moment for Kim and the supportive atmosphere created by the fans.