Professional baseball player Ryu Ji-hyeok of the Samsung Lions celebrated his personal milestone of 1,000 career games with a decisive hit.

On the 21st, Ryu Ji-hyeok started as the No. 5 second baseman in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at the Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome as part of the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League', recording 1 hit and 2 RBIs in 4 at-bats.

With both teams tied 0-0, Samsung took advantage of a walk by Kim Ji-chan, a sacrifice bunt by Kim Sung-yoon, another walk by Gu Ja-wook, and a ground ball by Diaz to set up a two-out opportunity with runners on second and third base. Ryu Ji-hyeok delivered a 2-RBI single against Kiwoom's starting pitcher Ha Young-min, putting the team on the board first. After taking the lead with Ryu Ji-hyeok's single, Samsung maintained the lead until the end of the game, winning 6-1 and claiming their second consecutive victory. This win secured them a winning series in the three-game set during the week.

After the game, Ryu Ji-hyeok remarked, "It definitely seems fun to win. Winning games is what makes it enjoyable. I'm glad we won." He continued, regarding achieving his 1,000th career game, a milestone celebrated as the 184th in KBO history, "I knew today would be my 1,000th game. I felt good about it. I thought to myself, 'Ah, I've played 1,000 games.' However, (Kang) Min-ho has played 2,400 games. I hoped to become a player who could also play that many games."

Ryu Ji-hyeok, who delivered a key hit against Ha Young-min, said, "In the batter's box, I thought, 'Just make sure I don't swing late,' when they threw a fastball on the first pitch. But I was late. It seemed I wasn't at 100% condition. When I hit the ball, I kept saying, 'Please drop, please drop.' There’s a saying among players and coaches that after you hit, you should leave it to the heavens, and I really left it to the heavens. I prayed while running, and luckily, it became a hit," he laughed.

Before their two consecutive victories against Kiwoom, Samsung had struggled with a 3-14 record in May. Ryu Ji-hyeok reflected on the tough moments, stating, "Of course, players want to win, but honestly, there's not much you can do about it. It's a team game, so just because an individual performs well doesn't guarantee a win, nor does poor performance mean a loss. We talked about doing our absolute best with what we are given, regardless of win or loss."

"Players gathered at Gocheok-dong on their day off for a meeting," explained Ryu Ji-hyeok. "(Kang) Min-ho, (Gu) Ja-wook, (Park) Byeong-ho, and other veterans held a discussion with the players. I also gathered young players separately to talk with them. I believe all the players will work hard. The atmosphere is good," he said.

Ryu Ji-hyeok, who has been consistently performing well this year, stated, "Every year, my preparation remains the same. I always want to be a starter, and it’s enjoyable to work out with young players or new teammates. I personally want to set a bigger goal for the future," expressing his desire to participate in as many games as Kang Min-ho (2,413 games) and Choi Hyung-woo (KIA, 2,224 games).

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