'Donisal' Kim Doyoung One-Man Show... Korean Baseball Defeats Cuba 8-4

KIA's Kim Do-young Shines in Cuba Match
4 At-Bats, 3 Hits, 2 Home Runs, 5 RBIs 'One-Man Show'
Local Media Also Highlights Performance

Baseball player Kim Do-young contributed to the team's victory by performing well in the Group B preliminary round match against Cuba at the WBSC Premier 12 2024 held on the 14th at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan. Yonhap News

With the outstanding performance of baseball player Kim Do-young (KIA), South Korea secured a victory against Cuba.

On the 14th (Korean time), Kim Do-young started as the third baseman in the WBSC Premier12 2024 Group B second match against Cuba held at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan. He delivered a powerful performance with 3 hits in 4 at-bats (including 2 home runs) and 5 RBIs, leading South Korea to an 8-4 win over Cuba, wiping away the pain of the previous day's 3-6 loss to Taiwan.

Earlier, Kim Do-young attracted great attention before the tournament by becoming the youngest player in the KBO League this year to achieve 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He was selected as one of the most anticipated players in the Premier12, and local Taiwanese media also focused on him. From the moment he arrived in Taipei on the 8th, numerous fans and reporters gathered, proving his immense popularity.

Although Kim Do-young was not in good condition during the domestic evaluation games, he seemed to regain his batting form after arriving in Taiwan. In the game against Taiwan on the 13th, although the team lost, he recorded 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base, and 1 walk in 3 at-bats, including a 2-run double over the left fielder’s key in the 2nd inning. Right after the game, Kim Do-young expressed confidence, saying, "My body feels light," and "I can do better going forward." On the day of the game against Cuba, he also smiled at the press, saying, "I will perform as well as expected."

In the game against Cuba, Kim Do-young took charge of the hot corner, making a jumping catch of the 6th batter Yadin Drake’s hit after two outs in the top of the 2nd inning, and produced a long hit in the bottom of the 2nd inning. With the score 2-0 in favor of Korea, he stepped up to the plate and hit a fastball from Livan Moinelo with two outs and bases loaded, sending the ball over the left fence. He also demonstrated excellent defensive skills and precise hitting in the 5th and 6th innings. Japanese reporters who watched Kim Do-young’s play reportedly exclaimed "Sugoi (amazing)." When Cuba scored a run in the top of the 7th inning to close the gap, Kim Do-young hit a ball over the left fence on the first pitch from Hernandez with one out in the bottom of the 7th. He celebrated the victory with his teammates in the dugout.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-young is a right-handed throwing and batting infielder for the KIA Tigers, who joined the team as the first overall pick in 2022. He made his national team debut through the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship. One of Kim Do-young’s nicknames is 'Donisal,' which is a shortened phrase of 'Do-young, you have to live because of your sweat.'