Lee Ho-jun (21) of the Lotte Giants showed remarkable performance, perfectly filling the gap left by starting shortstop Jeon Min-jae.

On the 30th, Lee Ho-jun started as the number 9 shortstop in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes held at the Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome as part of the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League,' recording 3 hits, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs in 4 at-bats.

In his first at-bat in the third inning with one out and one on base, Lee Ho-jun faced right-handed starting pitcher Kim Sun-ki and managed to get a hit, leading to a consolidation opportunity with one out and runners on first and second. However, the subsequent batters did not produce a hit, so the team could not score. In the fourth inning with two outs and runners on first and third, he hit a two-run double against Kim Sun-ki and scored thanks to a timely hit from Koh Seung-min.

Entering his third at-bat in the sixth inning with no outs and a runner on second base, Lee Ho-jun hit a three-run triple against right-handed relief pitcher Park Joo-seong, achieving his second extra-base hit of the game. He then scored his second run on a productive out by Hwang Seung-bin.

Thanks to Lee Ho-jun's performance, Lotte won 10-9, extending their winning streak to two games. Although Lee Ho-jun sadly lacked a home run to achieve a natural cycle, he became a key contributor to the team's victory.

On the 29th, Lotte's starting shortstop Jeon Min-jae suffered an injury when a ball hit his head. In his fourth at-bat during the top of the seventh with one out and runners on first and second, Jeon Min-jae faced reliever Yang Ji-yul. However, during a two-strike count, Yang Ji-yul's fastball at a speed of 140 km/h rose high and struck Jeon Min-jae's helmet. He collapsed from the impact and was transported to a hospital. Fortunately, he avoided serious injury but will be unable to play for the time being and was removed from the first-team roster.

In an interview after the game, Lee Ho-jun, who took over as shortstop due to Jeon Min-jae's injury, said, "I had prepared mentally, but I suddenly heard that I would start while training at the field today. I was a bit nervous to be a starter after such a long time. A good hit came out and the first at-bat went well with a hit, which helped ease my nerves. Thanks to that, I think we got a good result."

Lee Ho-jun, who could have achieved a cycle with a home run in his last at-bat, reflected, "Before entering my last at-bat, the older guys told me that if I hit a home run, I would gain a cycle. But I wasn’t particularly nervous. I was in a state of increased confidence. I was a bit greedy for the home run, which is unfortunate. However, I’m glad that I showed a good performance until my last at-bat."

Lee Ho-jun, who has to fill in for the injured Jeon Min-jae, stated, "(Jeon) Min-jae didn’t just perform well; he performed so well that I felt burdened that I couldn't fail. But I’m glad we got a good result today." He added, "I ran into him at the hotel after yesterday's game, and my heart hurt so much. He is someone I really like and I was close to him, so I felt very sad when he got hurt."

Feeling sad but seizing the opportunity due to Jeon Min-jae's injury, Lee Ho-jun remarked, "I have been preparing hard. I have a strong desire to perform well. Since there is always competition, I have been training hard to seize any opportunity that comes my way. I aspire to be the starting shortstop. I am also confident in my hitting. I want to stay in the first team until the end of the season."

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