The Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization stopped the KIA Tigers' seven-game winning streak and escaped a two-game losing streak.
Kiwoom won 9-6 against KIA in the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League' game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 24th. In front of a full house (16,000 spectators), they decorated the first game of the mid-week three-game series with a victory.
Starting pitcher Kim Yoon-han aimed to escape his personal 15-game losing streak on this day. He had the win requirement until the fourth inning but could not record any outs in the fifth inning, finishing with no decision, allowing 7 hits (2 home runs), 5 walks, 6 strikeouts, and 5 earned runs over 4 innings. Although his losing streak did not increase, he could not break the 15-game losing streak. The bullpen, which included Park Yoon-sung (1 inning, no runs), Lee Joon-woo (1 inning, 1 run), Cho Young-gun (1 inning, no runs), and Won Jong-hyun (1 inning, no runs), preserved the team victory. Joo Seung-woo achieved his 10th save of the season.
Kiwoom's starting lineup consisted of Song Seong-moon (3rd baseman), Im Ji-yeol (left fielder), Choi Joo-hwan (1st baseman), Lee Joo-hyung (center fielder), Stone Garrett (right fielder), Joo Seong-won (designated hitter), Eo Jun-seo (shortstop), Kim Dong-hun (catcher), and Jeon Tae-hyun (2nd baseman). The Kiwoom lineup batted 13 hits and 1 home run to lead the team's victory. Im Ji-yeol propelled the win with his 4th home run of the season, going 3 for 4 with 1 home run, 4 RBIs, and 1 run. Song Seong-moon, Eo Jun-seo, and Kim Dong-hun each recorded multi-hits.
KIA's starting lineup included Lee Chang-jin (left fielder), Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Patrick Wisdom (3rd baseman), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Oh Seon-woo (1st baseman), Kim Seok-hwan (right fielder), Han Jun-soo (catcher), Park Min (2nd baseman), and Choi Won-jun (center fielder). The KIA lineup recorded 9 hits and 3 home runs, showcasing their strong power, but could not prevent the team's loss. Choi Hyung-woo (14th of the season), Han Jun-soo (3rd of the season), and Lee Chang-jin (1st of the season) each hit a home run.
Starting pitcher Yoon Young-cheol struggled, allowing 8 hits, 1 strikeout, and 5 earned runs in 3 innings. The bullpen, which included Lee Ho-min (⅔ innings, 1 earned run), Choi Ji-min (1⅔ innings, 2 earned runs), Seong Young-tak (⅔ innings, 1 earned run), Kim Tae-hyoung (1 inning, no runs), and Kim Hyun-soo (1 inning, no runs), also struggled, allowing runs. Seong Young-tak allowed a home run to Im Ji-yeol, ending his debut streak of 17⅓ innings of consecutive scoreless innings, which ranked 3rd all-time. KIA's loss ended their six-game winning streak.
In the top of the first inning, KIA's leadoff batter Lee Chang-jin and Park Chan-ho consecutively drew walks. Wisdom struck out, but Choi Hyung-woo hit a three-run home run to take the early lead. Oh Seon-woo also got a hit, but Kim Seok-hwan hit into a groundout to the second baseman, and Han Jun-soo's big hit was caught at the warning track by the center fielder.
In the second inning, KIA's leadoff batter Park Chan-ho advanced to second base with a hit and a stolen base, but with two outs on second base, Oh Seon-woo popped up to the shortstop, and Kim Seok-hwan was caught on a groundout to the first baseman, failing to capitalize on the scoring opportunity.
Kiwoom's leadoff batter Eo Jun-seo and Kim Dong-hun hit consecutive singles in the bottom of the third inning. Jeon Tae-hyun followed with a 1-RBI single to score a run. Following Song Seong-moon's fly out to right field and Im Ji-yeol's single, the one-out bases loaded opportunity saw Choi Joo-hwan hit a 2-RBI double, bringing the game back to even. In the subsequent one-out runners on second and third situation, Lee Joo-hyung hit a fly ball to the third baseman, and Stone Garrett grounded out to the first baseman, failing to score.
KIA regained the lead with a solo home run by Han Jun-soo leading off in the top of the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Kiwoom's leadoff batter Joo Seong-won and Eo Jun-seo recorded consecutive hits. KIA replaced starting pitcher Yoon Young-cheol with Lee Ho-min, but Kim Dong-hun hit a 1-RBI single to tie the game, and Jeon Tae-hyun drew a walk. With the bases loaded and no outs, Song Seong-moon earned a walk to push the game into Kiwoom's lead. Im Ji-yeol hit a sacrifice fly to score another run, putting Kiwoom ahead 6-4, but the runner on second, Jeon Tae-hyun, was thrown out attempting to advance to third, leaving one out on first base. KIA then replaced the pitcher with Choi Ji-min. Kiwoom's Choi Joo-hwan drew a walk, but Lee Joo-hyung's line drive was caught by the third baseman, ending the inning.
KIA began to fight back in the top of the fifth inning. Lee Chang-jin led off with a walk, and Oh Seon-woo and Kim Seok-hwan recorded consecutive singles to set up bases loaded with no outs. Eventually, Kim Yoon-han could not meet the win requirement and was replaced by Park Yoon-sung. Han Jun-soo hit into a 4-6-3 double play, scoring one run. Park Min was caught on a fly out to center field, ending the inning. However, KIA's Lee Chang-jin launched a game-tying solo home run with one out in the sixth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, with one out, Jeon Tae-hyun reached base on a walk, and Song Seong-moon got a hit, setting up one out with runners on first and second. KIA replaced Choi Ji-min with Seong Young-tak, but Im Ji-yeol hit a three-run home run to reclaim the lead. With this home run, Seong Young-tak's debut streak of 17⅓ innings of consecutive scoreless innings ended.
In the eighth inning, with one out, Kiwoom took advantage of singles from Song Seong-moon and Im Ji-yeol, setting up one out with runners on first and second. However, Choi Joo-hwan and Lee Joo-hyung both hit fly outs, failing to capitalize on the scoring opportunity. Nevertheless, in the top of the ninth inning, closer Joo Seung-woo finished the game with the victory, recording no runs.
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