The professional baseball team Kiwoom Heroes balanced the doubleheader and also escaped a seven-game losing streak.
On July 17, Kiwoom won the second game of the doubleheader against NC Dinos in the regular season of the '2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League' held at Ulsan Munsoo Stadium with a score of 3-2. This allowed Kiwoom to escape from a seven-game losing streak, marking a record of 14 wins and 34 losses. NC failed to carry the momentum from their victory in the first game of the doubleheader, suffering a one-run loss, holding a record of 19 wins, 21 losses, and 1 tie, failing to achieve a .500 winning percentage.
Kiwoom started with Kim Yeon-joo as the pitcher. Puig (left fielder), Song Seong-moon (third baseman), Cardines (designated hitter), Lee Hyung-jong (right fielder), Choi Joo-hwan (first baseman), Kim Dong-heon (catcher), Lee Joo-hyung (center fielder), Song Ji-hu (second baseman), and Kim Tae-jin (shortstop) were also in the starting lineup.
NC had Choi Jeong-won (left fielder), Son Ah-seob (designated hitter), Park Min-woo (second baseman), Park Gun-woo (right fielder), Seo Ho-cheol (third baseman), Cheon Jae-hwan (center fielder), Park Se-hyuk (catcher), Kim Hwi-jip (first baseman), and Kim Han-byeol (shortstop) in their starting lineup. The starting pitcher was Choi Seong-young.
Kiwoom and NC exchanged scores in the first inning. Kiwoom seized the opportunity with a lead-off single by Puig to right field. Song Seong-moon's ground ball resulted in the lead runner being captured at first, and Cardines flew out to left field. However, Lee Hyung-jong hit a clutch double to left field, scoring the first run. Although Choi Joo-hwan walked, leading to two outs and runners on first and second, Kim Dong-heon struck out, failing to add more runs.
In the bottom of the first inning, NC created an opportunity with a single by Choi Jeong-won, followed by a single by Son Ah-seob, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Park Min-woo tied the game simply with a right-field single, making it 1-1. However, in the continued chance with no outs and runners on first and second, Park Gun-woo and Seo Ho-cheol made outs. Despite a walk by Cheon Jae-hwan that loaded the bases with two outs, Park Se-hyuk's fly out to center field ended the inning with no further runs. Kiwoom took the lead in the top of the third inning when lead-off hitter Puig knocked a solo home run, extending the score to 2-1. The gap of 2-1 remained.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, NC created an opportunity with a lead-off single by Park Min-woo, a ground ball by Park Gun-woo to the third baseman, and a single by Seo Ho-cheol, putting runners on first and third with one out. However, Cheon Jae-hwan hit a ground ball to the third baseman, leading to the runner at third being caught in a rundown and out. In the continued situation of two outs and runners on first and third, Park Se-hyuk hit another ground ball to the third baseman, resulting in the opportunity being wasted.
Kiwoom ultimately extended their lead in the top of the seventh inning. After one out, Lee Joo-hyung walked and pinch hitter Jeon Tae-hyun followed with a single to right field, resulting in runners on first and third with one out. Kim Tae-jin’s ground ball to the second baseman brought in the runner from third. The score became 3-1.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, NC had an opportunity with two outs when Kim Ju-won hit a triple, putting runners on second and third, but Kwon Hee-dong grounded out to the shortstop, ending the opportunity. However, in the bottom of the ninth inning, lead-off hitter Kim Hyung-jun hit a solo home run to left field, closing the gap to one run. Nevertheless, they could not mount any further comeback, confirming Kiwoom's victory.
Kiwoom's starter Kim Yeon-joo pitched five innings, allowing four hits, two walks, one hit batter, striking out four, and giving up one run, earning his first victory of the season and his first career win as a starter.
NC's starter Choi Seong-young pitched four innings, allowing five hits (including one home run), one walk, striking out four, and giving up two runs, while Kim Nok-won pitched four innings with two hits allowed, two walks, and three strikeouts, yielding one run, but ultimately faced defeat.
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