The professional baseball team KT Wiz is leading the exhibition games.
KT won 10-5 in an away game against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park on the 13th. This victory kept them at the top of the standings with a record of four wins and one loss.
Koh Young Technology, a player with national team experience, was the starting pitcher for KT, which set up its lineup with designated hitter Kang Baek-ho, right fielder Mel Rojas Jr., third baseman Heo Kyung-min, catcher Jang Sung-woo, left fielder Kim Min-hyuk, first baseman Moon Sang-cheol, second baseman Oh Yun-seok, center fielder Bae Jeong-dae, and shortstop Kim Sang-soo.
NC countered with a lineup consisting of second baseman Park Min-woo, shortstop Kim Joo-won, designated hitter Son Ah-seop, first baseman Matt Davidson, center fielder Park Gun-woo, catcher Kim Hyung-jun, third baseman Do Tae-hoon, left fielder Cheon Jae-hwan, and right fielder Park Si-won. The starting pitcher was Shin Min-hyuk.
In the first inning, NC had a chance to score with Kim Joo-won's left field single and a stolen base by Park Min-woo, followed by Son Ah-seop being hit by a pitch, creating a situation with one out and runners on first and second. Last year's home run leader, Davidson, hit a three-run homer over the center field fence.
KT, which launched a counterattack, closed the gap with a sacrifice fly from Oh Yun-seok in the second inning with one out and a runner on third base. KT flipped the game around by completing a big inning in the fourth. With two outs and runners on second and third, a wild pitch allowed Kim Min-hyuk to score from third base. Kim Sang-soo drew a walk, putting two runners on base again.
Kang Baek-ho hit a double that cleared the center fielder's head, adding two more runs. KT took a 4-3 lead. Mel Rojas Jr. earned a walk, and with runners on first and second, Heo Kyung-min hit a timely hit to extend the lead to 5-3.
Buoyed by their momentum, KT added one more point thanks to a fielder's choice with no outs and runners on first and second in the sixth inning. Although Mel Rojas Jr. struck out, Heo Kyung-min's sacrifice fly to right field made it 7-3. In the eighth inning, with two outs, Hwang Jae-kyun earned a walk, and Jang Sung-woo followed with a left field single, creating a chance with runners on first and second. Pinch hitter Yoo Jun-kyu hit a two-run triple into the left-center gap, and an error from the opponent added three more runs, sealing the victory.
In the bottom of the eighth, NC created a chance with two outs and the bases loaded. Kim Sung-wook's single to center brought in two runs, but they couldn't score any more.
Starting pitcher Koh Young Technology for KT earned the win, pitching four innings and allowing three hits (one home run), one walk, striking out five, and giving up three runs. Following him, Kim Min-soo, Woo Kyu-min, Won Sang-hyun, Son Dong-hyun, and Park Young-hun took the mound in succession. Kang Baek-ho contributed three RBIs, including a double, while Heo Kyung-min led the offense with two hits and two RBIs.
NC's starting pitcher Shin Min-hyuk recorded two innings with two hits allowed, one walk, one strikeout, and one run allowed. The fourth pitcher, Shin Young-woo, struggled in two innings, giving up five hits, three walks, and six runs while striking out one. Davidson made his mark with a three-run home run in the first inning, and Kim Sung-wook added two RBIs, but it was overshadowed by the team's loss.
Meanwhile, KT manager Lee Kang-cheol remarked, "Starting pitcher Koh Young Technology gave up a home run in the first inning due to a bad pitch, but he delivered good pitching afterward. Things are getting better. The middle relievers are also steadily improving their physical condition. It's encouraging that key players in the lineup are showing an uptick in their hitting performance."
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