‘Chaotic 8th inning’ but SSG’s focus was stronger, distribution rival Lee smiles
“I think we’re off to a good start in the second half”
SSG Landers made Lotte Giants the sacrificial lamb for the first win of the second half of the season, just as they started the first half, with a 7-4 victory in the eighth home game of the 2024 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Monday.
It was SSG who set the early pace of the game. SSG struck first in the top of the first inning when Choi Ji-hoon hit a leadoff solo home run off Lotte starter Han Hyun-hee, followed by back-to-back RBI singles by Park Sung-han and Kim Min-sik to extend the lead to 3-0. Lotte responded in the top of the third with two outs, but after Yoon Dong-hee walked, Jeon Jun-woo blasted a two-run home run to pull SSG within one run.
After failing to score a single run after the first inning and being pinned down by Lotte’s mound, SSG broke through again in the bottom of the sixth inning. This time, Choi Jung-jeong doubled to lead off the inning and Park Sung-sung followed with a run-scoring single. However, the game took a strange turn in the bottom of the seventh inning when SSG failed to capitalize on a two-out opportunity. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Cho Byung-hyun gave up a hit to Jeon Jun-woo, a walk to Victor Reyes, and a single to Na Seung-yup to make the score 4-3.
SSG brought in ‘closer’ Moon Seung-won early to try and put out the flames, but a five-pitch forkball to pinch-hitter Lee Jung-hoon tied the 카지노 커뮤니티 game at 4-4. However, it was SSG who had the last laugh. In the bottom of the eighth inning, SSG led off with a walk and then laid down a sacrifice bunt for Kim Min-sik. However, a critical throwing error by Lotte pitcher Kim Sang-soo allowed Park to run home from second base to regain the lead. Another RBI single by Go Myung-joon and a sacrifice fly by Choi Ji-hoon capped off the scoring for the 7-4 victory.
In his second start of the day after returning from injury, Roenis Elias threw 92 pitches in five innings, allowing four hits (one home run), three walks, four strikeouts and two runs (two earned). Noh Kyung-eun, the second pitcher on the mound, pitched two scoreless innings to set the stage for the team’s victory. At the plate, Park Sung-seong went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs, two runs scored, one stolen base and one walk, while Choi Ji-hoon went 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBIs and one run scored, and Kim Min-sik and Ko Myung-joon drove in one run each.
“I think the guys focused until the end and got off to a good start in the second half,” Lee said after the game, “I pulled Elias early because he was going to pitch on Sunday. He did his job well. (Noh) Kyung-eun pitched two very good innings in a difficult situation. In the batting order, (Choi) Ji-hoon, (Park) Sung-han and (Choi) Jeong-i had multi-hit games and contributed to the team’s victory.”
Finally, Lee thanked the fans for their support, saying, “I’d like to thank the fans for sticking with us despite the rain that poured down from the last inning.”
