[MyDaily = Suwon, reporter Kim Kyung-hyun] Kwon Dong-jin toppled Lotte Giants closer Kim Won-jung, who entered the night with 166 career saves. One swing was all it took. KT Wiz infielder Kwon delivered the decisive blow after manager Lee Kang-chul’s unconventional instruction spurred him into action.
Kwon entered the May 5 game at Suwon’s KT Wiz Park as a substitute in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League matchup with Lotte. He finished 1-for-1 with an RBI, delivering the game-winning hit in his lone plate appearance.
Here’s the setup: the game was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth. Leadoff hitter Kim Sang-su punched an infield single toward third. On Yoo Jun-gyu’s sacrifice bunt, Kim raced to third — there was no one covering the bag, and he showed the instincts to take advantage.
With one out and a runner at third, Lotte summoned Kim Won-jung. No introduction was necessary — he’s Lotte’s veteran closer with 166 saves. After battling lingering effects from a car accident earlier in the season, he’s been regaining his form.
Kwon, who had earlier entered as a pinch-runner for Lee Jung-hoon, stepped into the batter’s box. Before that at-bat, he had faced Kim Won-jung four times and been retired each time — he’d never even drawn a walk against him.
One swing changed that. The first pitch was a fastball; the second was an obvious miss on a forkball. The third pitch — another forkball — darted inside. Kwon got to it and lofted a shot to right field that slammed off the wall for an RBI double — his first hit off Kim Won-jung in his career. Lotte’s outfield had been playing in to prevent a run; even at regular depth, the ball carried over the right fielder’s reach. Kwon’s double put KT ahead 5-4, and Park Young-hyun retired the side in the ninth to seal the victory.
After the game, manager Lee praised two key plays — Kim Sang-su’s heads-up baserunning that created the scoring opportunity and Kwon’s game-winning hit — saying those moments swung the game in their favor.
Kwon said the manager’s instruction helped him approach the at-bat with confidence: “Before I stepped in, he told me to swing with conviction even if I made an out. That really gave me confidence.”
He added, “He throws a strong forkball. I aimed for the top of the zone, and it worked out.”
With the win, KT recorded just its second-ever victory on Children’s Day (against eight losses all time). The announced crowd of 18,700 filled the park for the team’s Kids’ Day celebration. Kwon said he was glad to contribute on a day when so many young fans showed up: “We’ve struggled on Children’s Day before, so I’m happy we could give these kids a win.”
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