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| Kim Hyun‑soo / Photo: DB |
KT beat Hanwha 14-11 on April 1 at Daejeon’s Hanwha Life Ballpark in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League road game.
The win pushed KT to a franchise-best four-game season-opening streak and into sole possession of first place. Hanwha dropped its second straight game and fell to 2-2.
Kim Hyun‑soo led the way for KT with three hits and four RBIs, including the game‑winning hit. Choi Won‑jun drove in five runs on three hits, Oh Yun‑seok had three hits and an RBI, and Ahn Hyun‑min added a two-hit, two‑RBI performance that included a homer.
Starter Ko Young‑pyo was steady for five innings, allowing four runs (three earned). Joo Kwon and Woo Kyu‑min struggled in relief, each giving up three runs in a third of an inning. Park Young‑hyun picked up the win with a scoreless one‑third inning, and Kim Min‑su locked down the save with a scoreless inning.
For Hanwha, Shim Woo‑jun had a huge night — two hits, including a homer, and five RBIs. Moon Hyun‑bin also contributed a two‑hit, two‑RBI effort with a homer, but their offense couldn't overcome KT. Starter Ryu Hyun‑jin tossed five innings, allowing two runs (1 RBI) and left without a decision. Kim Do‑bin was charged with the loss after giving up three runs in one inning.
KT struck first in the top of the first when Ahn Hyun‑min led off with a solo home run. Hanwha answered in the bottom half as Moon Hyun‑bin belted a two‑run shot to make it 2-1.
In the top of the third, Choi Won‑jun’s double and a Hanwha error produced a run and evened the score at 2-2.
Hanwha retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Moon’s double and Noh Si‑hwan’s advance set up a runner at third with one out, and Kang Baek‑ho’s RBI groundout pushed Hanwha ahead 3-2. In the sixth, with no outs and runners on first and third, Shim Woo‑jun’s RBI single extended the lead to 4-2.
Down two runs, KT began its rally in the top of the seventh. Hilliard’s double put a runner on second, and Oh Yun‑seok’s single cut the deficit to one. Walks to Oh and Ryu Hyun‑in loaded the bases, and consecutive RBI hits from Choi Won‑jun and Kim Hyun‑soo put KT up 6-4.
Hanwha trimmed the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Shim Woo‑jun drew a bases‑loaded walk.
KT broke the game open in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded, Choi Won‑jun ripped a three‑RBI double that cleared the bases and pushed the score to 9-5. Ahn Hyun‑min and Hilliard followed with RBI singles to extend the lead to 11-5.
Facing a large deficit, Hanwha stormed back in the bottom of the eighth. Kang Baek‑ho and Chae Eun‑seong delivered RBI singles with one out and runners on first and second, and Heo In‑seo added a sacrifice fly to pull within three. Then, with two outs and runners on first and second, Shim Woo‑jun crushed a dramatic three‑run homer to tie the game at 11-11.
KT answered again in the top of the ninth. After drawing consecutive walks to load the bases with two outs, Kim Hyun‑soo ripped a bases‑clearing double that put KT back on top, 14-11. KT’s bullpen retired Hanwha in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang‑pil sports@stoo.com]
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