The professional baseball Samsung Lions defeated the league-leading LG Twins and extended their winning streak to five games. Furthermore, there was another benefit from the performance of left-handed pitcher Lee Seung-hyun.

Samsung won 4-3 in an away game against LG at Jamsil Stadium on the 30th. This marks their fifth consecutive win since the game against the Daegu KIA Tigers on the 24th. Samsung, who had struggled against LG this season with a record of 1 win and 5 losses, reduced their loss margin with this one-point victory.

Although he did not become the winning pitcher, left-handed Lee Seung-hyun's performance stood out. It was a pitching display that made spectators look forward to his next appearance. Until the game that day, Lee had taken the mound nine times, with a record of 1 win and 6 losses, an earned run average of 6.28, and struggled. He showcased 5⅓ innings of work, allowing 4 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 1 earned run. He reached a top speed of 147 kilometers per hour and effectively used his curve, slider, and changeup.

Manager Park Jin-man said, "Starting pitcher Lee Seung-hyun seems to have shown his best form of the season," adding, "Since our starter held strong, the hitters were able to step up. I hope Lee continues to pitch like he did today."

After the game, Lee Seung-hyun met with reporters and said, "I was trying to throw hard, but my balance was good. I think the parts that coach Choi Il-eon emphasized worked well." He added, "With (Lee) Seung-min, (Hwang) Dong-jae, (Bae) Chan-seung, and other pitchers gathering to practice hard to fill in our deficiencies, it helped us out."

Regarding the top speed of 147 kilometers reached that day, he remarked, "I didn't realize I had thrown that hard. I wondered if it was me who threw that. Thinking about the points the coach emphasized while pitching brought good results."

The improvement of his main weapon, the curveball, is welcome news. Lee Seung-hyun stated, "The curve was effective today, making it easier to face opponents. I had been struggling with balance and couldn't correctly find my release point. Today, I had many pitches that came into the strike zone similarly."

Lee Seung-hyun, who transitioned to a starting pitcher last year with a record of 6 wins and 4 losses and an earned run average of 4.23, expected to grow further this season, but it did not go as planned. This led to a certain amount of mental struggle as well. Lee reflected, "I didn’t want to come to the baseball field. I became more reflective. Upon thinking it over, I realized this is something I must overcome. If I cannot win, it’s of no use. I kept practicing and making efforts, and good results came out."

He continued, "I watched the video yesterday, and the phrase 'Mai Paura' was really impressive. It means 'don't be afraid' in Italian, and I thought about that throughout the game."

Having established a foundation for recovery in that day's game, Lee Seung-hyun said, "If I continue to fulfill my role in the starting rotation, I think I can participate in about 20 more games, so I’m approaching it with the mindset of just trying to get by. I've improved a lot compared to when I was struggling. Next time, I would also like to secure a victory," he said with a big smile.

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