The professional baseball LG Twins defeated the Hanwha Eagles.
LG won the matchup between 1st and 2nd place, widening the gap with 2nd place Hanwha to 3.5 games. LG won 3-1 in the final game of the midweek three-game series against Hanwha at Jamsil Stadium on the 29th. They succeeded in winning the three-game series with 2 wins and 1 loss.
Youm Kyoung-youb, the manager, said before the game that "every game is important, but today is the most important. If we do well in the starting pitcher battle, it seems that we can make it through the late innings. It will be important to see how well (starting pitcher) Son Ju-yeong has improved and how he performs after the 7th inning."
Since the winning pitchers Kim Jin-sung and Park Myeong-geun pitched two consecutive days on the 27th and 28th, they were not available for pitching that day. The starter had to pitch as many innings as possible. Starter Son Ju-yeong fulfilled the manager's expectations, pitching 7 innings while allowing only 5 hits, 1 walk, striking out 6 batters, and giving up 1 run.
Son Ju-yeong allowed 1 run with a ground ball to second base by Roh Si-hwan with 1 out and runners on 1st and 3rd base in the 6th inning. LG quickly tied the game in the bottom of the 6th. Having missed scoring opportunities with runners on 1st and 2nd base in the 4th and 5th innings, LG capitalized on a mistake in the bottom of the 6th after 1 out, when Moon Bo-gyeong did not miss the sweeper that was thrown down the middle at a 3-ball-1-strike count against Weiss, hitting a game-tying solo home run over the right field wall.
In the 7th inning, they attacked Hanwha's bullpen. Lead-off hitter Park Hae-min got on base with a single, and a sacrifice bunt moved him to 2nd base with 1 out. Pinch hitter Park Dong-won drew a walk to reach 1st base. With 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd base, Kim Hyun-soo hit a timely single in front of the right fielder, turning the game around to 2-1.
In the bottom of the 8th, LG's lead-off hitter Moon Bo-gyeong reached base with a hit, and a sacrifice bunt created an opportunity with 1 out and a runner on 2nd. With 2 outs and runners on 2nd base, Park Hae-min was hit by a pitch, and Shin Min-jae walked after a 13-pitch confrontation, loading the bases. During Park Dong-won's at-bat, Hanwha pitcher Jeong Woo-joo's wild pitch allowed 1 run to score, extending the lead to 3-1.
In the 8th inning, Lee Ji-kang pitched 1 inning, allowing 1 hit with no runs, and in the 9th, Kim Young-woo took the mound, giving up 1 walk while striking out 2 batters without allowing any runs, recording his first save.
Youm Kyoung-youb praised after the game, saying, "Thanks to Park Hae-min's splendid defense and Moon Bo-gyeong's home run, we were able to bring the momentum back to our side. In the most crucial moment, Kim Hyun-soo, who led the batting lineup today, hit the go-ahead winning hit, allowing us to secure the victory."
Additionally, the manager noted, "Son Ju-yeong delivered a perfect pitching performance with his pitching design established for the second consecutive game, and it seems we can expect even more from him in the future. Lee Ji-kang did a great job handling his inning under challenging circumstances, and I believe that the new winning pitchers Lee Ji-kang and Kim Young-woo have stepped up by recording holds and saves. Congratulations to Kim Young-woo on his first save."
Finally, he expressed gratitude, saying, "We were able to win thanks to many fans who filled the stands and sent passionate support despite the inclement weather during today's midweek game. I appreciate it."
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