The professional baseball KT Wiz defeated Hanwha Eagles' ace closer Kim Seo-hyun, allowing him to score his first run of the season.
KT won the away game against Hanwha in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League 2-1 at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on the 25th.
With starting pitcher Sohn Hyung-jun pitching six innings allowing one hit, one walk, striking out ten without giving up any runs, the game-winning hit came in the ninth inning from Mel Rojas Jr.
Recently, KT broke its two-game losing streak, bringing its record to 14 wins, 12 losses, and 1 tie. After an 8-game winning streak, Hanwha dropped to 15 wins and 13 losses.
The game, which flowed into a tight pitcher's duel between Hanwha's Eom Sang-baek and KT's Sohn Hyung-jun, continued with a score of '0' until the 3rd inning.
In the top of the 4th, KT broke the deadlock. Leading off, Oh Yoon-seok hit a single to left and after Choi Sung-min's sacrifice bunt and Bae Jeong-dae's groundout to short, Kwon Dong-jin delivered a timely hit to center, scoring the first run with two outs on third base. He picked the outside high fastball on the 5th pitch from a 2-2 count and hit the changeup that came into the outside zone on the 6th pitch.
After that, neither team scored additional runs through the 6th inning and the score remained 1-0. KT's starting pitcher Sohn Hyung-jun dominated the Hanwha batting lineup, allowing just one hit, one walk, striking out ten, and not giving up any runs over six innings. This marked the first time in his career that he achieved double-digit strikeouts in two consecutive games, following the game against Kiwoom on the 19th (11 strikeouts). The only hit allowed was a three-bagger by YIDO after two outs in the 3rd inning, with an impressive fastball reaching a top speed of 148 km/h and an average speed of 145 km/h, mixing in changeups (21), cutters (19), and curves (1). He induced eight groundouts using the fastball.
Hanwha starting pitcher Eom Sang-baek also succeeded in his first quality start of the season with six innings, allowing four hits, two walks, one hit by pitch, striking out six, and giving up one run. He significantly increased the usage rate of his changeup (61), compared to his fastball, which was clocked at a top speed of 148 km/h and an average of 143 km/h, while also mixing in cutters (7) and curves (5).
As Eom Sang-baek held on without faltering, Hanwha tied the game in the bottom of the 7th against KT's bullpen. After Sohn Hyung-jun left the game, 'Mr. Zero' Son Dong-hyun was scored upon. No Si-hwan targeted Son Dong-hyun, who had pitched 15 games with 15⅓ innings of scoreless baseball prior to that appearance.
After one out, No Si-hwan connected with the second pitch, a 146 km/h fastball that came in high and center, hitting it over the left center fence. The home run was measured at 125 meters, with a ball speed of 166.7 km/h and an angle of 36.1 degrees, marking his ninth home run of the season. This was the moment Sohn Hyung-jun's win was taken away as the score was now 1-1.
In the bullpen battle that ensued, KT regained the lead in the top of the 9th, successfully targeting Hanwha closer Kim Seo-hyun. Pinch-hitter Yoo Jun-kyu reached first on a walk, and after Bae Jeong-dae hit a groundball to third, Kwon Dong-jin's walk led to a one-out, one on first and second consolidation opportunity. Here, Mel Rojas Jr. delivered a timely hit to right field, breaking the balance once again. This marked Kim Seo-hyun's first run of the season after entering the game with 13 games and 11⅔ innings of scoreless play.
KT's closer Park Young-hyun held the lead without allowing any runs in the bottom of the 9th. This was his 8th save of the season. In the bottom of the 9th, there was a one-out situation with runners on first and second, but he closed the game by striking out No Si-hwan and inducing a popup from Lim Jong-chan. Although it was his first run of the season, Son Dong-hyun, who accounted for one run, pitched two innings before the 8th, allowing two hits (one home run) and one run, earning his third win of the season.
Hanwha Kim Seo-hyun was credited with the loss, allowing one run on one hit, two walks, marking his first run of the season.
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