The Samsung Lions of the Korea Professional Baseball (KBO) defeated the 'defending champion' KIA Tigers for two consecutive days.
On the 24th, Samsung won big with a score of 17-5 in a home game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. Samsung starter 'Ace of blue blood' Won Tae-in secured his 3rd win of the season. Samsung opened the era of 26,000 RBIs as the first team in KBO history. Koo Ja-wook recorded his 900th career run, becoming the 34th player in history, and Park Byung-ho showcased his power by hitting home runs for the second consecutive day. Kim Sung-yoon completed his first game with 4 hits.
Samsung set the batting order with center fielder Kim Ji-chan, right fielder Kim Sung-yoon, left fielder Koo Ja-wook, first baseman Lewin Diaz, third baseman Kim Young-woong, designated hitter Park Byung-ho, catcher Kang Min-ho, second baseman Ryu Ji-hyeok, and shortstop Lee Jae-hyun. 'Ace of blue blood' Won Tae-in started the game.
KIA, with right-hander Hwang Dong-ha as the starting pitcher, formed their lineup with shortstop Park Chan-ho, second baseman Kim Sun-bin, first baseman Wisdom, designated hitter Choi Hyung-woo, right fielder Lee Woo-sung, left fielder Oh Sun-woo, third baseman Byeon Woo-hyuk, catcher Kim Tae-goon, and center fielder Choi Won-jun.
The first run was scored by Samsung. After two outs in the first inning, Koo Ja-wook's single led to a two-run homer by Lewin Diaz, giving Samsung a 2-0 lead. On the fourth pitch of a 2 balls 1 strike count, he crushed a fastball (144 km/h) deep into the right field stands. The distance was 125 meters. KIA, trailing 0-2, managed to score a run in the third inning when Park Chan-ho hit a solo home run to left field against Samsung starter Won Tae-in.
Then Samsung increased their lead by 2 more runs in the bottom of the third inning. With a walk by Kim Ji-chan, a hit and steal by Kim Sung-yoon, they created a 1 out 2nd and 3rd base situation, where Lewin Diaz's ground ball to first base added 1 run. In the continuing 2 out 3rd base chance, Kim Young-woong hit a triple that went over the center fielder's head. 4-1. In the fifth inning, Kim Sung-yoon, leading off, blasted a solo home run off the opposing left-hander Kim Dae-yu. KIA responded with 1 more run in the sixth inning, courtesy of a homer by Wisdom.
Samsung exploded for 8 runs in the sixth inning. Leadoff batter Park Byung-ho launched a towering 1-run homer. Although Kang Min-ho grounded out to third, Shim Jae-hoon's single and a stolen base by Kim Ji-chan put 2 runners on base. With Kim Sung-yoon's single to center and an error by the opposing defense, both runners scored. Adding 1 more run with consecutive hits from Kim Sung-yoon, Koo Ja-wook, and Lewin Diaz, Samsung filled the bases with a walk issued to Kim Young-woong. Park Byung-ho's sacrifice fly to center, along with consecutive RBIs by Kang Min-ho and Shim Jae-hoon, increased the lead to 13-2.
In the seventh inning, Samsung added 3 more runs during a 1 out 1st and 2nd base opportunity with a double to left-center by Kim Young-woong and a timely single to right by Park Byung-ho. KIA added a run in the eighth inning. Samsung also contributed 1 run in the eighth with a timely hit from Kim Sung-yoon. KIA scored 2 more runs in their final at-bat in the ninth, but it was meaningless.
Samsung starter Won Tae-in earned his 3rd win of the season, pitching 6 innings and allowing 5 hits (2 home runs), 1 walk, and striking out 4 while allowing 2 earned runs. Key hitters such as Kim Sung-yoon (4 hits in 6 at-bats, 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 3 runs), Koo Ja-wook (2 hits in 4 at-bats, 2 runs), Diaz (2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 home run, 4 RBIs, 2 runs), Kim Young-woong (3 hits in 4 at-bats, 3 RBIs, 2 runs), and Park Byung-ho (2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 1 run) showed outstanding performances.
KIA's starter became the losing pitcher after 3 and 2/3 innings, allowing 7 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, and striking out 3 while giving up 4 earned runs. Wisdom achieved a multi-hit game including a home run.
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