The team was in a difficult situation, and as a central player, I felt bad showing poor performance, but I’m relieved that we were able to break the losing streak.

Korea Professional Baseball Samsung Lions' captain, Gu Ja-wook (outfielder), rescued a team that was trapped in an 8-game losing streak. Gu Ja-wook hit a single in the second inning with one out and the bases loaded, during a home game against the KT Wiz at Pohang Stadium on the 13th, with a score of 0-0.

Lee Taek-geun, a commentator for SBS Sports, who was in charge of the broadcast that day, noted, "In a tough situation for the team, the player who ultimately has to step up is Gu Ja-wook. Even in a situation where his batting balance was disrupted, his efforts to make contact stood out. This is something only experienced veterans can do."

Samsung defeated KT 5-3, successfully escaping the 8-game losing streak since the match against the Doosan Bears in Daegu on the 3rd.

After the game, Gu Ja-wook met with reporters and said, "The team was in a difficult situation, and as a central player, I felt bad showing poor performance, but I’m relieved that we were able to break the losing streak."

Before the game, manager Park Jin-man met with reporters and discussed Gu Ja-wook's batting order placement, saying, "It was a choice made considering various factors. I hope that changes in the batting order will lead to effective scoring," and emphasized that "Gu Ja-wook needs to come alive for the entire lineup to regain vitality."

In response, Gu Ja-wook said, "Honestly, I don't pay any attention to the batting order. The coach and hitting coach have worked hard to put together the lineup, and I feel sorry that I've caused them concern."

Gu Ja-wook, who has an impressive batting average of .425 over the past three years at Pohang Stadium, stated, "I have many fond memories at Pohang, so when I arrived at the stadium, I thought to approach the game with a fresh mindset," adding, "If there’s one thing I regret, it’s that the facilities are somewhat lacking. I hope they improve. It feels a bit dark. The conditions of the scoreboard are also not great."

Gu Ja-wook, who has taken on the captain's responsibility, has always said, "Team victories are more important than personal statistics." When the team was mired in an 8-game losing streak, the mental toll was significant. He revealed, "As the atmosphere continued to be stagnant, I knew we needed to be positive, but since the performance was poor, it didn’t happen as I thought."

He added, "After the Sunday game, the players gathered and talked a lot of good things. The older players said we should improve the atmosphere, and the younger players promised to give it their all. I was really grateful for that." To break the frustrating 8-game losing streak, Gu Ja-wook expressed his gratitude, saying, "I felt bad as a central player showing poor performance."

Gu Ja-wook, who always gives his all on the field, approached the game that day with even more earnestness, saying, "I thought we had to break the 8-game losing streak in the first game of the week. The atmosphere in the dugout was very good today. I appreciate the manager for staying positive despite likely feeling a lot of stress."

Lee Ho-sung, transformed into a firefighter, took the mound in the ninth inning and earned his first save in his debut. Gu Ja-wook showed his sweetness by ensuring that Lee Ho-sung got the first save ball.

Gu Ja-wook congratulated him, stating, "Lee Ho-sung worked incredibly hard during the winter. His body has improved significantly, and his pitching has really gotten better. I thought he would do well. He has taken on the closing role, and I hope he makes it his own. This is just the beginning, so I hope he works even harder."

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