'Yoon Do-hyun, friend of Kim Do-young,' hit his first back-to-back home run in his debut, saving the struggling tiger squad.

The KIA Tigers won 5-3 against the KT Wiz in the 9th match of the season, held at the Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 1st.

KIA escaped a recent two-game losing streak and four straight losses on the road, bringing their season record to 27 wins, 1 draw, and 28 losses. They decorated the last game of the weekend series with a victory, marking a winning series of 2 wins and 1 loss against KIA.

The KIA team, on an away trip, faced KT's starting pitcher Cho Yi-hyun, deploying a starting lineup of Yoon Do-hyun (second baseman), Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Oh Seon-woo (first baseman), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Patrick Wisdom (third baseman), Kim Seok-hwan (left fielder), Choi Won-jun (right fielder), Han Jun-soo (catcher), and Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder). Wisdom and Choi joined the first team with their return.

In response, KT faced KIA's starting pitcher Adam Oller with a lineup of Jang Jin-hyuk (center fielder), Kim Sang-su (second baseman), Ahn Hyun-min (right fielder), Mel Rojas Jr. (designated hitter), Jang Seong-woo (catcher), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Kwon Dong-jin (shortstop), Oh Yoon-seok (first baseman), and Ahn Chi-young (left fielder).

The KIA batting lineup aggressively attacked the substitute starter Cho Yi-hyun from the very first inning, replaced due to the rest of Go Young-pyo, who was removed from the first team. It started with a solo home run by lead-off hitter Yoon Do-hyun. In a 1B-2S unfavorable count, he hit Cho's fourth pitch, a high fastball inside (139 km), for a 109.9 m left-field home run. This was his third home run of the season, coming just two games after the May 30 match against KT in Suwon. It was the third home run of the KBO season, the 308th overall, and his personal first home run as a lead-off hitter in the first inning.

After one out, KIA welcomed a bases-loaded chance with three consecutive hits from Oh Seon-woo, Choi Hyung-woo, and Wisdom, pulling ahead with a two-run single by Kim Seok-hwan. However, the continued chance with one out and runners on first and second was thwarted as Choi Won-jun hit a pop-out to left field and Han Jun-soo grounded out to first base.

KT quickly counterattacked in the bottom of the first inning. After one out, Kim Sang-su hit a strikeout with a wild pitch, and Ahn Hyun-min produced a single that set up runners on first and third. Rojas, Jang Seong-woo, and Heo Kyung-min all hit consecutive RBI singles, quickly leveling the score at 3-3. However, KT failed to turn the score around in the subsequent opportunity with one out and runners on first and second, as Kwon Dong-jin popped out to right field and Oh Yoon-seok grounded out to second base.

The crucial moment came in the top of the second inning. After one out, Yoon Do-hyun hit another solo home run that broke the 3-3 tie. This time, in a 1B-2S unfavorable count, he attacked Cho Yi-hyun's fourth pitch, a low curveball outside (108 km), for a 108.2 m left-field home run. It marked the seventh home run of the KBO season, the 1221st overall, and his first back-to-back home run, ultimately serving as the game-winning hit.

KT faced Oller, who had found his rhythm, and from the seventh batter Kwon Dong-jin in the bottom of the first to Ahn Hyun-min as the lead-off batter in the sixth, they went down in succession, with 15 consecutive outs. However, Rojas managed an infield hit, Heo Kyung-min had a single to center, and pinch-hitter Kim Min-hyeok was hit by a pitch, creating a one-out bases-loaded situation, but Oh Yoon-seok ended the inning with a pop-out to second base.

There was regret over the botched opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. Rojas had a single to center and stole second, while Heo Kyung-min got on base with an automatic walk, placing runners on second and third with two outs. Then, the much-anticipated pinch-hitter Moon Sang-cheol came in, but was struck out looking against KIA's closer Jeong Hae-young after a full count.

The KIA batting lineup found strength in the top of the ninth. Lead-off hitter Yoon Do-hyun had a single to left, and Park Chan-ho advanced him to second with a sacrifice bunt, setting up a one-out, two-run situation, during which Oh Seon-woo hit an RBI single to left, sealing the victory.

Starting pitcher Oller for KIA went 6 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 walk, striking out 5 while giving up 3 earned runs on 100 pitches, earning his sixth win of the season (2 losses). He was followed by Jeon Sang-hyun (1 inning, no runs), Jo Sang-woo (⅔ inning, no runs), and Jeong Hae-young (1⅓ innings, no runs), with Jeong achieving his 15th save of the season.

In the batting lineup, Yoon Do-hyun excelled with 4 at-bats, 3 hits, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, and 3 runs scored, highlighting a standout performance that included his first back-to-back home run. Oh Seon-woo, Choi Hyung-woo, Wisdom, and Kim Seok-hwan contributed with multi-hit games.

On the other hand, KT's starting pitcher Cho Yi-hyun struggled through 1⅓ innings, allowing 7 hits (including 1 home run), with no walks and giving up 4 earned runs on 43 pitches, suffering his second loss of the season (1 win). Rojas' 3 hits and Heo Kyung-min's 2 hits were in vain amid the defeat.

Park Kyung-soo, who was registered for the special retirement player roster, made a surprise appearance as a defensive substitute at second base with one out in the top of the ninth, having a grand retirement game in front of a full crowd.

After a day of rest, KIA will face the Doosan Bears at Jamsil for a mid-week 3-game series starting on the 3rd. KT will move to Daejeon to take on the Hanwha Eagles.

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