"Am I the main player for Lotte? If I can't do it now, it's over."

Professional baseball player Son Ho-young of the Lotte Giants started as the 7th second baseman in the 9th game of the season against the KT Wiz at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 12th, achieving a remarkable performance with 5 hits in 6 at-bats, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs, leading the team to a thrilling 12-7 victory after extra innings.

Son Ho-young appeared as the leadoff hitter in the top of the 3rd inning, trailing 0-6, and hit a single against KT's starting pitcher Kim Dong-hyeok, marking the beginning of his impressive 5-hit performance. After reaching second base due to a hit by pitch from Kim Dong-hyeok, he scored when Jang Du-seong hit a 2-run triple to left-center.

He also reported a hit and a run in the top of the 4th, when the score was 4-6. After one out, he made a single off Kim Dong-hyeok and reached second base on a walk from Kim Dong-hyeok, then advanced to home on Jang Du-seong's RBI hit.

His hit in the third at-bat was a timely single. In the top of the 5th, trailing 5-6, he delivered a game-tying RBI single to left field with runners on first and second with one out. Kim Dong-hyeok pitched 5 innings, allowing 9 hits, 2 walks, and 6 runs while striking out 5, including 3 hits given up to Son Ho-young.

In the top of the 7th, tied 6-6, he successfully reached base after a bunt attempt on first base turned into a fielder's choice with no outs. Son Ho-young stole second base after the following batter, Kim Dong-hyeok, and then rounded third on Jeung Bo-keun's RBI single to right field, responsible for scoring the go-ahead run.

Son Ho-young followed up with a single in the top of the 9th, and in the top of the 10th inning of the extra game, with 2 outs and runners on first and third, he hit a decisive RBI single, achieving his second 5-hit game of the season, 19 days after the game against the Hanwha Eagles on May 24.

Before his 5 hits, his season batting average had fallen to .247, and he had experienced a brief slump. When asked about the secret to his rebound, he said, "Little by little, my timing is getting better, and I can see the ball well." He added, "Coach Im Hoon thinks even more than I do. I want to take this opportunity to thank Coach Im Hoon and Coach Lee Seong-gon."

Son Ho-young, who was traded from the LG Twins to Lotte, had an impressive performance last year with a .317 batting average, 18 home runs, and 78 RBIs in 102 games, crafting a successful trade narrative. Buoyed by this, he secured a position in the infield for Lotte this year, but often struggled, with his batting average dropping to the 10% range in April.

Son Ho-young said, "I was anxious and still am. Results must come out like this; otherwise, it's all in vain. If I got results today, I need to get results tomorrow, and the thought of always needing to deliver results can be uneasy, but I approach the game with the mindset of just working hard." He expressed, "Baseball is really tough. Today, I can hit the pitcher's ball well, but I might not be able to do it tomorrow."

He then remarked, "There are stories that my batting has been analyzed a lot, but it feels like I'm just missing the pitches. I think pitchers can’t always pitch perfectly, but I have definitely missed my pitches more than last year."

Overcoming difficult times, Son Ho-young has been on an upward trajectory with a monthly batting average of .333 in June, including 5 hits in this game. Despite frequent ups and downs, the trust from Manager Kim Tae-hyoung remains steadfast. However, Son Ho-young consistently maintained a boundary from the evaluation of being a main player for Lotte.

Son Ho-young stated, "If I can't do it now, it's over. If I can't do it, how can I be a main player?" He emphasized, "The main player can change at any time. So I want to produce results somehow and play as a main player for even one more day. My goal is to get on the field even one more day than just being a main player."

Son Ho-young also credited the leadership of veteran teammates like Kim Min-sung and Jung Hoon as another reason for his rebound. He expressed, "This isn't just lip service; they really help me out. They tell me not to worry about the ranking and just focus on my game. Min-sung is the center of the infield, so I lean on him a lot; whenever I have difficulties, I run straight to him. Hoon told me before today's game that we could overcome this, and that boosted my fighting spirit."

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