Kiwoom Heroes’ Park Ju-hong hit his first home run in six years. Following a safety incident at Changwon NC Park, NC, having secured its first victory, held a moment of silence to honor the victims.

In the second matchup of the season against the NC Dinos held at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome on the 4th, Kiwoom showcased a starting lineup consisting of Puig (left fielder), Song Seong-mun (second baseman), Cardenas (designated hitter), Choi Joo-hwan (first baseman), Kim Keon-hee (catcher), Lim Byeong-wook (center fielder), Park Ju-hong (right fielder), Kim Tae-jin (shortstop), and Jeon Tae-hyun (third baseman).

Notably, Park Ju-hong's performance as the right fielder in the 7th spot was remarkable. He completely changed the flow of the game by recording a powerful three-run home run right from his first at-bat.

After one out in the second inning, Kim Keon-hee and Lim Byeong-wook reached base with successive walks, setting up runners. Park Ju-hong, in a 1-ball-1-strike situation, perfectly connected with the third pitch — a fastball at 152 km/h — sending it soaring over the right field wall for a massive three-run home run. The distance of this home run was 125 meters, creating such an incredible trajectory that everyone instinctively knew it was a home run the moment it was hit.

Park Ju-hong recorded his first emotional home run after 121 games and 240 at-bats since being drafted first overall in 2020. Until the game, his career batting average had been a somewhat poor .155, but with this home run, he reached a new turning point.

Thus, Park Ju-hong proved his potential and brought great joy to the team and fans. There are high expectations for more of his performances in future games.

Meanwhile, on that day, NC achieved a comeback victory over Kiwoom with a score of 7-5. Having escaped a three-game losing streak, they recorded 4 wins and 5 losses. After securing their first win following the safety incident at Changwon NC Park, nobody from NC smiled. After the victory, NC players gathered on the mound, choosing to commemorate the victims of the structural collapse at Changwon NC Park with a moment of silence instead of a celebration.

After the game, Park Min-woo said, "I told the players in the top of the 9th that if we win, we should gather on the mound for a moment of silence. It is a way to express our condolences for the victims."

Park Geon-woo vowed, "I will pray for the souls of those who passed away in this accident and will do my best in every game with a heart full of prayer."

Son Ah-seop noted, "I feel heavy-hearted. Yesterday, I couldn't focus well. It's a heavy atmosphere, but because many fans came to watch yesterday and today, I thought we had to win without fail. I feel heavy-hearted, but I tried my best to concentrate as much as possible during the game."

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