Kiwoom Heroes broke their three-game losing streak.
On the 26th, Kiwoom won 17-10 against the Kia Tigers at the 2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League game held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. They achieved a big victory with a total of 21 hits, including a crucial three-run homer by Cardenas. Starting pitcher Jeong Hyun-woo, a high school graduate, earned the win in his debut, allowing six runs (four earned) in five innings.
Kia took the initiative first. In the bottom of the first inning, with one out, Wisdom reached base with a double that bounced off the left fence. After a wild pitch, Na Sung-bum plated the first run with an infield ground ball. When Choi Hyung-woo hit a double to the right-center, Kim Sun-bin walked, and Lee Woo-sung hit a timely single, putting Kia ahead 2-0.
Kiwoom got lucky in the top of the second inning with two outs and runners on first and third. Oh Seon-jin grounded out to the shortstop, but Kang Chae-ho, who replaced the injured Park Chan-ho at shortstop for Kia, made a fielding error, allowing Kiwoom to score a run. Then Puig, Lee Joo-hyung, and Cardenas hit consecutive singles to succeed in taking the lead 4-2. Kia’s error by Yoon Do-hyun caused a big inning, but Yoon Young-cheol also suffered from concentrated hits.
Kia, undeterred, tied the game with a two-run timely hit by Choi Hyung-woo in the bottom of the second with two outs and the bases loaded. Kiwoom then seized a bases-loaded opportunity in the top of the third. Kia pulled out Yoon Young-cheol and brought in Hwang Dong-ha. Kim Jae-hyun’s double play allowed Kiwoom to regain the lead, and Oh Seon-jin hit a double to the left, extending their lead to 6-4.
Kia felt regret during their attack in the third inning. After two outs, Kim Tae-goon walked, Yoon Do-hyun hit a double, and Choi Won-jun walked to load the bases. However, Wisdom struck out swinging on a changeup, ending the momentum for the chase. Kiwoom scored again in the fourth inning. After two outs, Song Seong-mun walked, and Choi Joo-hwan hit a double next to the right fielder to extend the lead to 7-4.
Kiwoom decided the game in the top of the fifth inning. Ye Dong-wook’s single and Kim Jae-hyun’s hit by pitch created an opportunity. Oh Seon-jin and Puig made outs, but Lee Joo-hyung hit an RBI double, and Cardenas launched a left-field home run to widen the gap to 11-4. It was essentially the deciding blow. Kia's Yoon Young-cheol allowed six runs on two innings with six hits, three walks, and an earned run. Hwang Dong-ha also gave up five runs as the balls were thrown down the middle.
In the fifth inning, Kia made a rally with Byeon Woo-hyuk's hit, Yoon Do-hyun's double, and Wisdom’s walk to load the bases with two outs. Na Sung-bum then hit a timely single to right field, narrowing the gap by two runs. Jeong Hyun-woo did not return to the mound after the fifth inning. His performance included five innings pitched, eight hits allowed, seven walks, four strikeouts, and six runs (four earned). He threw 122 pitches in his debut appearance. In the seventh, when Kia's Im Gi-young came in, Kiwoom combined six hits and one walk to add a significant five runs. Kia added four more in the seventh, but it was irrelevant to the outcome. The mound could not halt the Kiwoom lineup, leading to a decisive defeat.
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