The professional baseball teams SSG Landers and KIA Tigers fought hard through 11 innings but could not determine a winner.
SSG and KIA ended in a 5-5 tie in the sixth match of the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League' held on the 21st at Incheon SSG Landers Field.
SSG fielded a starting lineup of Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder), Kim Sung-wook (left fielder), Guillermo Heredia (designated hitter), Han Yoo-seom (right fielder), Go Myung-jun (first baseman), Park Sung-han (shortstop), Lee Ji-young (catcher), Kim Chan-hyung (third baseman), and Seok Jeong-woo (second baseman). SSG's batting lineup delivered 11 hits, including 2 home runs. Oh Tae-gon (season's 3rd) and Park Sung-han (season's 4th) hit home runs, but the team could not score enough for victory.
Starting pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun struggled with 4⅔ innings, allowing 6 hits (1 home run), 5 walks, 4 strikeouts, and 4 earned runs but avoided defeat as the team turned the game around. The bullpen, featuring Jeon Young-jun (1⅓ innings, no earned runs), Kim Taek-hyung (⅓ inning, no earned runs), Park Gi-ho (1⅔ innings, 1 earned run), Choi Hyun-seok (1⅓ innings, no earned runs), Jo Byeong-hyun (1 inning, no earned runs), and Lee Ro-woon (1 inning, no earned runs), minimized runs to secure the draw.
KIA fielded a batting lineup of Lee Chang-jin (left fielder), Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Patrick Wisdom (third baseman), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Hwang Dae-in (first baseman), Choi Won-jun (right fielder), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Tae-kyun (catcher), and Park Min (second baseman), recording 9 hits and 2 home runs. Choi Hyung-woo hit his 13th home run of the season, and Park Min hit his first career home run, while Choi Won-jun had a 3-hit game but could not lead the team to victory.
Starting pitcher Yang Hyun-jong delivered a strong performance with 6 innings, allowing 4 hits (2 home runs), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs, but the bullpen allowed a comeback, costing the victory. The bullpen unit, featuring Jeon Sang-hyun (1 inning, no earned runs), Jo Sang-woo (1 inning, 1 earned run), Jung Hae-young (⅓ inning, 2 earned runs), Seong Young-tak (1⅔ innings, no earned runs), Kim Dae-yu (0 innings, no earned runs), and Lee Ho-min (1 inning, no earned runs), allowed the tying run but did not permit a comeback.
In the 1st inning, KIA's lead-off batter Lee Chang-jin and Park Chan-ho each drew walks in succession. However, Wisdom and Choi Hyung-woo struck out, and Hwang Dae-in grounded to the shortstop, failing to convert the opportunity into a score. In the 4th with two outs, Choi Won-jun hit a ground-rule double that was deflected off the second baseman, and Kim Do-hyung drew a walk to bring runners to 1st and 2nd with two outs. However, Kim Tae-kyun was retired on a grounder to third base, ending the threat.
KIA continued to create scoring chances. In the 5th inning, lead-off batter Park Min reached base with a hit. Lee Chang-jin grounded to the pitcher for a fielder's choice, getting the lead runner out, and Park Chan-ho grounded to the second baseman, but Wisdom hit a three-run home run to take the lead.
KIA's offense did not end with Choi Hyung-woo's home run. Hwang Dae-in and Choi Won-jun connected with back-to-back hits, and Kim Ho-ryeong drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. SSG’s starting pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun eventually left the mound. The new pitcher Jeon Young-jun allowed a walk to Kim Tae-kyun, forcing in an additional run. Park Min was retired on a pop out to the first baseman, ending the long inning.
SSG immediately retaliated. In the 5th inning, lead-off batter Park Sung-han hit a solo home run to reduce the lead by one. Shortly thereafter, Lee Ji-young also got a hit, but Kim Chan-hyung, Seok Jeong-woo, and Choi Ji-hoon all remained silent, missing opportunities to score additional runs.
In the 6th inning, KIA's lead-off batter Lee Chang-jin reached base on a hit by pitch, and Park Chan-ho drew a walk, but Wisdom struck out and Choi Hyung-woo grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
SSG's lead-off batter Oh Tae-gon hit a solo home run in the 6th inning, closing the gap by another run.
In the 8th inning, KIA's lead-off batter Park Min hit a solo home run in response. Shortly thereafter, Lee Chang-jin reached base on a hit by pitch, and in a run-and-hit play, Park Chan-ho failed to make contact, resulting in Lee Chang-jin being thrown out while attempting to steal. However, Park Chan-ho managed to get into scoring position with a walk and a wild pitch. In a bases-loaded situation with one out, Kim Gyu-seong grounded into a 1-2-3 double play, failing to score additional runs.
In the 8th inning, with one out, SSG had Heredia and Han Yoo-seom drawing walks. Go Myung-jun hit a 1-RBI double to narrow the score. Park Sung-han grounded out to the first baseman, but Lee Ji-young reached base with a walk, creating a bases-loaded situation with two outs. Pinch hitter Choi Jun-woo was retired on a swinging Samjin, missing a prime opportunity to take the lead.
In the final attack of the 9th, SSG's Choi Ji-hoon created one last opportunity by hitting a surprise bunt for a hit. Oh Tae-gon also got a hit, creating a 1st and 3rd situation with one out. Heredia then hit a 1-RBI single, thrilling SSG fans. Han Yoo-seom followed suit with a 1-RBI single, successfully tying the game.
Ultimately, KIA replaced closer Jung Hae-young with Seong Young-tak. SSG inserted pinch hitter Jung Joon-jae. Jung Joon-jae hit a sharp line drive, but second baseman Kim Gyu-seong made a diving catch to snag the liner. Park Sung-han hit a single, but the runner on second base, Heredia, was thrown out at home, ending SSG's chances in a dramatic fashion.
The game proceeded to extra innings. Neither team scored until the 11th inning. In the bottom of the 11th, lead-off batter Choi Ji-hoon reached base after an error by shortstop Park Chan-ho. Then, a further error in a pickoff attempt by pitcher Lee Ho-min allowed for a runner on second with none out. However, Oh Tae-gon's sacrifice bunt was caught as a pop-up by the catcher, only increasing the outs by one.
Heredia advanced to first on an automatic intentional walk. Han Yoo-seom grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, ending the game in a tie.
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