Kiwoom wins against Hanwha
Professional baseball’s Kiwoom Heroes, who were considered to have the weakest power, quelled the Hanwha Eagles’ storm and won six games in a row.
Kiwoom won 7-6 in the home game against Hanwha in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 6th.
Kiwoom, who recorded 4 consecutive losses since the opening, has not lost once since then, and has finished preparing to leap to the top ranking with 6 wins and 4 losses.
Kiwoom’s batting lineup, which had battered ‘Hanwha’s symbol’ Ryu Hyun-jin the previous day, was on fire from the beginning on this day as well.
Kiwoom scored 4 points against Hanwha starter Felix Peña in the bottom of the first inning.
Ronnie Dawson’s double over the right field, Kim Hye-seong’s hit to left, and Choi Joo-hwan’s walk gave the bases loaded with one out, and then Kim Hwi-jip hit a sacrifice hit to score the first run.
Then, the follow-up hitter, Lee Hyeong-jong, exploded with a three-run home run over the left wall, immediately widening the score gap to four points.
Kiwoom starter Enmanuel de Heisus allowed a solo home run to Hanwha’s main hitter Noh Si-hwan in the top of the second inning, but Kiwoom’s batting lineup lightened Heesus’ shoulders by adding two runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Kiwoom had a chance to reach first and second base with no outs due to Dawson’s walk and the opposing team’s shortstop Lee Do-yoon’s catching error, but Choi Joo-hwan kicked a breaking ball with a large drop with an amazing swing and connected with a timely hit to right.
Afterwards, Lee Hyeong-jong’s walk created an opportunity to load the bases with one out, and then Song Seong-moon hit a sacrifice hit to center field to widen the lead to 6-1.
There was also a crisis. Heisus was hit by consecutive hits from Taeyeon Kim and Jaehoon Choi in the 5th inning, putting him on first and third base with no outs.
However, Kiwoom first baseman Choi Joo-hwan caught Lee Do-yoon’s batted ball and then showed his wit by throwing the ball to third base, inducing a double play and preventing a scoreless run.
Kiwoom allowed a solo home run to Hanwha’s Yonatan Peraza in the top of the 6th inning, then gave up two runs in the top of the 7th inning to trail 6-4, but Dawson took the win in the bottom of the 7th inning with a solo home run over the right wall.
The game was decided in the final defense in the top of the 9th inning.
Kiwoom’s closing pitcher, Seong-Hyun Moon, gave up a walk to Chi-Hong Ahn, a pitch to the body to Jae-Hoon Choi, and a hit to left by Do-Yoon Lee, putting the bases loaded with one out, and was hit by a 2-RBI, timely hit from Jin-Young Lee, putting them down to 7-6.
In the continuing crisis of desperation with 1 out and 1st and 2nd bases, Moon Seong-hyun ended the game by overpowering Hanwha’s Moon Hyun-bin with a double play between the second baseman, shortstop, and first baseman.
Dawson led the batting line with 2 hits in 3 at-bats, including a home run, 1 walk, 1 RBI, and 3 runs, and starting pitcher Haysus earned his 2nd win (1 loss) of the season with 4 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 3 runs in 6 innings.
Hanwha’s main hitters Peraza and Noh Si-hwan played well, hitting their 6th and 5th home runs of the season, respectively, but suffered the bitter taste of defeat as other members lost concentration. 섯다
