SSG Landers halts further slide and snaps two-game losing streak.
SSG defeated the Lotte Giants 12-1 in the regular season of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at SSG Landers Field in Incheon, South Korea, on the 16th. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and improved SSG’s record to 37 wins, 23 losses and two draws. Lotte, on the other hand, fell back into a three-game losing streak and dropped to 31-27.
SSG jumped out to an early lead in the game. In the bottom of the second inning, leadoff hitter Choi Ju-hwan took a 146km fastball from Han Hyun-hee for a solo shot. The home run marked Choi’s 1000th career hit.
In the third, Choo Shin-soo walked, Choi Ji-hoon singled to centre and Choi Jung singled to left to load the bases. Heredia’s grounder to shortstop brought in a run, but it wasn’t enough.
However, in the fourth inning, they made up for their three runs. With two outs in the top of the fourth after a leadoff double by Park Sung-ho, Oh Tae-gon hit a two-run shot to left-centre field. He followed with a 127km slider from Han Hyun-hee. It was 4-0.
In the top of the fifth, Choi led off with a walk. Heredia hit a grounder to shortstop to put runners on first and second with Choi hitting a grounder to second. However, Park Sung Sung walked to put runners on second and third, and Jeon Eui-san singled to right to score another run. It was 5-0.
Lotte got one run back. In the top of the sixth, Lee Hak-joo singled to right, Hwang Sung-bin grounded out to the first baseman to put runners on first and second, and Jeon Jun-woo singled to centre. Go Seung-min singled up the middle and was hit by a pitch to put runners on second and third, but Yoon Dong-hee hit a well-struck ball straight to the centre fielder to end the threat 메이저놀이터.
However, SSG drove a wedge into the game in the bottom of the sixth. Kim Min-sik singled to right, Choo Shin-soo walked, and Choi Ji-hoon hit a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third, and Choi smashed a three-run home run over the left field fence to extend the lead to 8-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, Shin-Soo Choo hit a three-run homer and Guillermo Heredia added a solo shot to complete the rout.
On the day, SSG dominated the game, unleashing a home run barrage at every major milestone. Five home runs were hit in total. Starter Kirk McCarty bounced back with six innings of five-hit ball, striking out five and walking one to earn the win. It was his sixth win of the season.
For Lotte, starter Han Hyun-hee was tagged for five runs on six hits (two home runs) in 4 1/3 innings with four walks and two strikeouts. The bats didn’t do much of anything.