SUWON, South Korea, After earning his first win in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in six years Tuesday, new Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon said it was a total team effort. The 65-year-old skipper said his players and staff deserved all the credit for the 8-2 victory over the KT Wiz. "When managers pick up wins, it's not because of anything we do. Today, our players and every member of our coaching staff did all the heavy lifting," Kim said after the comfortable win at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul. "I also want to thank our fans who showed up in great numbers for this road game. I wanted to put on a good show for these fans, and I am glad to be sending them home happy. But most of all, our players did an excellent job." After starter Hwang Jun-seo lasted just three innings, the bullpen took care of the rest, holding the Wiz to a run on three hits. The last three hitters in the lineup drove in six of the eight runs for the Eagles, who ended their three-game losing streak. K im said veterans came through in key spots and younger players held their own. "Going forward, I'd like to give our young guys more of an opportunity," Kim said. "We'll take it one game at a time." Kim was named the Eagles' new skipper Sunday, and this was his first game in the KBO since being fired by the NC Dinos in June 2018. Kim now has 897 wins in 1,701 career regular-season games, and he said Tuesday's "W" meant something special. "I am happy to be back managing, and to win my first game here is unbelievable," said Kim, who added that his players saved him the game ball as a souvenir. As the Eagles try to climb back into postseason contention -- they are still in eighth place at 25-32-1 (wins-losses-ties), with only the top five teams getting into the playoffs -- Kim said he wasn't going to celebrate forever. "After this interview, I will forget about this victory," Kim said. "I'll go meet with my staff and start preparing for tomorrow's game." Source: Yonhap News Agency
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