There is a saying that it takes one month to reduce three games in general. This means that reducing the number of rides is not that easy. However, there are ways to drastically reduce or increase the number of rides. The team can win games against each other. If the team secures wins in the showdowns between the first and second place teams, it will be able to make up for the loss to some extent even if it is defeated by natural enemies such as Lotte. The KIA Tigers is putting this into practice. The biggest reason KIA is leading this season is that it is strong against the second place team. KIA has continued its five-game winning streak in the showdowns between the first and second places.
It started with a game against Samsung. KIA had come from behind to secure the top spot by winning the last three consecutive games in the first half of the away game against Samsung in Daegu for three consecutive days. At that time, Samsung lost to KIA for three consecutive games and fell to the third place. Then, the first three consecutive games in the second half were against the second-ranked LG. However, the KIA Tigers have reserved the Winning Series by winning two consecutive games. Then, it garnered five consecutive wins and reached the 50th place.
At an away game against the LG Twins in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League held at Jamsil Stadium on Sunday, Kia won a thrilling come-from-behind victory by 5-2 after a close game in the 10th inning. Continuing its steep rise, Kia has started to solidify its lead by widening its gap versus second-ranked Samsung by 5.5 games.
LG, which has a long way to go, scored the first run in the bottom of the second inning when leadoff hitter Moon Bo-kyung hit a solo home run that crossed the right fence with a straight hit. At the bottom of the eighth inning, Park Dong-won hit a left-handed double with one out and runners on the first and second bases, solidifying his victory with a 2-0 lead.
KIA, however, tied the game by destroying LG closer Yoo Young-chan in its last attack in the top of the ninth inning. Leadoff hitter Park Chan-ho hit a double to the mid-wall, and Choi Won-jun recovered one run by hitting left field after one out. Two outs later, when Choi Hyung-woo hit a timely hit to left-center, first baseman Kim Do-young penetrated the home ground to tie the game 2-2. It was a moment when Kim Do-young’s fast foot stood out as it was two outs later.
With one out and runners on the first and third bases with one out in the top of the 10th inning, Kia turned the game around 3-2. Kia added two more runs on Choi Won-joon’s timely hit and the opponent’s bad pitch, with two outs and runners on the first and second bases. LG starter Detrick N.S. pitched seven ⅓ innings, the most by an individual player, striking out six and allowing no run on two hits, but his bullpen failed to keep the win. Choi hit a timely hit in the ninth inning again on the day, serving as the cleanup hitter.
Currently, Kia is missing Lee Woo-sung and Jung Hae-young. However, there is no reason to hurriedly bring them back to the team. A gap of 5.5 games with the second place is sufficient for Kia to secure a comfortable game. KIA aims to win by displaying Aldred, who showed good pitching in the game against LG on the last day.
Meanwhile, KIA Yang Hyun-jong achieved his record of 400 starts in a game against LG held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 10th. Yang Hyun-jong immediately set another record after achieving his 500-game appearance record in a game against Samsung held at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 4th, the previous day of his start. In addition, he also hit leadoff hitter Austin with a straight hit in the bottom of the fourth inning and pitched his 100th inning of this season, achieving the record of 100 innings for the third consecutive 11th season in KBO league history. 메이저놀이터