Yang Hyun-jong (KIA Tigers) moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list with 162 career wins after three triumphs. With its 20th win of the season, KIA has set the stage for a mid-table finish.
The Tigers defeated the top-ranked LG Twins 6-3 on Sunday at Gwangju’s Kia Champions Field in their first home game of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, behind the backs of starting pitcher Yang Hyun-jong.
With the win, KIA, which snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 20-21, closed the gap on the fifth-place NC Dinos (22-22) to 0.5 games.메이저사이트
Meanwhile, LG, which failed to win three straight games, dropped to 29 W1 D16 L to trail second-place SSG Landers (28 W1 D16 L) by 0.5 games. They are also just one game behind the third-place Lotte Giants (26-15).
Yang Hyun-jong pitched 6⅔ innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts for his third win of the season and 162nd of his career.
With his third win in three games since the Gwangju SSG game on Sept. 9, Yang moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list, ahead of MBC SportsPlus commentator Jung Min-cheol (161). The only other pitcher in the KBO with more wins than Yang is Song Jin-woo, the technical chairman and pitching coach at Daedeok University, who has 210 wins.
KIA Tigers pitcher Yang Hyun-jong reached 162 career wins against the LG Twins in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League on July 27.(Courtesy of KIA Tigers)
After failing to score a run in Yang’s previous two starts, the KIA offense scored six runs on 10 hits and seven four-pitchers. Socrates Brito had three hits, while Choi Hyung-woo, Kim Sun-bin and Lee Chang-jin each had a three-hit game.
After taking the lead in the top of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Choi Hyung-woo, the Kia battled back in the bottom of the inning when Yang Hyun-jong faltered. With runners on first and third, Yang gave up back-to-back singles to Park Hae-min and Hong Chang-ki, giving up three runs.
After settling down, Yang prevented further runs, and the KIA bats came alive. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Byun Woo-hyuk singled with runners on first and second. Han Seung-taek then pinch-hit for Lee Chang-jin, who took advantage of an error by LG starter Kim Yoon-sik to hit a two-run double to make it 4-3.
Riding the momentum, KIA added a run in the bottom of the fifth as Socrates and Kim Sun-bin hit back-to-back doubles, and Park Chan-ho singled with runners on first and second in the bottom of the sixth to make it 6-3.
LG had the tying run in scoring position in the top of the seventh and ninth innings, but couldn’t capitalize and fell to KIA. Kim Yun-sik suffered his second loss of the season, giving up five runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Lotte Giants closer Kim Won-joong (right). 2023.5.26/News1 ⓒ News1 Reporter Heo Kyung-kyung
Lotte earned a 6-5 victory over the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. After scoring six runs in the top of the seventh inning, Lotte gave up five runs in the bottom of the ninth, but held on for a hard-fought win with Lee Jung-hoo saving the day.
With the three-game winning streak, Lotte maintained its one-sided dominance over Kiwoom in the season series with four wins.
Kiwoom, on the other hand, fell into a four-game losing streak on a day when they achieved their third home sellout of the season (16,000). With 19 wins and 28 losses, Kiwoom is now 0.5 games behind ninth-place KT Wiz (16 wins, 2 losses, 3 draws) and Hanwha Eagles (16 wins, 3 losses, 26 draws) and in danger of falling to the bottom of the standings.
It was a classic pitching battle. Lotte’s Charlie Barnes and Kiwoom’s Choi Won-tae were evenly matched, pitching a scoreless sixth inning.
The tense balance was broken in the top of the seventh inning. Lotte scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning.
The game, which looked like it would end in a sweep for Lotte, erupted into pandemonium in the bottom of the ninth inning. Kiwoom, who had been silent for 26 consecutive innings until the eighth, shook the LOTTE mound in their final at-bat.
With the bases loaded, rookie Kim Dong-heon hit a two-run double, followed by Lee Hyung-jong’s bunt single, Lim Ji-yeol’s push single and pinch-hitter Lim Byung-wook’s RBI single.
With a 6-0 lead, Lotte found itself trailing 6-5, and reliever Kim Won-joong, who had been brought in as an emergency, showed signs of anxiety.
But there was no miracle in store for Kiwoom. Kim Won-joong induced Lee Jung-hoo to ground out to the pitcher to end the game.
KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol (left). 2023.4.23/News1 ⓒ News1 Reporter Kim Jin-hwan
KT extended its winning streak to four games with a 5-2 victory over the Samsung Lions in Daegu.
Kim Sang-soo, who hit the game-winning hit in the 26th game, was the difference maker for the Chinjung team for the second straight day. Kim went 3-for-5 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored to lead KT to victory.
KT opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when Kim Min-hyuk singled with runners on second and third, and Kim Sang-soo followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
After giving up a solo shot to Kang Min-ho in the bottom of the second, KT widened the gap in the top of the third with a two-run double by pinch-hitter Kang Baek-ho with runners on second and third. In the top of the fourth, three consecutive hits by Kim Sang-soo, Anthony Alford, and Park Byung-ho made it 5-1.
Samsung got one run back in the bottom of the fifth on Yoon Jung-bin’s RBI single, but Kim Dong-jin hit into a double play with the bases loaded.
KT starter Wes Benjamin, who pitched five innings of two-run ball, got help from his offense to improve to 6-3 on the season.
Hanwha Eagles pitcher Felix Peña. 2023.5.21/News1 ⓒ News1 By Yoonseong Koo
Hanwha avenged an 0-11 loss the day before (May 26) with a 5-0 victory over NC at NC Park in Changwon. Hanwha scored five runs on two hits, but NC was held scoreless on eight hits.
After being held hitless against NC starter Lee Jae-hak through four innings, Hanwha broke through in the top of the fifth.
A walk by Oh Sun-jin and a single by Lee Do-yoon put runners on first and second, and Lee attempted to lay down a sacrifice bunt. In the process, the NC infield faltered and a throwing error was made, giving Hanwha a lucky lead. With runners on second and third, Moon Hyun-bin hit a two-run single to center field to give Hanwha a 3-0 lead.
Hanwha added two more runs in the top of the eighth, capitalizing on three walks, two sacrifice flies and a fielder’s choice to put the game out of reach.
Hanwha starter Peña earned his fourth win of the season with a complete game, six innings, five hits, four walks and four strikeouts. Peña has been the team’s ace with five consecutive quality starts.
Meanwhile, SSG’s game against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil was postponed due to rain. The canceled game will be rescheduled at a later date.
Article courtesy of News1