"'2049K' Yang Hyun-jong's party has been secured! KIA finally escapes giantophobia'Park Chan-ho's final hit'6-5 come-from-behind victory
Aug 21, 2024
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The KIA Tigers won the Lotte Giants 6-5 at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 21st.
KIA showed weakness when it met Lotte this year. KIA, the home team, had three wins, seven losses and one draw against Lotte before the game. There was also a legendary match that ended with a draw after a 14-1 lead was overturned. In the previous day's game, KIA overturned 3-1 and had the bad luck of canceling the game due to heavy rain in the top of the fourth inning.
However, with the victory, KIA broke its last three consecutive losses against Lotte and washed away the bad luck it had followed this season.
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On this day, Lotte played in the lineup of Hwang Sung-bin (center fielder), Yoon Dong-hee (right wing), Son Ho-young (third base), Reyes (left wing), Na Seung-yeop (first base), Jeon Joon-woo (designated hitter), Ko Seung-min (second base), Noh Jin-hyuk (striker), and Information-geun (catcher). The first choice is Park Se-woong.
KIA faced off with Park Chan-ho (striker), Choi Won-joon (right wing), Kim Do-young (third base), Socrates (midfielder), Na Sung-bum (designated hitter), Kim Sun-bin (second base), Lee Woo-sung (left wing), Han Jun-su (catcher) and Byun Woo-hyuk (first base). Yang Hyun-jong started the game.
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KIA took the lead by scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Kim Sun-bin, Han Jun-su, and Park Chan-ho hit a series of RBI doubles against Park Se-woong.
Yang Hyun-jong added one strikeout every inning in the first to third innings. Yang Hyun-jong, who was two behind Song Jin-woo (2048), the No. 1 pitcher in history with 2,046 total before the game, finally struck out for the 2049th time, becoming the No. 1 strikeout among all pitchers who passed the KBO League. Not only his team KIA but also Lotte celebrated the milestone with Jeon Joon-woo and Kim Won-joong delivering bouquets of flowers.
However, Lotte's fierce counterattack continued. Lotte recovered one run with Roh Jin-hyuk's solo shot in the top of the fifth inning, and turned the game around with Son Ho-young's come-from-behind three-run home run with two outs and runners on first and second bases made by Information Geun's hit and Yoon Dong-hee's walk.
KIA also tied 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning with an opponent's wild pitch following Socrates' double and Kim Sun-bin's timely hit, but Lotte led 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning with Jeon Joon-woo shooting a solo shot again.
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Here, heavy rain poured suddenly, followed by protests from Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung. KIA manager Lee Bum-ho also protested, but the game was eventually suspended at 9:08 p.m. as the rain gradually increased.
Fortunately, the heavy rain did not last long and stopped after 9:20. KIA tied the score at 5-5 with Na Sung-bum's sacrifice fly.
And in the bottom of the eighth inning, leadoff hitter Lee Woo-sung's long ball was blocked by Lotte Yoon Dong-hee's miraculous diving catch.
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In the top of the ninth inning, closer Jung Hae-young took the mound. He gave up a hit to Jung Hoon, the first batter, but struck out Son Ho-young with one out and second base, which led to a sacrifice bunt, and handled Reyes with a straight hit to left field to end the game.
lunarfly@sportschosun.com
