The professional baseball team KT Wiz has shed its label as a slow starter and finished the first half in a pleasing 5th place. Given that many key players were sidelined with injuries in the first half, the ranking of 5th feels even more valuable.
The professional baseball team KT Wiz achieved a 4-2 come-from-behind victory against the SSG Landers in the 11th match of the season held at Incheon SSG Landers Field on Oct. 10.
KT, which succeeded in achieving its second consecutive win, decorated the final three-game series of the first half with a winning series, pulling down SSG and rising to 5th place. The season record stands at 45 wins, 3 draws, and 41 losses.
Starting pitcher and local ace Go Young-pyo delivered an impressive performance with 6 innings pitched, allowing 4 hits (1 home run), 3 walks, and striking out 7 batters while giving up 2 runs (1 earned run) on 111 pitches, securing his 8th win of the season (4 losses). Following him, Lee Sang-dong (⅔ inning, no runs) and Woo Kyu-min (1⅓ inning, no runs), and Park Young-hyun (1 inning, no runs) kept the lead intact, with Park recording his 26th save of the season. Although he faced a two-out, bases loaded crisis in the bottom of the 9th, he managed to maintain the lead by getting Choi Jeong out on a line drive to left field.
In the batting lineup, Kim Min-hyuk, who came off the bench, stood out the most, recording 1 hit and 3 RBIs in 2 at-bats. Trailing 0-2, he appeared as a pinch hitter in the top of the 5th inning and hit a two-run game-tying single on the first pitch from Drew Anderson, followed by a go-ahead ground ball that drove in 1 run from 3rd base with one out in the top of the 7th inning.
KT manager Lee Kang-cheol said after the game, "Starting pitcher Go Young-pyo gave it his all in the last game of the first half. I'm really happy to be the winning pitcher," and noted, "The subsequent pitchers Lee Sang-dong, Woo Kyu-min, and Park Young-hyun also did well to ensure that Go Young-pyo's efforts were not in vain."
He continued, "In the batting lineup, Kim Min-hyuk's three RBIs for the game-tying and go-ahead hits changed the momentum of the match. Following that, we were able to secure the win thanks to Oh Yoon-seok's additional RBIs."
KT finished the first half in 5th place with a .500 win-loss margin and +4 after shedding its slow starter label. Manager Lee Kang-cheol remarked, "All the players, coaching staff, and front office worked hard in the first half, and after a break, we will show better performances in the second half. I also sincerely thank the fans who passionately supported us in the heat."
Go Young-pyo, who finished the final game of the first half with a win, stated, "I'm satisfied that both the quality start count and victories met my expectations for the first half. However, I want to show even more stable pitching in the second half. I would like to express my gratitude to the manager, coaches, and teammates who helped me a lot during the first half."
KT will play its first game of the second half against the Hanwha Eagles at home on the 17th, following the All-Star break.
[OSEN]