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Tigers snap losing streak on dominant pitching by Adam Oller

Published: 06 Apr. 2026, 07:00

Kia Tigers pitcher Adam Oller [KIA TIGERS]

The Kia Tigers eked out a second win of the 2026 KBO season by beating the NC Dinos 3-0 in Gwangju on Sunday thanks to a dominant performance from pitcher Adam Oller, who also played a key role in the team’s first victory of the campaign.

The Tigers improved to two wins in eight games. The win cut a four-game losing streak and lifted the team into a three-way tie for eighth place on the 10-team table with the Lotte Giants and Kiwoom Heroes.

The Tigers, the 2024 Korean Series champion, have seen a poor start this year. The Gwangju team has struggled since losing 7-6 to the SSG Landers on March 28, throwing away a 5-0 lead during that game.

Oller, however, helped stabilize the rotation. He earned his first win of the season on Tuesday in a 7-2 victory over the LG Twins after throwing six scoreless innings, but the Tigers then fell into another four-game losing streak.

Pitching on four days’ rest, Oller threw 92 pitches and set the tone early. He allowed just one hit through five innings, a single by Matt Davidson in the fourth, and retired the side in order in the first three innings and again in the fifth.

Oller faced his toughest moment in the sixth inning. He allowed a leadoff runner and later gave up a double to Park Min-woo with two outs, putting runners on second and third, but he escaped the jam by inducing a groundout from Davidson.

He completed seven scoreless innings without issuing a walk or allowing another hit, outperforming Dinos starter Natsuki Toda, who allowed two runs over six innings.

Oller, who joined the Tigers last season, posted an 11-7 record with a 3.62 ERA in 26 appearances, including 25 starts, and re-signed with the club ahead of this campaign.

Kia Tigers pitcher Adam Oller pitches during a KBO game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on March 31. [NEWS1]

Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho praised Oller's performance on Sunday.

“Oller attacked the strike zone and kept their lineup in check,” Lee said. “He has shown steady and reliable form since the preseason, which is encouraging.”

Elsewhere, the KT Wiz defeated the Samsung Lions 2-0 in Suwon, Gyeonggi.

The Lions fielded a lineup of nine left-handed hitters to target Wiz right-hander Caleb Boushley, marking the first time in KBO history that all nine starters batted left-handed, but Boushley held them scoreless over six innings.

The Doosan Bears, meanwhile, beat the Hanwha Eagles 4-0 in southern Seoul to also end a four-game losing streak.

The LG Twins edged the Kiwoom Heroes 6-5 in western Seoul. The SSG Landers defeated the Lotte Giants 4-3 in Busan to extend their winning streak to four games and take sole possession of first place, while the Giants suffered a sixth straight loss.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]