NC Dinos Keep Playoff Hopes Alive with Victory Over Doosan Bears
The NC Dinos continued their push for a postseason berth with a decisive 6-0 victory over the Doosan Bears on September 14, 2025. The game, held at Changwon NC Park, saw a strong performance from pitcher Riley Thompson and key contributions from the batting lineup.
Game Summary
Led by head coach Lee Ho-joon, the NC Dinos secured their 61st win of the season (61-6-63), keeping their playoff aspirations alive. Acting manager Cho Sung-hwan's Doosan Bears, on the other hand, suffered their 70th loss (56-6-70) after a five-game losing streak. The Dinos dominated the game from the first inning, showcasing both strong pitching and powerful hitting.
The starting lineup for NC featured Kim Joo-won, Choi Won-joon, Park Gun-woo, Matt Davidson, Oh Young-soo, Lee Woo-sung, Kim Hyung-joon, Do Tae-hoon, and Kim Hwi-jip. Doosan countered with Ahn Jae-seok, Park Jun-soon, Jake Cave, Hong Seong-ho, Kim In-tae, Kim Ki-yeon, Kim Dong-joon, Lee Yoo-chan, and Cho Soo-haeng, with Kim Min-gyu as the starting pitcher.
Key Moments
Kim Joo-won ignited the Dinos' offense with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. Davison added a sacrifice fly, driving in another run. The Dinos continued to build their lead, adding a run in the second inning with a sacrifice fly by Kim Hwi-jip. In the third inning, another sacrifice fly from Davison extended NC's advantage. The Dinos' bats remained hot throughout the game, with additional runs scored in the fourth and fifth innings.
Doosan struggled to mount a comeback, failing to score against Riley Thompson and the NC bullpen. The Bears' lineup couldn't find a way to generate any significant offense.
Player Performances
Riley Thompson delivered a stellar performance, pitching six innings, allowing only two hits, and striking out 10 batters. This victory marked his 15th win of the season (15-6). With these 10 strikeouts, Riley Thompson reached the 200 strikeout milestone for the season, becoming the 19th pitcher in KBO history to achieve this feat. Park Gun-woo contributed with two hits and two steals, while Kim Joo-won added a home run, an RBI, and a steal. Lee Woo-sung drove in a run with a timely hit. Park Kun-woo achieved his 10th consecutive season of 100 hits and 100 steals.
Doosan's starter, Kim Min-gyu, struggled, allowing five runs in three innings and suffering his first loss of the season (1-1). The Doosan batters were held in check, managing only three hits.
Expert Analysis
According to Josh Schonwald, writing on September 13, 2025, for the Doosan Bears vs NC Dinos game on September 14, 2025, at Changwon NC Park, the odds favored NC (-144) over Doosan (+120). However, Schonwald's pick was for Doosan (+120).
| Team | Stats |
|---|---|
| Doosan Bears |
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| NC Dinos |
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The NC Dinos win demonstrates their determination to secure a playoff spot. While Josh Schonwald predicted a Doosan win, the Dinos proved their strength with a dominant performance. The solid pitching of Riley Thompson and the timely hitting of key players were crucial to their success.
