South Korea won the Hangzhou Asian Games baseball gold medal Saturday with a victory over Chinese Taipei 2-0 at Shaoxing Stadium. 

Having lost 4-0 to Chinese Taipei earlier in the tournament, Team Korea brought out Hanwha Eagles’ young starting pitcher Moon Dong-ju to lead the way with six scoreless innings as he struck out seven batters.

All of the scoring took place at the top of the second inning, with Moon Bo-gyeong leading off with a double down the right field line.

Moon moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kim Ju-won. Kim Hyung-jun, who singled to left field following the first run of the game, would later score on a wild pitch.

The two runs were enough for Korea, as four South Korean pitchers combined for 9 innings of shut out game, giving up just 5 hits on the way.

Chinese Taipei, with home field advantage, threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning by getting two baserunners on with just one out, but Go Woo-suk managed to get first baseman Wu Nien-ting to ground into a double play to end the game.

Saturday’s top podium finish marks the fourth straight time South Korea has won the men’s baseball gold at the Asiad and the sixth overall.
Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.