"I gain confidence thanks to the cheers of the fans when I go up on the mound."
The Samsung Lions' 'new closer' Lee Ho-seong perfectly subdued the KIA batting lineup, earning his 4th win of the season.
On the 24th, Lee Ho-seong entered the game during the home match against KIA at Daegu Samsung Lions Park with two outs and no runners on in the 8th inning, where the score was tied at 4-4, and he completed the inning by striking out the first batter, Oh Sun-woo, for a swing and miss.
After that, Samsung made the 'promised 8th inning' a reality. Lead-off man Lewin Diaz reached base on a walk, and pinch runner Sim Jae-hoon was brought in. Then, with Kang Min-ho drawing a walk and Ryu Ji-hyuk hitting a single into center, they created a bases-loaded opportunity with one out. Lee Seong-kyu calmly chose a walk that pushed in a run, successfully leading to a 5-4 comeback.
KIA replaced their left-handed pitcher Choi Ji-min with right-handed Seong Young-tak, but Samsung's momentum did not stop. Yang Do-geun reached base on a walk, allowing third base runner Kang Min-ho to cross home for a 6-4 lead. In a bases-loaded situation with two outs, Kim Seong-yoon hit a two-RBI double over the left fielder's head, putting the finishing touch on the victory.
Lee Ho-seong also took the mound in the 9th inning. After striking out pinch hitter Kim Seok-hwan for a swing and miss, he calmly handled Park Chang-ho's ground ball to shortstop and Kim Kyu-sung's fly-out to center field despite a fielding error by Park Jeong-woo, closing out the game.
Samsung won 8-4, avenging their loss the previous day. Lee Ho-seong became the winning pitcher with 1⅓ innings pitched, 2 strikeouts, and no earned runs. With his 4th win of the season, he joined foreign one-two punch Ariel Hurado and Danny Reyes as co-leaders in wins on the team. Ryu Ji-hyuk (2 hits, 3 RBIs) and Kim Seong-yoon (2 hits, 2 RBIs) led the offense.
After the game, Lee Ho-seong said, "I think I was able to focus well and handle the outs in the 8th inning, but I was disappointed with the number of balls in the early part of the 9th inning. Min-ho hyung told me to ‘throw like it's a one-run game,’ which helped me concentrate." He added, "I gain confidence thanks to the cheers of the fans when I go up on the mound. I appreciate the fans who supported us until the end, even in the rainy weather."
Meanwhile, manager Park Jin-man noted, "It was a difficult game as we gave up the first run and chased until the 7th inning, but we were able to win because of Ryu Ji-hyuk's 3-RBI double in the 4th and Kim Seong-yoon's crucial 2-RBI timely hit in the 8th. I believe it was thanks to the players not giving up and striving until the end."
He also added, "Among the pitchers, Lee Seung-min handled his role well in a difficult situation, and Lee Ho-seong closed it well for us to be able to win this game," and thanked the many fans who came out to support despite the rain, stating, "We will prepare well for tomorrow's game to ensure we can win."
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