Gwak Been Throws Six Hitless Innings as South Korea Opens Asian Games With 5-0 Win

Gwak Been delivered six hitless innings with 10 strikeouts as South Korea opened its 2026 Asian Games baseball title defense with a 5-0 win over Chinese Taipei on September 21 in Okazaki, Japan. The Doosan Bears ace allowed only two walks across 90 pitches, giving Korea the dominant start it needed in the most important matchup of Group B.

South Korea is chasing a fifth consecutive Asian Games baseball gold medal, and Gwak immediately set the tone. Chinese Taipei did not record a hit until the ninth inning, while Korea gradually turned a 1-0 game into a comfortable opening victory.

Gwak Been dominates Chinese Taipei for six innings

Gwak attacked Chinese Taipei with the power arsenal that has made him one of the KBO’s best pitchers in 2026. He struck out four batters over the first two innings and escaped his only meaningful trouble in the third after a walk helped put a runner in scoring position.

From there, the right-hander took control. He completed six innings without allowing a hit, finishing with 10 strikeouts and two walks. Gwak entered the tournament with an 11-7 record and 2.26 ERA for the Doosan Bears and leads the KBO with 186 strikeouts.

The performance was especially significant after Gwak was part of Korea’s gold-medal team at the previous Asian Games but did not pitch because of injury. This time, he was entrusted with the opener against Korea’s strongest group-stage opponent and responded with one of the tournament’s first standout pitching performances.

Korea breaks open a one-run game late

Chinese Taipei starter Lin Yi-wei kept the Korean lineup quiet for much of the afternoon. The 20-year-old allowed only one hit and one unearned run across five innings, keeping his team within one run while Gwak controlled the other side.

Korea’s first run came in the second inning after Moon Bo-gyeong reached on an error. Kim Ju-won followed with a hit before Park Jae-hyun brought Moon home with a sacrifice fly.

The margin remained 1-0 until the seventh. Park Jun-soon doubled home a run and Cho Hyung-woo added a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. Roh Si-hwan drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth before Yoon Dong-hee capped the scoring with a solo home run.

South Korea pitching carries no-hit bid into ninth

Jo Byeong-hyeon replaced Gwak and added two more hitless innings, extending the combined no-hit bid through eight. Chinese Taipei finally broke through against Park Yeong-hyun in the ninth and finished with two hits, but never threatened the shutout.

Korea’s three pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts. The result gives the defending champions an immediate advantage in Group B and removes the biggest obstacle from their opening round.

What comes next in the Asian Games baseball tournament?

South Korea next faces Hong Kong on September 22 before closing group play against Thailand on September 23. The top two teams from each preliminary group advance to the Super Round, with the two best teams from that stage meeting for the gold medal on September 27 in Toyohashi.

After four consecutive Asian Games titles, Korea entered Japan as the team to beat. Gwak’s six hitless innings against Chinese Taipei provided an emphatic first step toward making it five.