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| Kim Min-seong / Photo=DB |
Lotte demolished the Kiwoom Heroes, 12-1, in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League exhibition at Busan’s Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 16th.
The victory improved Lotte’s exhibition mark to 4-0-1 and kept them alone atop the standings with a five-game unbeaten streak. Kiwoom dropped to 1-4.
Starter Na Gyun-an threw five innings, allowing three hits, one walk and one run while striking out three to pick up the win.
Lotte’s offense came alive with 17 hits, including a homer, and 12 runs. Kim Min-seong went 2-for-3 with a solo shot, an RBI and a run, and Jang Du-seong finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a stolen base.
Kiwoom starter Wiles took the loss, lasting three innings while yielding five hits (one homer), issuing three walks and striking out two, and allowing four runs.
Kiwoom struck first in the game. In the top of the 1st, leadoff hitter Brooks opened with a double to center. After An Chi-hong struck out, Na Gyun-an uncorked a wild pitch during Lee Joo-hyung’s at-bat that sent Brooks to third. Brooks scored on Lee’s infield grounder to give Kiwoom a 1-0 lead.
Lotte responded immediately. In the bottom of the 1st, Hwang Seong-bin led off with a single and scored on Han Tae-yang’s RBI double to tie the game. With two outs and a runner on third, Jeon Jun-woo delivered an RBI single to center to put Lotte ahead 2-1.
Lotte kept pressing. In the bottom of the 2nd, Han Tae-yang drew a walk and Reyes followed with an RBI single to left for another run. In the bottom of the 4th, Kim Min-seong chased Wiles’ 138 km/h fastball and sent a solo homer into deep left-center to make it 4-1.
Lotte put the game away with a big sixth inning. The frame began with Park Jae-yeop’s double and Kim Min-seong’s infield single, creating a no-out, runners-at-second-and-third opportunity. After Jeon Min-jae struck out swinging, Kim Han-hol ripped an RBI single off reliever Won Jong-hyun to keep the rally alive.
Kim Han-hol then stole second during Han Tae-yang’s at-bat, creating a one-out, runners-at-second-and-third situation. A throwing error by the pitcher allowed the runner from third to score; Kim Han-hol advanced to third and Han Tae-yang drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Lotte added three more runs on RBI hits from Cho Se-jin, Jang Du-seong and Son Ho-young, finishing the sixth with five runs and extending the lead to 9-1.
The offense didn’t stop there. In the bottom of the 7th, after one out, Noh Jin-hyuk laced a triple into right. Kim Han-hol brought him home with a sacrifice fly to left. Lee Ho-jun and Cho Se-jin followed with an RBI single and double, and Jang Du-seong capped the scoring with a two-run double to make it 12-1.
After that early run, Kiwoom’s lineup was held in check. In the top of the 9th, An Chi-hong’s single and Park Joo-hong’s walk produced a one-out, runners-at-first-and-second chance, but Yang Hyun-jong hit into a double play to end the game.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
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