The professional baseball team Lotte Giants has climbed to 2nd place alone.

Lotte won 11-4 against the LG Twins in a game held at Sajik Stadium on the 22nd. Lotte has a record of 29 wins, 19 losses, and 3 ties, while Hanwha Eagles lost to NC Dinos on this day, making their record 29 wins and 20 losses. Lotte is ahead by half a game.

Lotte's batting lineup exploded with 13 hits and obtained 9 walks, achieving a great victory. Cleanup hitter Jeon Jun-woo had 3 hits and 1 RBI with a score in 4 at-bats, Yoon Dong-hee had 2 hits and 1 RBI with a score in 4 at-bats, and Jeon Min-jae recorded 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 1 score in 4 at-bats.

Lotte's starting pitcher Lee Min-seok recorded 6 hits allowed, 2 home runs allowed, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, and 4 earned runs in 5 innings. Lee Min-seok, who joined Lotte as the 1st overall pick in 2022, recorded his first win as a starter.

Lotte scored first in the 1st inning with a run-scoring single from Jeon Jun-woo with 1 out and runners on 1st and 3rd base, and with 2 outs and the bases loaded, Jeon Min-jae hit a run-scoring single to take a 2-0 lead. Starter Lee Min-seok allowed a three-run home run to Austin in the 3rd inning, giving up the lead at 2-3.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Lotte created a bases-loaded opportunity with consecutive hits from Yoon Dong-hee and Jeon Min-jae, and a hit-by-pitch on Yoo Gang-nam. Son Ho-young tied the game at 3-3 with a hit-by-pitch that hit his left forearm. Then Jang Du-seong hit a timely single to right center, bringing in 2 RBIs. Lotte took back the lead at 5-3.

In the 4th inning, Lotte's Reyes hit a single to center, and Jeon Jun-woo hit a double off the right fence to create an opportunity with no outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd base. Yoon Dong-hee hit an RBI single, and with Jeon Min-jae's ground ball to the third baseman, runner Jeon Jun-woo successfully scored when he ran home on the throw to 1st base. Lotte extended their lead to 7-3.

In the 7th inning, Lotte added another run with a sacrifice fly by Jang Du-seong with 1 out and a runner on 3rd base, and in the 8th inning, with 2 outs and the bases loaded, Lee Ho-jun hit a two-RBI single, and Son Ho-young hit a run-scoring single, extending the score to 11-4.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung said after the game, “Starting pitcher Lee Min-seok pitched well. Thanks to the players getting on base consistently and taking the lead, we were able to win.” He also noted, “Kim Sang-su, Jeong Hyun-su, and Jeong Cheol-weon, who came in in the middle of the game, did well to protect the victory at crucial moments.”

Meanwhile, Lotte will face 3rd place Hanwha on the 23rd in Daejeon.

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