"Sung Young-tak created the opportunity."
KIA Tigers won the winning series after a double header of extra innings and three consecutive games decided by one point.
On the 8th at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, they triumphed over the Hanwha Eagles in a 10-inning nail-biter, with a score of 7-6.
Starting pitcher Yang Hyun-jong was unable to withstand the pressure and was taken out after giving up 5 runs in the 3rd inning, indicating a tough game ahead. The opposing starting pitcher was the league's top pitcher Cody Ponce. The score was also trailing at 2-5.
From this point on, they mounted a comeback. In the 4th inning, after one out and a shoulder injury to Kim Seok-hwan, Hwang Dae-in, who entered the game, hit a solo home run to close in at 3-5.
On the mound, Sung Young-tak's outstanding performance shone. He relieved Yang Hyun-jong with 2 outs and runners on first and second in the 3rd inning, easily eliminating the next 2 outs. In the 4th inning, he gave up a double to the lead-off batter Florial but secured another 3 outs and remained scoreless in the 5th inning. It was a record of 10 consecutive innings without allowing a run.
As Sung Young-tak laid the groundwork, Hwang Dae-in tied the game at 6 with a 2-run double in the 6th inning after one out and runners on first and second. Though they fell behind 5-6 in the top of the 8th, they equalized thanks to Han Jun-soo's hit and Choi Won-jun's baserunning.
Jung Hae-young took the mound in the 9th inning and held the line without a run over 2 innings, securing the win. He gave up a hit to Ahn Chi-hong with 2 outs and runners on first and second in the 9th, but was saved by left fielder Ko Jong-wook's home throw, and he overcame the 1 out, 1st and 2nd base crisis in the 10th, leading to an extra inning victory.
After the game, manager Lee Bum-ho noted, "I want to praise the performances of Sung Young-tak, Jeon Sang-hyun, and Jung Hae-young on the mound. Sung Young-tak was able to create opportunities without allowing runs in the middle innings, and Jeon Sang-hyun and Jung Hae-young were able to handle multi-inning responsibilities, which allowed us to finish this tough match with a win."
He added, "Hwang Dae-in showed the most impressive performance since his return to the first team. I hope he continues to show consistent play. Choi Won-jun also created good chances."
Finally, he bowed his head, stating, "It must have been physically tough for the players to play in two consecutive extra innings, but all the players who participated in the game really put in great effort. We were able to win thanks to the support of our fans. I sincerely thank you."
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