The Samsung Lions of professional baseball are on a seven-game winning streak. The LG Twins suffered their first sweep of the season.
Samsung achieved a 6-4 come-from-behind victory in the 9th match of the season against LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 1st. Samsung moved into 4th place, edging out the KT Wiz by half a game.
After two outs in the 8th inning, Kim Tae-hoon came up to bat and hit a two-run home run for the lead. It was the first home run in an impressive 1,450 days. Samsung's starting pitcher Reyes recorded 5⅔ innings with 10 hits allowed, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, and 4 earned runs. Hwang Dong-jae (⅓ inning), Lee Seung-min (⅔ inning), Lim Chang-min (⅓ inning), Kim Tae-hoon (1 inning), and Lee Ho-sung (1 inning) followed on the mound.
LG's starting pitcher Im Chan-kyu pitched 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, and 4 earned runs, but the bullpen squandered the victory, missing out on the chance for an exclusive lead in wins.
Samsung made significant changes to their batting order. Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Kim Young-woong (third baseman), Park Seung-kyu (right fielder), Diaz (first baseman), Kang Min-ho (catcher), Gu Ja-wook (left fielder), Ryu Ji-hyuk (designated hitter), Yang Do-geun (second baseman), and Lee Jae-hyun (shortstop) were in the starting lineup.
Park Seung-kyu and Kim Young-woong, who had performed excellently in the lower batting order the previous day, moved up to the upper batting order. The day before, Park Seung-kyu had 4 hits in 4 at-bats with 1 RBI from the 7th spot. Kim Young-woong recorded 2 hits in 4 at-bats with 2 RBIs from the 8th spot.
LG started with Park Hae-min (center fielder), Kim Hyun-soo (left fielder), Austin (first baseman), Moon Bo-gyeong (designated hitter), Park Dong-won (catcher), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Moon Sung-ju (right fielder), Gu Bon-hyeok (third baseman), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). On that day, LG registered Yoo Young-chan to the first team roster, while pitcher Woo Kang-hoon was sent down to the second team.
In the top of the 1st inning, leadoff batter Kim Ji-chan reached base with an infield single to the shortstop, and Kim Young-woong drew a walk, creating a no-out opportunity with runners on 1st and 2nd base. After Park Seung-kyu's flyout to right field, the runner on 2nd base tagged up and advanced to 3rd. Diaz's sacrifice fly to center field brought in the first run.
LG quickly leveled the score in the bottom of the 1st inning. Leadoff batter Park Hae-min reached base with an infield single to the shortstop and advanced to 2nd base due to a throwing error by the shortstop. Kim Hyun-soo's ground out to the second baseman led to 1 out with a runner on 3rd base, and Austin tied the game at 1-1 with a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning, after 1 out, Moon Sung-ju reached base with a hit in front of the left fielder. Gu Bon-hyeok succeeded in a bunt hit toward first base, creating runners on 1st and 2nd base. However, Shin Min-jae was out on a ground ball to the first baseman. With 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Park Hae-min's line drive was caught by a great defensive play from the left fielder. Gu Ja-wook sprinted back and jumped to barely make the catch. It was a super catch that saved two runs.
In the top of the 3rd inning, after 1 out, Park Seung-kyu reached base with a hit to left field. A pick-off throw from the pitcher went foul, allowing Park Seung-kyu to advance to 3rd. Diaz hit a single to center field, putting Samsung ahead 2-1. Kang Min-ho's single to right created a 1 out, 1st and 3rd base chance. Gu Ja-wook struck out, but Ryu Ji-hyuk hit a timely single to center field, extending the lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, leadoff batter Kim Hyun-soo reached base due to an error on a throw from the third baseman. Austin's hit to left-center made it 1st and 2nd base, and Moon Bo-gyeong's walk resulted in an unencumbered chance with no outs and bases loaded.
Park Dong-won's batted ball was caught by the shortstop, resulting in a line out. Oh Ji-hwan hit a ground ball to the first baseman, and the runner on 3rd base was forced out at home plate. With 2 outs and the bases loaded, Moon Sung-ju hit a double down the left field line, driving in 2 runs. The score was tied 3-3. Gu Bon-hyeok was struck out after a lengthy 13-pitch battle, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, leadoff batter Shin Min-jae reached base with a hit to left field. Park Hae-min advanced him to 2nd base with a sacrifice bunt. Although Kim Hyun-soo was out on a fly to center field, Austin hit a timely single to left field, overturning the score to 4-3.
In the top of the 6th inning, Samsung missed a chance to rally due to a base running mistake. Against the new pitcher Kim Jin-sung, Ryu Ji-hyuk reached base with a walk after 1 out. Yang Do-geun hit a hit in front of the left fielder, advancing the runner on 1st to 3rd.
While the left fielder was throwing the ball, the runner on 1st base, Ryu Ji-hyuk, arrived at 3rd base but was tagged out due to an overrun when sliding. With 2 outs and a runner on 2nd base, Lee Jae-hyun was out on a foul fly to the first baseman.
In the 7th inning, after Kim Jin-sung, Lee Ji-kang took over as the relief pitcher. After 1 out, he walked Kim Young-woo. Park Seung-kyu was out on a fly to center field, resulting in 2 outs, and Diaz was walked, creating a situation with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd base. LG replaced the pitcher with Park Myeong-geun. Park Myeong-geun caught Kang Min-ho with a fly ball to the second baseman, closing the inning without allowing a run.
In the bottom of the 7th inning, leadoff batter Oh Ji-hwan reached base after being hit by a pitch. Samsung replaced Hwang Dong-jae with left-handed Lee Seung-min. Moon Sung-ju was out on a fly to the second baseman, and Gu Bon-hyeok hit a single to center field, creating a chance with runners on 1st and 3rd base. Shin Min-jae attempted a squeeze bunt on the first pitch but it fell foul. Afterward, he hit a ground ball to the third baseman, and the runner on 3rd was caught in a run down and tagged out, leaving 2 outs with runners on 2nd and 3rd.
In the top of the 8th inning, after 2 outs, Yang Do-geun reached base with a single to center field. At the plate, aiming for the sidearm pitcher Park Myeong-geun, left-handed Kim Tae-hoon came up to bat. Kim Tae-hoon pulled a changeup (133.3 km/h) on the second pitch for a two-run home run over the right field wall, turning the game around 5-4. It marked his 3rd career home run and his 2nd as a pinch hitter.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, Kim Tae-hoon came up to pitch. He struck out Kim Hyun-soo swinging, then struck out Austin swinging, and ended the inning by striking out Moon Bo-gyeong, resulting in three consecutive strikeouts.
In the top of the 9th inning, leadoff batter Park Seung-kyu reached base with a single to center field, and Diaz drew a walk. Kang Min-ho attempted a sacrifice bunt, but it went foul. The catcher quickly fielded it and tagged him out.
With 1 out, Gu Ja-wook hit a double to left-center, extending the score to 6-4. LG replaced Kim Young-woo with Yoo Young-chan on the mound. This was Yoo Young-chan's first appearance of the season after recovering from elbow surgery. Lee Seung-kyu struck out, and Yang Do-geun was out on a ground ball to the second baseman.
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