The Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Professional Baseball League have achieved a remarkable nine consecutive wins for the first time in 20 years. This includes a sweep of the Samsung Lions in a three-game series for the first time in nine years. With an unreal uptick of 20 wins in the last 23 games, they pushed the tied first-place LG Twins down to second place and ascended to the sole first place.

Hanwha won 10-6 against Samsung in a home game held at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on the 7th.

Starting pitcher Moon Dong-joo overcame early difficulties, pitching 105 pitches over 6 innings to achieve 8 strikeouts and allow 2 runs, bringing his season record to 4 wins (1 loss). With a top speed of 156 km/h and a deadly forkball, Moon has become the winning pitcher in his last 4 consecutive quality starts. At the plate, Moon Hyun-bin performed well with 3 hits, including a tying solo home run, contributing 2 RBIs as players with the Moon surname excelled both on the mound and at bat.

Chae Eun-sung, Choi Jae-hoon, and Hwang Young-mook also had multi-hit games with 2 hits each, while Shim Woo-jun sealed the win with a bases-clearing 3-RBI double in the 7th inning. Lee Won-seok exploded for his first home run of the season, contributing to the team's double-digit scoring.

Thus, Hanwha extended its winning streak to '9' after continuing from the game against KT in Daejeon on the 26th of last month, successfully achieving a nine-game winning streak for the first time since June 4, 2005, against Doosan and June 14 against KIA in Gwangju. It has been 7267 days since then. Additionally, after sweeping the three-game series on Children's Day, Hanwha successfully completed a sweep against Samsung for the first time in nine years. It has been 3258 days since the three-game series against Samsung in Daegu from June 3 to 5, 2016.

Including the nine consecutive wins, Hanwha has achieved a remarkable 20 wins in the last 23 games, raising its season record to 24 wins and 13 losses. This pushed LG, who lost to Doosan 2-5 that day, down to second place, allowing Hanwha to claim sole first place. Samsung, who suffered its season-high fifth consecutive loss, stands at 19 wins, 18 losses, and 1 tie.

In the top of the first inning, Samsung scored first against Hanwha's starting pitcher Moon Dong-joo. With one out, Yang Do-geun's left-field hit and Lee Sung-kyu's center-field hit placed runners on first and second, where Lewin Diaz hit a right-field RBI single to score the first run. In the top of the second inning, Samsung again created a chance with one out, as Ahn Joo-hyung and Kim Tae-keun followed with left-field hits, putting runners on first and second. With the bases loaded and one out, Yang Do-geun's sacrifice fly to center pushed the score to 2-0.

Hanwha quickly retaliated in the bottom of the second inning. Against Samsung's left-handed starter Lee Seung-hyun, Lee Jin-young walked, Hwang Young-mook hit a fielding error to the left of the catcher, and Choi Jae-hoon hit an RBI single that dropped in front of the center fielder.

In the bottom of the third inning, Moon Hyun-bin hit a tying home run. He connected on the sixth pitch of a full count against Lee Seung-hyun, crushing a low fastball at 142 km/h that sailed over the right-field wall, adjacent to the monster wall 8 meters high. The home run traveled 120 meters, marking his sixth of the season.

Ultimately, Hanwha succeeded in taking the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. After leadoff batter Hwang Young-mook opened the inning with a center-field hit, Choi Jae-hoon earned a walk, creating a no-out opportunity with runners on first and second. Samsung then replaced Lee Seung-hyun, who had thrown 65 pitches, with left-hander Lee Seung-min, but Shim Woo-jun surprised everyone with a surprise bunt down the third base line. Meanwhile, as a throwing error by Samsung's third baseman Yang Do-geun occurred, Hwang Young-mook advanced from second to home, resulting in a 3-2 lead.

In the subsequent no-out situation with runners on first and third, Choi In-ho also attempted a surprise bunt on the first pitch but was out due to Lee Seung-min's quick handling of the ball. However, Estevan Florial drew a walk after a seven-pitch battle, and with one out and the bases loaded, Moon Hyun-bin's infield hit allowed the runner from third base, Choi Jae-hoon, to cross home for a score of 4-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, with a walk by No Si-hwan, a right-center hit by Chae Eun-sung, and a walk by Hwang Young-mook, Choi Jae-hoon hit an RBI single to right against changed pitcher Kim Jae-yoon, extending the lead to 5-2. Choi Jae-hoon had 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 1 walk in 3 at-bats. Shim Woo-jun then exploded a bases-clearing 3-RBI double down the left-field line, followed by Lee Won-seok hitting a two-run homer to left off Kim Jae-yoon. Lee's second pitch was a high fastball at 142 km/h, which he cracked for a distance of 105 meters, marking his first home run of the season. Hanwha racked up 6 runs in the seventh inning, reaching double digits in scoring.

Hanwha starter Moon Dong-joo allowed 1 run in each of the first two innings, exhausting himself with 52 pitches, but he held off further runs until the sixth. The sixth inning was the last critical moment. After hitting Kim Jae-sung with a pitch, he walked Lee Jae-hyun, placing him in a no-out crisis with runners on first and second, but he struck out Ahn Joo-hyung on a wild pitch after repeatedly faking a bunt and delivered a fastball on the outside corner on the sixth pitch. Subsequently, during Kim Tae-keun's at-bat, a forkball became a wild pitch, causing runners on first and second to advance. At that time, Hanwha catcher Choi Jae-hoon quickly threw to second base, tagging out the runner from first, Lee Jae-hyun.

Supported by solid defense, Moon Dong-joo ended the inning by striking out Kim Tae-keun swinging with a low forkball. His six innings pitched included 6 hits allowed, 3 walks, 1 hit batter, 8 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs, resulting in his fourth win of the season (1 loss) while maintaining an earned run average of 3.03. Moon threw a personal-high 105 pitches, reaching a top speed of 156 km/h, with an average of 151 km/h on 57 fastballs while also utilizing 27 forkballs, 13 sliders, 7 curves, and 1 two-seam fastball. He recorded 5 of his strikeouts with the forkball as his primary pitch, effectively dropping in the strike zone.

After Moon Dong-joo exited, Hanwha's bullpen maintained the lead. In the top of the seventh, Jo Dong-wook walked and Kim Jong-su allowed a hit, putting him in a one-out, first and second jam. On came Kim Beom-su, who handled Diaz's flyout to center before striking out pinch-hitter Park Byung-ho swinging, roaring with triumph. Kim Beom-su finished with 1⅔ innings and 1 strikeout, allowing no runs for his second hold of the season.

Samsung's starting pitcher Lee Seung-hyun allowed 6 hits (1 home run) and 2 walks, striking out 1, and ultimately suffered his fifth loss of the season without a win, giving up 3 earned runs over 3 innings. Closer Kim Jae-yoon, who came in for the seventh, failed, allowing 3 hits (1 home run) and 3 earned runs over ⅓ inning. With Gu Ja-wook (elbow) and Kang Min-ho (knee) both missing due to being hit by a pitch the previous day, Samsung managed to score 4 runs off Hanwha's Kim Seung-il in the top of the ninth but were too far behind to turn the game around. Diaz capped off the ninth inning with his 13th home run of the season, a three-run shot, leading in that category.

[OSEN]