The defending South Korean baseball champions LG Twins defeated the Hanwha Eagles 8-2 to open their title defense Saturday, knocking down the Eagles' ex-major league star Ryu Hyun-jin early in the process. Light-hitting infielder Shin Min-jae welcomed Ryu back to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, and the Twins scored five runs off Ryu in front of a sellout crowd of 23,750. Shin drove in three runs for the Twins, one shy of his career high, and Dietrich Enns won his first KBO regular season start after holding the Eagles to two runs on seven hits in six innings. Leadoff man Park Hae-min stole three bases while picking up two hits. Every Twins starter had at least a hit. The Twins pounded out 11 hits overall and also stole six bags. Enns outdueled Ryu, who gave up five runs -- three unearned -- on six hits and three walks in only 3 2/3 innings. He did not have a strikeout. This was Ryu's first KBO regular sea son start since Oct. 4, 2012. He first pitched for the Eagles from 2006 to 2012 and then played the next 11 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) before reuniting with the Eagles in February with an eight-year, 17 billion-won (US$12.6 million) contract. The Eagles couldn't cash in after putting the first two runners aboard against Enns in the top of the second inning. Moon Hyun-bin failed to sacrifice the runners over, as his botched bunt attempt led to a forceout of the lead runner at third base. Kim Kang-min then bounced into an inning-ending double play. The Twins made the Eagles pay by drawing the first blood in the bottom second. Ryu gave up a walk and two straight singles to load the bases. Then No. 9 hitter Shin dumped a single to shallow left field to score two runs. The Eagles cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top third, when Yonathan Perlaza doubled down the left field line after the inning's first two batters reached. The Eagles kept pounding out hits against Enns and loaded the bases with nobody o ut in the top fourth thanks to two singles sandwiching a walk. Enns got the first out on a weak comebacker, but then hit No. 9 hitter Choi Jae-hoon in the leg to push in the tying run. Enns escaped the jam without further damage, thanks to a fielder's choice grounder and a strikeout. The Twins then put up a three-spot in the bottom fourth to take the lead for good, chasing Ryu from the game as well. With two outs, Moon Sung-ju worked a seven-pitch walk and Shin reached on a fielding error by second baseman Moon Hyun-bin. The Twins then smacked three straight singles to knock Ryu out of the game, with the first two of those hits driving in three runs for a 5-2 lead. A groundout by Park Dong-won made it 6-2 in the fifth inning. With the four-run cushion, Enns retired the side in order in both fifth and sixth innings before handing the reins over to the bullpen. Shin picked up his third RBI of the game with a single in the seventh and Austin Dean's RBI single in the eighth to round out the scoring. Thre e Twins relievers combined for three perfect innings to lock down the win. This was one of five games held across the country on Opening Day. At KT Wiz Park in Suwon, just south of Seoul, the Samsung Lions defeated the KT Wiz, last year's runners-up, 6-2 in 10 innings. The Lions scored four times in the top of the 10th, with reliever Park Yeong-hyun having a meltdown. The SSG Landers defeated the Lotte Giants 5-3 at Incheon SSG Landers Field in Incheon, west of Seoul. Landers third baseman Choi Jeong hit his 459th career home run to move within eight of the all-time record held by Lee Seung-yuop, manager of the Doosan Bears. The Bears lost to the NC Dinos 4-3 at Changwon NC Park in Changwon, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Matt Davidson delivered the walkoff hit with two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. In the southwestern city of Gwangju, the Kia Tigers edged out the Kiwoom Heroes 7-5 at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. Choi Joo-hwan gave the Heroes a 2-0 lead with a two-run shot in the top first, but the Tigers responded with a five-spot in the bottom first en route to their first win under new manager Lee Bum-ho. All five games were played before sellout crowds. The KBO said 103,841 fans were in attendance Saturday, the third-highest total for an Opening Day. Source: Yonhap News Agency