LG, Hanwha, Samsung jointly lead
KT Wiz ended its 4-game losing streak with the help of foreign players.
KT won 8-2 in the 2023 Shinhan Bank Sol KBO demonstration game against Doosan Bears held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 20th.
KT, who broke 4 consecutive losses in the demonstration game, harvested the 3rd win (4 losses) in the demonstration game. Coach Lee Kang-cheol won the first victory since the 16th, when he commanded the team after the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).안전놀이터
On the other hand, Doosan fell into a three-game losing streak, with two wins, one draw and four losses.
Benjamin, who was selected as the starter for KT’s opening game, gave up only 3 hits and 1 run in 4 innings.
Benjamin, who recorded 2 ⅔ innings, 2 hits, 4 strikeouts and 1 run (non-run) against Kiwoom Heroes on the 14th, the first appearance of the demonstration game, raised expectations by fighting well in the second appearance.
On the other line, Alford played the role of a solver by launching a grand slam at the bottom of the 5th inning.
After completing the 2023 WBC, KT Park Byeong-ho, who joined the team on this day while resting and training, participated in the demonstration game for the first time this year and digested two at-bats. In the second inning he hit a grounder to third base, then picked a walk in the fifth.
Kang Baek-ho seemed to miss the day due to a slight pain in his left hamstring, but after one out in the bottom of the 8th inning, he took a pinch hit and pulled out a hit to the left.
Also after the 2023 WBC, Doosan’s main catcher Eui-ji Yang, who started for the first time in the demonstration game, finished the game with 1 hit in 3 at-bats.
Raul Alcantara, the starting pitcher for Doosan, went down the mound after brushing his elbow with a batted ball in the bottom of the 5th inning. Fortunately, he did not suffer any major injuries. Alcantara, who threw the ball at a maximum speed of 152 km that day, recorded 4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks and 3 runs in 4⅓ innings.
KT gave Doosan the first run in the top of the 3rd inning, and in the bottom of the 4th, Cho Yong-ho’s hit, Kim Min-hyeok’s walk, the opposing catcher’s fastball and Park Byeong-ho’s walk made up 1 point with Jang Sung-woo’s sacrifice fly at the bases loaded with one out. As the follow-up hit failed, he only scored 1 run from the full base chance.
However, in the 5th inning chance with the bases loaded, a cool shot broke out.
At the end of the 5th inning, with 1 out and 1st base, Lee Sang-ho’s hit hit Alcantara and led to a heavy hit, making 1 out 1st and 2nd base. Afterwards, Kim Min-hyeok picked a walk and made the bases loaded with two outs.
After entering the plate, Alford aimed for the second pitch change-up of the changed pitcher, Lee Byung-hun, and hit the ball over the left fence. Alford’s first home run in an exhibition game this year.
In the top of the 6th inning, Doosan’s lead hitter Kim Dae-han made up a point with a left-handed solo shot, but KT ran away from the ensuing attack.
At the end of the 6th inning, Son Min-seok hit a heavy hit on second base, and took advantage of the opponent catcher’s mistake to advance to third base. As follow-up hitter Lee Sang-ho hit a right-handed hit at the right time, KT took a 7-2 lead.
At the end of the 8th inning, KT solidified its winning streak by adding 1 run to third base runner Song Min-seop with an infield hit by Hyun-in Ryu at 2 out 1 and 3 base, which was made with hits by Kang Baek-ho and Shin Bong-ki.
Kiwoom Heroes won 6-0 against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park.
Kiwoom won 3 wins (4 losses) in the demonstration game. NC, whose 4 consecutive wins were frustrated, recorded 3 wins and 4 losses.
Kiwoom Ahn Woo-jin played two consecutive scoreless games, while NC Koo Chang-mo, who returned after the 2023 WBC, could not avoid concentrated hits.
Kiwoom starter Ahn Woo-jin tied the NC lineup with 2 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts and no runs in 4 innings.
An Woo-jin, who scored three scoreless innings against the KT Wiz on the 14th, his first appearance in the demonstration game, announced his smooth preparation for the season by marching scoreless in two consecutive games.
While Ahn Woo-jin endured with no runs, Kiwoom’s other line attacked NC starter Gu Chang-mo in the beginning of the 4th inning.
Starting with leader Lee Jung-hoo, Edison Russell and Park Joo-hong scored three consecutive hits on Koo Chang-mo. Kim Hui-jip took the lead with a push walk after an 8-pitch game with Gu Chang-mo in the first run.
NC replaced the mound, but the follow-up Lee Ji-young attacked the changed pitcher Jeong Gu-beom’s first pitch and scored two RBIs at the right time.
In the 7th inning with a lead of 3-0, with one out and bases loaded, Ki-eum ran to 6-0 due to NC Shim Chang-min’s wild fighting, opponent’s error, and Lim Byeong-wook’s timely hit to break the game.
Gu Chang-mo, who made his first appearance in the demonstration game, only allowed 3 runs with 4 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout in 3⅓ innings.
Koo Chang-mo pitched in two games in this 2023 WBC and recorded 3 hits, 1 strikeout and 2 runs in 1⅓ innings.
In Gwangju, the KIA Tigers beat the LG Twins 3-1.
KIA (4 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses), who had 2 wins in a row, stopped LG (5 wins, 2 losses) from 4 wins in a row.
KIA took the lead with Socrates Britto’s ground ball in the first inning, 1 company, 2nd and 3rd base, and added a point with Byun Woo-hyuk’s timely hit.
In the 8th inning with a 2-1 lead, Kim Ho-ryeong struck a timely hit with two outs and a wedge.
KIA’s new foreign pitcher Sean Anderson showed a stable appearance with 3 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout and 1 run in 5⅓ innings. Lee Joon-yeong (⅔ innings) – Kim Ki-hoon (1 inning) – Kim Dae-yu (1 inning) – Choi Ji-min (1 inning) supported the scoreless.
LG rookie Park Myeong-geun came out as a starter and withdrew with 5 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout and 2 runs in 3⅔ innings. Second pitcher Lim Chan-gyu did his part with 4 hits, 3 strikeouts and 1 run in 4 innings.
In Daejeon, the Hanwha Eagles defeated the ‘defending champion’ SSG Landers 10-1.
Hanwha (5 wins and 2 losses) took the lead with LG and Samsung Lions.
SSG (2 wins, 1 draw, 4 losses) fell into a 3-game losing streak.
The joys and sorrows of foreign starting pitchers were mixed.
Hanwha Birch Smith pitched well with 1 hit, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts and no runs in 4⅓ innings.
SSG Kirk McCarty struggled with 4 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts and 3 runs in 4 innings.
Hanwha, who took the lead with Roh Si-hwan’s solo catcher in the second inning, ran away with two walks and a hit in the third inning, 3-0 with Chae Eun-seong’s sacrifice fly and McCarty’s wild throw.
In the 8th inning, with a 5-1 lead, he scored 5 more runs by pouring out consecutive hits to decide the game.
In Daegu, Samsung beat the Lotte Giants 5-2.
Samsung (5 wins and 2 losses) won 3 consecutive wins and drove Lotte to 4 consecutive losses. Lotte stayed at the bottom (1 win, 1 draw, 5 losses).
Lotte Jeon Jun-woo fired a left-handed two-run gun in the first inning, but the Samsung batting line immediately attacked Lotte starter Dan Strayley.
At the end of the first inning, which fell behind 0-2, Oh Jae-il made up for one point with a timely hit by Oh Jae-il, and tied the score with Kim Dong-yeop’s timely hit at 1st and 3rd base safely in the second inning. Jose Pirella turned the game around with two RBIs in the ensuing two-man bases loaded.
Strayley left anxiety with 6 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts and 4 runs in 2 innings.
Ahn Kwon-soo, Lotte’s No. 1 hitter, could not laugh at the team’s defeat even after hitting 4 hits in 4 at-bats.