The KT Wiz snapped a four-game losing streak thanks to a strong performance from Wes Benjamin, who pitched his best game since making his KBO debut, a team batting lineup that came together late in the game, and Kim Jae-yoon, who earned his 150th career save.
KT won 4-2 against the Kiwoom Heroes in the ‘2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ at Gocheok Sky Dome on Nov. 11. With the win, KT improved its season record to 35-2-41 (0.461 winning percentage) and chased down seventh-place Kiwoom (38-2-44, 0.463 winning percentage).
KT started the game with Kim Min-hyuk (right fielder), Kim Sang-soo (shortstop), Anthony Alford (left fielder), Park Byung-ho (first baseman), Jang Sung-woo (catcher), Hwang Jae-gyun (third baseman), Lee Ho-yeon (second baseman), Moon Sang-chul (designated hitter), Bae Jeong-dae (center fielder), and starting pitcher Wes Benjamin.
Kiwoom’s lineup was Lee Hyung-jong (right fielder), Kim Hye-sung (second baseman), Lee Jeong-hoo (center fielder), Lim Ji-yeol (left fielder), Park Chan-hyuk (designated hitter), Song Sung-moon (third baseman), Kim Su-hwan (first baseman), Kim Joo-hyung (shortstop), Lee Ji-young (catcher), and starter Ahn Woo-jin.
KT struck first in the first inning. In the top of the first inning, Kim Min-hyuk and Kim Sang-soo singled to put runners on second and third with no outs, and Alford hit a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
After that, KT didn’t have many offensive opportunities. They were literally pinned down by opposing starter Ahn Woo-jin. She struck out five consecutive batters from the top of the second inning to the bottom of the third inning, and left 11 batters stranded from the top of the fifth inning to the bottom of the sixth inning. 토토사이트
In the meantime, they scored their first run. With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, starting pitcher Benjamin got a little shaky. After giving up an infield hit to Kim Hye-sung, he committed a walk to load the bases. He then walked Lee Jeong-hoo to put runners on first and second, and gave up an RBI double down the left field line to Lim Ji-yeol to tie the game at 1-1.
In the middle of the game, KT pushed Ahn Woo-jin, who was nearing his pitch limit, into a corner. In the top of the seventh, Park Byung-ho led off with a single to left and moved to second on Jang Jang-woo’s grounder to second. Hwang Jae-gyun drew a full-count walk to put runners on first and second, and Lee Ho-yeon followed with an RBI single to regain the lead at 2-1.
The next batter, Moon Sang-chul, grounded out to shortstop against the new pitcher Yang Hyun, but the runners on first and second moved to second and third. With runners on second and third, Choi Soo-ho hit a two-run double to center field to make it 4-1.