Hanhwa succeeded in winning the season for the first time with a foreign duo at the fore.
The Hanwha Eagles won 7-2 in the second game of the season against KT Wiz in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 15th.
Hanwha went on a winning streak for the first time in the season, recording 4 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses. On the other hand, KT, whose winning streak was frustrated, collapsed with a 50% win rate with 4 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses.
From the first episode, Hanwha strongly pushed for exclusion from KT selection. Concentration was outstanding after the second company. While Noh Si-hwan and Chae Eun-seong served first and second base with consecutive hits, Brian O’Grady, a foreign hitter who was in a sluggish batting average of 106.3, hit a double with two RBIs. In 2B-2S, he attacked the middle slider on the 6th ball of exclusion and hit the right wall. The moment the final blow came out.
KT immediately counterattacked in the first inning. In a situation where there was no runner on the first runner, Kang Baek-ho fired a solo home run in pursuit. After a full count match with Hanwha starting pitcher Felix Pena, he hit a high fastball (152 km) on the 6th pitch and crossed the middle right wall. It was the third home run of the season after six games since the match against Sajik Lotte on the 8th.
Hanwha did not stand still. In the 2nd inning, Moon Hyun-bin, the leader, made an infield hit, Lee Won-seok walked, and Noh Su-gwang made a lucky bunt hit to safely load the bases. Then Eun-Won Jung struck out with a straight hit to second baseman and Si-Hwan Noh struck out, but fourth hitter Eun-Sung Chae hit 2 RBIs right on time and widened the gap.
Afterwards, KT had chances to chase, such as 1 company 1st and 2nd base in the 4th inning and 2 companies 1st and 2nd base in the 5th inning, but unfortunately all follow-up hits failed.
After one out in the 6th inning, Hanwha Lee Won-seok went to base with a left-handed hit, then stole second base and reached third base by taking advantage of the catcher’s throw error. Subsequently, Noh Soo-gwang picked out a walk, and Jung Eun-won’s choice of fielder and Noh Si-hwan at 2nd and 3rd base, which led to stealing, scored 2 RBIs in a timely manner to seal the game.
KT made up for one point with Kim Joon-tae’s 1 RBI and 2 bases following Alford’s home hit in the 6th inning, but it was after the victory had already passed to the opponent.
Hanwha scored one more point in the last 9th inning with Noh Si-hwan’s walk, Chae Eun-seong’s four balls, and O’Grady’s walk, and Kim Tae-yeon’s sacrifice fly at the bases without a loss.
Hanwha starter Pena reported his first win (1 loss) in 3 games of the season with 4 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts and 1 run in 5 innings. Lee Tae-yang, Kim Ki-joong, Han Seung-ju, and Yoon Dae-gyeong took responsibility. In the other lineup, Noh Soo-gwang, Noh Si-hwan, Chae Eun-seong, and Moon Hyun-bin played multi-hit matches. O’Grady overcame his sluggishness and was reborn as a finalist.
On the other hand, So-Jun Sohn, the replacement starter exclusion, suffered his first loss of the season with 7 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts and 4 runs in 5 innings. Alford’s three-hit performance was overshadowed by the loss. 안전놀이터