The LG Twins snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Hanwha Eagles in a rainy cold game.
LG earned a 4-3 victory over Hanwha in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League on Friday at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park. The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved LG’s season record to 71 wins, 2 draws, and 47 losses. Hanwha, on the other hand, fell to 50-6-3 with its second straight loss.
LG starting lineup: Hong Chang-ki (R), Shin Min-jae (2B), Kim Hyun-soo (designated hitter), Austin (1B), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Moon Bo-kyung (3B), Park Dong-won (catcher), Moon Sung-joo (left fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder)
Hanwha starting lineup: Moon Hyun-bin (2B), Kim Tae-yeon (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (3B), Chae Eun-sung (1B), Choi In-ho (LB), Choi Jae-hoon (C), Williams (R), Lee Jin-young (C), Lee Do-yoon (RF)
In the top of the second inning, LG scored first against Hanwha starter Felix Peña. One inning later, Oh Ji-hwan led off with a single to left and came home on Moon Bo-kyung’s RBI double, giving LG a 1-0 lead.
However, Hanwha quickly turned the tables. In the bottom of the second inning, LG starter Kim Yoon-sik gave up a seven-pitch walk to leadoff hitter Choi Jae-hoon, and Nick Williams followed with an RBI double to bring home Choi and tie the game at 1-1. LG requested a video review, but the call was not overturned.
Williams then advanced to third on Lee Jin-young’s sacrifice bunt, and Han Hwa opted for a squeeze bunt on Lee Do-yoon, but the ball didn’t roll fast enough due to the damp ground, and pitcher Kim Yoon-sik caught the ball and threw home Williams. However, with the bases loaded, Moon Hyun-bin and Kim Tae-yeon hit back-to-back doubles to bring home Lee Do-yoon and Moon Hyun-bin to make it 3-1.
LG followed suit. In the top of the third, Park Hae-min led off with a single, stole second and then stole third on a wild pitch. Hong Chang-ki drew a straight bunt to put runners on first and third with no outs. Shin Min-jae’s sacrifice bunt brought Park Hae-min home, and Hong Chang-gi scored on Kim Hyun-soo’s single to tie the game at 3-3.
The balance was broken in the top of the fifth inning. One out later, Shin Min-jae hit a line drive into the outfield toward center field, where the defense didn’t make a good catch and Shin quickly raced to third base. Then, with runners on first and third after Kim Hyun-soo’s automatic double, Austin Dean’s single to left scored Shin Min-jae and LG took the lead again, 4-3.
In the sixth inning, neither team was able to score another run. In the top of the sixth, Peña walked, Moon Bo-kyung singled against Joo Hyun-sang, Park Dong-won sacrificed, and Moon Sung-joo walked again to put runners on first and second. However, Park Hae-min struck out and Hong Chang-ki singled against reliever Kim Bum-soo, and Shin Min-jae grounded out to shortstop on the next pitch, ending the chance. Hanwha also retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth on a triple by Kim Jin-sung.
With LG’s one-run lead intact, the game was suspended in the top of the seventh inning due to a sudden downpour. A tarp was laid down and the team waited for the rain to subside, but it showed no signs of abating, and the game was eventually called as a cold game because it was no longer possible to play.
LG starter Kim Yun-sik earned the win with five innings of four-hit ball, three walks and three strikeouts, while Kim Jin-seong pitched a perfect inning of two-hit ball. Felix Peña took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. 메이저놀이터
Hanwha followed Peña with Joo Hyun-sang (⅔ innings) and Kim Bum-soo (⅓ innings) and brought in Jang Si-hwan to shut down the LG bats and try to turn things around in the remaining innings, but the steady rain prevented them from getting any more offensive opportunities.
LG had previously experienced a rainy no-hitter against KIA in Gwangju on August 8, when they took an 8-0 lead. Before the game, head coach Yeom Kyung-yeop lamented, “We’ve had a lot of bad luck,” but on this day, the goddess of victory smiled on LG. After securing a comfortable one-point victory thanks to the rain, LG traveled home to face SSG Landers.