The ‘Lotte Effect’ led to an unbelievable comeback at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, which was sold out for the second consecutive day.
The Kiwoom Heroes clawed their way out of a four-game losing streak with a 7-5 victory over the Lotte Giants, thanks to a dramatic come-from-behind grand slam by Lim Ji-yeol, in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Monday.
Lotte’s hopes of overtaking second-place SSG Landers, who did not play due to rain, were dashed.
The impact of a furious five-run ninth inning comeback from an 0-6 deficit the previous day was the catalyst for Kiwoom’s turnaround.
Lotte dominated Kiwoom until the middle of the game, thanks to a strong performance from starter Na Gyun-an, who struck out nine in six innings and limited the team to one run, and the focus of the bats.
LOTTE scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning on two sacrifice flies by Ko Seung-min and Han Dong-hee, and took a 3-0 lead two batters later on a leadoff triple by Jeon Jun-woo and an RBI single by Ahn Chi-hong.
In the fifth inning, with the score 3-1, Lotte added two more runs on a sacrifice fly by Jeon Jun-woo and a single up the middle by Ahn Chi-hong.
Kiwoom pounded the Lotte bullpen after Na Gyun-an was hit by a pitch.
Trailing 1-5 in the seventh, a double, a walk and a hit batter brought in a run on an infield grounder.
Then, in the “Promised Eighth,” the tide turned. After three consecutive hits and a sacrifice fly by Kim Dong-heon made it 3-5, Lim Ji-yeol’s mid-month home run with the bases loaded threw cold water on the Lotte supporters’ seats.
Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, which had previously been filled with Lotte chants that could be confused with Busan’s Sajik Stadium, was suddenly filled with Kiwoom chants.
■ LG extends lead over second-place SSG by one game after two days off due to rain
The top-ranked LG Twins reached 30 wins for the season.
LG won 7-1 against the visiting Kia Tigers at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on Monday.
With 30 wins, one tie and 16 losses, LG extended its lead atop the standings to one game over second-place SSG Landers, who had two days off due to rain.
LG right-hander Lim Chan-kyu, who is having his best year in his 13th year with the club by improving his command of his pitches, held the KIA bats to four hits over seven innings to earn his fifth win of the season. It was his first start against KIA in two years and nine months.
Lim lowered his ERA from 2.33 to 1.97 and will likely move into the top 10 in that category after his next start.
KIA was unable to capitalize on a disappointing outing from starter Sean Anderson and an error by the outfield that didn’t help Anderson.
LG opened the scoring in the first inning with a golden opportunity after Hong Chang-ki singled to left, an error by KIA third baseman Byun Woo-hyuk, and a walk to Moon Bo-kyung.
After scoring a run in the second on Park Hae-min’s stolen base, Anderson’s wild pitch and a throwing error by KIA catcher Han Seung-taek, LG slowly widened the gap in the third on Austin Dean’s solo home run to left field.
In the fourth inning, after a hit batter, a bunt throwing error by KIA pitcher Anderson, and a hit-by-pitch, LG sealed the win with a bases-loaded triple by Moon Sung-joo.
Moon pulled a fastball from Kia’s Kim Dae-yoo, who was in the lineup until last year, for a three-run triple that sailed over the first base line and scored on Moon Bo-kyung’s single to right.
KIA avoided the shutout in the bottom of the ninth with a home run by pinch-hitter Lee Woo-sung.
■ Samsung snaps three-game losing streak behind Koo’s three-hit blast, Won Tae-in’s three-run homer
The Samsung Lions snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the KT WIZ at home in Daegu.
Samsung took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Lee Jae-hyun and a two-run double to right-center by leadoff hitter Koo Ja-ook.
After Kang Min-ho made it 4-0 with a solo home run in the third, Koo exploded once more in the fourth.
With one out and two on, he doubled to right-center, sending Kang home. He scored when Jose Pirela singled to left.
Koo finished with two doubles and three RBIs.
KT starter Bo Schuler gave up six runs on eight hits, including one home run, in 3 1/3 innings to suffer his worst loss of the season (1-7).스포츠토토
After striking out pinch-hitter Moon Sang-chul with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Samsung’s Won Tae-in pitched six innings of three-hit ball to earn his third win (3-3).
KT scored four runs in the top of the ninth, including a three-run homer by Lee Ho-yeon off Oh Seung-hwan, but ran out of outs.
The SSG Landers-Dusan Bears (Jamsil Stadium, Seoul) and Hanwha Eagles-NC Dinos (Changwon NC Park) games were canceled due to rain.
The 27 games canceled this year due to rain and fine dust will be rescheduled at a later date.