'First-ever team perfect game' Ryu Ji-hyun-led South Korea routs Hong Kong 13-0 in a run-rule game, wins second straight in group stage [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] South Korea's national baseball team, seeking a fifth consecutive Asian Games title, earned a dominant win over underdog Hong Kong while recording the rare feat of a team perfect game without allowing a single batter to reach base. Ryu Ji-hyun-led South Korea has won two straight group-stage games after routing Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong.
South Korea's national baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, defeated Hong Kong 13-0 in a seventh-inning run-rule game in the second Group B game of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 22nd. In this tournament, a run-rule game is declared when the margin reaches 15 runs by the end of the fifth inning or 10 runs by the end of the seventh.
South Korea's pitchers delivered a perfect performance through seven innings, allowing no baserunners through hits, walks, hit-by-pitches, errors or any other means. Choi Min-seok (Doosan) started the effort by retiring Hong Kong in two innings on 18 pitches. Jinwook Kim and Choi Jun-yong (both Lotte), Kim Youngwoo (LG), Bae Chan-seung (Samsung) and Seong Young-tak (KIA) each pitched one inning, combining for 12 strikeouts and completing the team perfect game.
Since the 2002 Busan Games, when the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) digitized Asian Games records, this is the first time South Korea's national team has recorded not only a team perfect game but also a team no-hitter without allowing a single hit.
South Korea's offense also battered Hong Kong's pitching with 14 hits and eight walks and hit-by-pitches. Every starter except Moon Hyun-bin (Hanwha) recorded a hit, and two home runs quickly put the game out of reach. With two outs in the top of the first, KIM Do-young (KIA) reached on an infield hit before fourth batter and captain Roh Si-hwan (Hanwha) launched a clean two-run homer into left-center field.
South Korea extended its lead on an RBI single by Kim Ji-chan (Samsung) in the top of the second. Then, with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the third, Cho Hyung-woo (SSG) sent a grand slam over the left-field wall to make it 7-0. South Korea added three runs on back-to-back RBI hits by Kim Ji-chan and Yoon Dong-hee (Lotte) in the top of the fifth, then capped the scoring at 13-0 in the top of the seventh with run-scoring hits by Yoon Dong-hee and Park Jae-hyun (KIA), followed by a sacrifice fly from Jung Jun-jae (SSG).
After beating Chinese Taipei 5-0 the previous day and Hong Kong on this day, South Korea firmly held first place in Group B with two group-stage wins. South Korea will play its final group-stage game against Thailand at noon on the 23rd at the same venue. 

[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter