The professional baseball team Kiwoom Heroes recorded their fifth victory in the exhibition games with a two-game winning streak.

Kiwoom won 4-3 against the Lotte Giants in the exhibition game of the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League' held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 17th. With this victory, Kiwoom achieved two consecutive wins following their victory against Doosan (3-2) on the 15th and a draw against Doosan (2-2) on the 16th.

The Kiwoom batting lineup recorded 9 hits and 1 home run. Ruben Cardenas contributed to the team's victory with 3 hits and 1 run in 4 at-bats, while Park Joo-hong hit his first home run in the exhibition games. This was Park Joo-hong's first home run in his first-team debut.

Starting pitcher Kim Yun-ha recorded the victory with 5 innings pitched, allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, striking out 2, and yielding 1 run. The bullpen, consisting of Son Hyun-ki (0 innings, no runs), Lee Woo-seok (1 inning, no runs), Oh Seok-joo (1 inning, no runs), Kim Sun-ki (1 inning, 2 runs), and Lee Jun-woo (1 inning, no runs), secured the team's win.

In the bottom of the first inning, trailing 0-1, Kiwoom created a bases-loaded opportunity with an infield single by Cardenas, followed by consecutive hits from Lee Joo-hyung, and a walk drawn by Song Seong-moon. Choi Joo-hwan tied the game with a sacrifice fly, making it 1-1. In the second inning, leadoff hitter Park Joo-hong hit a go-ahead solo home run, turning the game around.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, leadoff hitter Choi Joo-hwan reached base with a hit. Although Yoo Dong-wook struck out and Park Joo-hong was out with a line drive to left field, Kim Jae-hyun smacked a hit to create a 2-out, 1st and 2nd base situation. Kim Tae-jin's hit resulted in a lucky 1-RBI timely hit. In the seventh inning, with 1 out, Cardenas hit a double, and Lee Joo-hyung reached base due to an error by the third baseman. With a walk drawn by Song Seong-moon, Kiwoom created a bases-loaded situation, where Choi Joo-hwan hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. Kiwoom allowed a 2-RBI timely hit from Na Seung-yeop in the eighth inning, narrowing the gap to one run, but Lee Jun-woo pitched without allowing any runs in the ninth to wrap up the win.

Kiwoom manager Hong Won-ki praised Kim Yun-ha after the game in an interview, saying, "Starting pitcher Kim Yun-ha targeted the strike zone aggressively with his pitching. We are smoothly raising our condition in time for the opening."

"Cardenas played well with 3 hits in the batting lineup," manager Hong Won-ki said. "His aggressive approach at the plate was impressive. Cardenas is also stabilizing his batting form. Today, it was the first appearances for Lee Woo-seok and Lee Jun-woo. I liked how confidently they pitched."

With a spring training record of 5 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, Kiwoom is scheduled to play its final exhibition game against Lotte at Gocheok Dome on the 18th.

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