[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young] The Hanwha Eagles pulled off a thrilling walk-off in the season opener.
Hanwha defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 10-9 in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League opener at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark on the 28th.
The Eagles got the season started on the right foot with a victory.
Kiwoom will have to wait for its first win of the year.
Starter Hernández went 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, issuing four walks, striking out three and giving up four runs. Reliever Won Jong-hyeok threw 0.1 innings, allowed one hit and no runs, and was credited with the win.
Offensively, Kang Baek-ho delivered the game-winning hit with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th. Shim Woo-joon went 2-for-4 with a home run, drew a walk and finished with three RBIs and three runs. Oh Jae-won, Peraza and Moon Hyun-bin each recorded three hits.
Kiwoom starter Alcántara worked 5.1 innings, giving up eight hits (one home run), one walk, five strikeouts and three runs. Reliever Yuto was charged with the loss after allowing four hits and three runs in 0.2 innings.
Kiwoom squandered an early opportunity. In the top of the 1st, after one out, An Chi-hong ripped a double behind the left fielder, but Brooks flied out to center and Choi Joo-hwan grounded out to second, leaving the bases empty.
Hanwha broke through after escaping that threat. In the bottom of the 1st, with one out, Peraza singled up the middle and Moon Hyun-bin drove Alcántara’s first pitch into right for a double, creating a one-out, runners-at-2nd-and-3rd chance. Noh Si-hwan struck out, but a wild pitch during Kang Baek-ho’s plate appearance allowed Peraza to score, putting Hanwha up 1-0.
The Eagles kept pressing. In the bottom of the 3rd, with one out, back-to-back hits by Oh Jae-won and Peraza set the table, and Moon Hyun-bin’s infield grounder produced another run as Oh scored. In the bottom of the 4th, Chae Eun-seong crushed Alcántara’s fourth pitch — a 136 km/h forkball — for a solo shot to left-center, extending the lead to 3-0.
Kiwoom flipped the game with a big inning. In the top of the 5th, a leadoff single by Kim Keon Hee and a free pass to Im Ji-yeol put runners at first and third with nobody out. Park Han-gyeol popped out, but a walk to Lee Hyeong-jong loaded the bases, and Lee Ju-hyung’s grounder to the pitcher brought in one. After a walk to An Chi-hong loaded the bases again, Brooks delivered an RBI single up the middle, and a misplay by the center fielder allowed every runner to score. Kiwoom plated four runs in the 5th and took a 4-3 lead.
Kiwoom pushed the advantage further. In the top of the 7th, leadoff batter Lee Hyeong-jong drew a walk off reliever Yoon San-heum. Lee Ju-hyung struck out, but An Chi-hong ripped a two-run double to give Kiwoom runners at second and third with one out. Brooks followed with an RBI single to right, adding another run.
Hanwha didn’t go away. In the bottom of the 7th, with two outs and a runner on first, Peraza singled to right. Kiwoom made a bold move, swapping Kim Seong-jin for Kim Jae-woong on the mound, but Moon Hyun-bin delivered an RBI single up the middle off Kim Jae-woong, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
Kiwoom stretched the lead again in the top of the 8th. After one out, Kim Keon Hee and Im Ji-yeol hit back-to-back singles to right. Park Han-gyeol popped out to short, and Lee Hyeong-jong drew a walk to load the bases. Lee Ju-hyung then ripped a two-run double to right, pushing the Heroes’ lead to 7-4.
Hanwha answered in one swing. In the bottom of the 8th, walks to Chae Eun-seong and Hwang Young-mook loaded the bases with two outs. Shim Woo-joon crushed reliever Bae Dong-hyun’s third pitch — a 145 km/h fastball — over the left-field wall for a three-run, game-tying homer to knot the score at 7-7KRW (about $0).
Neither team scored after that, and the game went to extra innings. Kiwoom struck first in the 11th. Walks to An Chi-hong, Brooks and Oh Jun-seo loaded the bases with one out. Kim Jae-hyun struck out looking, but Park Chan-hyung followed with a two-run single to left, giving Kiwoom a 9-7 lead.
Hanwha, however, had the final word. In the bottom of the 11th, Shim Woo-joon’s single and Moon Hyun-bin’s double cut the margin to 9-8. With two outs and a runner on second, Noh Si-hwan delivered the game-tying RBI. On a full-count, 10-pitch at-bat, Kang Baek-ho lined an RBI single off Yuto for a dramatic walk-off win.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
「The closest, most fun news ⓒ Sports Today」
Hanwha defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 10-9 in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League opener at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark on the 28th.
The Eagles got the season started on the right foot with a victory.
Kiwoom will have to wait for its first win of the year.
Starter Hernández went 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, issuing four walks, striking out three and giving up four runs. Reliever Won Jong-hyeok threw 0.1 innings, allowed one hit and no runs, and was credited with the win.
Offensively, Kang Baek-ho delivered the game-winning hit with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th. Shim Woo-joon went 2-for-4 with a home run, drew a walk and finished with three RBIs and three runs. Oh Jae-won, Peraza and Moon Hyun-bin each recorded three hits.
Kiwoom starter Alcántara worked 5.1 innings, giving up eight hits (one home run), one walk, five strikeouts and three runs. Reliever Yuto was charged with the loss after allowing four hits and three runs in 0.2 innings.
Kiwoom squandered an early opportunity. In the top of the 1st, after one out, An Chi-hong ripped a double behind the left fielder, but Brooks flied out to center and Choi Joo-hwan grounded out to second, leaving the bases empty.
Hanwha broke through after escaping that threat. In the bottom of the 1st, with one out, Peraza singled up the middle and Moon Hyun-bin drove Alcántara’s first pitch into right for a double, creating a one-out, runners-at-2nd-and-3rd chance. Noh Si-hwan struck out, but a wild pitch during Kang Baek-ho’s plate appearance allowed Peraza to score, putting Hanwha up 1-0.
The Eagles kept pressing. In the bottom of the 3rd, with one out, back-to-back hits by Oh Jae-won and Peraza set the table, and Moon Hyun-bin’s infield grounder produced another run as Oh scored. In the bottom of the 4th, Chae Eun-seong crushed Alcántara’s fourth pitch — a 136 km/h forkball — for a solo shot to left-center, extending the lead to 3-0.
Kiwoom flipped the game with a big inning. In the top of the 5th, a leadoff single by Kim Keon Hee and a free pass to Im Ji-yeol put runners at first and third with nobody out. Park Han-gyeol popped out, but a walk to Lee Hyeong-jong loaded the bases, and Lee Ju-hyung’s grounder to the pitcher brought in one. After a walk to An Chi-hong loaded the bases again, Brooks delivered an RBI single up the middle, and a misplay by the center fielder allowed every runner to score. Kiwoom plated four runs in the 5th and took a 4-3 lead.
Kiwoom pushed the advantage further. In the top of the 7th, leadoff batter Lee Hyeong-jong drew a walk off reliever Yoon San-heum. Lee Ju-hyung struck out, but An Chi-hong ripped a two-run double to give Kiwoom runners at second and third with one out. Brooks followed with an RBI single to right, adding another run.
Hanwha didn’t go away. In the bottom of the 7th, with two outs and a runner on first, Peraza singled to right. Kiwoom made a bold move, swapping Kim Seong-jin for Kim Jae-woong on the mound, but Moon Hyun-bin delivered an RBI single up the middle off Kim Jae-woong, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
Kiwoom stretched the lead again in the top of the 8th. After one out, Kim Keon Hee and Im Ji-yeol hit back-to-back singles to right. Park Han-gyeol popped out to short, and Lee Hyeong-jong drew a walk to load the bases. Lee Ju-hyung then ripped a two-run double to right, pushing the Heroes’ lead to 7-4.
Hanwha answered in one swing. In the bottom of the 8th, walks to Chae Eun-seong and Hwang Young-mook loaded the bases with two outs. Shim Woo-joon crushed reliever Bae Dong-hyun’s third pitch — a 145 km/h fastball — over the left-field wall for a three-run, game-tying homer to knot the score at 7-7KRW (about $0).
Neither team scored after that, and the game went to extra innings. Kiwoom struck first in the 11th. Walks to An Chi-hong, Brooks and Oh Jun-seo loaded the bases with one out. Kim Jae-hyun struck out looking, but Park Chan-hyung followed with a two-run single to left, giving Kiwoom a 9-7 lead.
Hanwha, however, had the final word. In the bottom of the 11th, Shim Woo-joon’s single and Moon Hyun-bin’s double cut the margin to 9-8. With two outs and a runner on second, Noh Si-hwan delivered the game-tying RBI. On a full-count, 10-pitch at-bat, Kang Baek-ho lined an RBI single off Yuto for a dramatic walk-off win.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
「The closest, most fun news ⓒ Sports Today」
