The KT Wiz snapped a five-game losing streak for the Lotte Giants. The last-place Kiwoom Heroes used a six-run big inning to beat the Samsung Lions.
KT earned a 3-1 victory against Lotte in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Sajik Stadium in Busan on May 25. With the win, KT improved to 60 wins (2 ties, 47 losses) on the season. Lotte, on the other hand, lost its fifth straight game to fall to 50-56.
Lotte took the lead in the top of the first inning when Yoon Dong-hee and Niko Goodrum singled and stole second on a throwing error by Jeon Jun-woo at the plate. However, KT tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second when Anthony Alford led off with a double up the middle, advanced to third on a grounder by Moon Sang-chul, and scored on a shortstop error by Oh Yoon-seok.
KT then took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth when Hwang Jae-gyun and Alford combined for an RBI double. In the top of the eighth, Kim Sang-soo led off with a double to right and came home on Jang Jang-woo’s single to make it 3-1. Lotte failed to score another run until the bottom of the ninth, allowing KT to secure the win.
KT starter Wes Benjamin pitched six innings of one run (unearned) to earn his 13th win of the season. He was followed by Son Dong-hyun, Park Young-hyun, and Kim Jae-yoon, who each threw one scoreless inning to earn holds and saves. Lotte starter Aaron Wilkerson suffered his first loss of the season as he was unable to get any offensive support despite pitching seven innings of two-run (one earned) ball.
In the other game between the Kiwoom Heroes and Samsung Lions at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, Kiwoom defeated Samsung 7-4. Kiwoom improved to 47-3 and 67-67, while Samsung fell to 46-1 and 61-61.
Kiwoom jumped on Samsung starter Taylor Widener early, scoring six runs in the top of the second inning. After Lee Ju-hyung led off with a single to right, Kim Soo-hwan hit a two-run double to center field to give Kiwoom the lead.
Kim Xiang, Song Sung-moon, Kim Hye-sung, and Ronnie Dawson followed with back-to-back singles, Dawson’s stolen base put runners on second and third, and Kim Hwijip’s single to left put two more runners on to give Kiwoom a six-run lead.
Samsung got one run back in the bottom of the third when Kim Sung-yoon led off with a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a grounder by Koo Ja-uk, and scored on a single by Kang Min-ho. However, Kiwoom scored one more run in the top of the fifth inning when Kim Xiang singled in Joo Sung-won and Lim Byung-wook walked to put runners on first and second.
Samsung then tacked on a solo home run by Ryu Ji-hyuk in the sixth and an RBI double by Kim Sung-yoon in the ninth, but could not change the outcome.
Kiwoom starter Ahn Woo-jin picked up his ninth win of the season with six innings of two-run ball, followed by Kim Jae-woong, Lee Myung-jong, and Moon Sung-hyun, while Lim Chang-min earned his 22nd save of the season with ⅔ scoreless innings. Samsung’s Widener took the loss, allowing seven runs in 4⅔ innings.
In the game between the LG Twins and NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park, NC defeated LG 14-1. After LG starter Choi Won-tae was knocked around for 11 runs (nine earned) on 15 hits in four innings, and the score was 7-0 in the fourth, LG raised the white flag early by making a number of changes to its lineup.
NC Peddie picked up his 16th win of the season with seven shutout innings of three-hit ball, striking out seven and walking one. He lowered his ERA to 1.97. Kim Tae-hyun and Lee Yong-jun followed with one inning of scoreless relief.
The bats, which combined for 19 hits, were led by Martin with three hits including a home run and three RBIs, Kim Joo-won with two hits, four RBIs and two runs scored, Ahn Jung-yeol with three hits including a home run and two RBIs, and Son Ah-seob with three hits, two RBIs and one run scored.
In the “Sanchez vs. Sanchez” matchup between the Hanwha Eagles and KIA Tigers at KIA Champions Field in Gwangju, KIA won 4-1. Hanwha’s Ricardo Sanchez took the loss after giving up two runs on seven hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings, while KIA’s Mario Sanchez earned the win after giving up one run on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
After taking the lead in the first inning on Choi Hyung-woo’s grounder with runners on first and third, KIA added another run in the fifth on Park Chan-ho’s quick feet. After Hanwha tied the game in the top of the seventh, KIA took the lead in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run double by Choi Hyung-woo to secure the win. Hanwha had only two hits on the day.먹튀검증
At Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, the Doosan Bears defeated the SSG Landers 10-1. SSG’s Kim Kwang-hyun was tagged for seven runs (six earned) in four innings, while Doosan’s Kwak-bin pitched a perfect eighth inning to earn his 10th win of the season. The offense was evenly matched with seven different players getting hits.