The SSG Landers bounced back from a defeat in the last game in extra innings and evened the mid-week series at one win and one loss.

SSG won 3-1 against the Lotte Giants at Incheon SSG Landers Field on June 26 in a match of the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League.'

After losing 2-3 to Lotte in a fierce battle that went into 11 extra innings in the last match, SSG set its starting lineup with Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder), Jeong Jun-jae (second baseman), Oh Tae-gon (first baseman), Guillermo RAY (left fielder), Ha Jae-hoon (right fielder), Park Seong-han (shortstop), Lee Ji-young (catcher), Go Myeong-jun (designated hitter), and Park Ji-hwan (third baseman). Choi Ji-hoon hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, becoming the hero of the game. This was the first leadoff home run of the season and the fourth of his career.

Starting pitcher Song Young-jin recorded a victory with 1 run on 6 hits, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts over 6⅓ innings. The bullpen, consisting of Lee Ro-un (no runs in ⅔ innings), Kim Min (no runs in 1 inning), and Noh Gyeong-eun (no runs in 1 inning), secured the win. Noh Gyeong-eun earned his first save of the season.

Lotte had Hwang Seong-bin (center fielder), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Son Ho-young (third baseman), Victor RAY (left fielder), Na Seung-yeop (first baseman), Jeon Jun-woo (designated hitter), Jeon Min-jae (second baseman), Park Seung-wook (shortstop), and Jeong Bo-geun (catcher) in their starting lineup. Hwang Seong-bin led the attack with a multi-hit game and a stolen base. Lotte's lineup recorded 7 hits, but lacked concentration in scoring opportunities.

Starting pitcher Kim Jin-wook recorded a loss with 2 runs on 4 hits (1 home run), 4 walks, and 7 strikeouts over 6 innings. The following bullpen, consisting of Park Jin (no runs in ⅓ inning), Jeong Hyeon-su (no runs in ⅔ inning), Kim Sang-su (1 run in ⅓ inning), Song Jae-young (no runs in ⅓ inning), and Kim Gang-hyeon (no runs in ⅓ inning), minimized runs but could not prevent the team's defeat.

SSG took the lead in the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run by leadoff hitter Choi Ji-hoon. This was the first leadoff home run of the season and the fourth of his career. In the second inning with one out, Park Seong-han hit a double, putting him in scoring position. Lee Ji-young struck out, but Go Myeong-jun drew a walk, creating a two-out, one-two base opportunity. Park Ji-hwan increased the lead with an RBI single.

In the top of the fifth inning with one out, Jeon Jun-woo got a hit, and Jeon Min-jae successfully reached base with an infield hit. With one out and runners on first and second, Park Seung-wook struck out, but Jeong Bo-geun hit an RBI single to get Lotte on the board. Hwang Seong-bin was caught on a ground ball to the pitcher, failing to capitalize on the opportunity to tie the game.

In the seventh inning, Lotte's leadoff hitter Na Seung-yeop reached base with a hit, and Jeon Jun-woo hit a ground ball to the pitcher, resulting in the lead runner being forced out. SSG replaced the strong-performing starting pitcher Song Young-jin with Lee Ro-un, who induced a 5-4-3 double play against Jeon Min-jae to escape the threat without any runs.

Having overcome a crisis, SSG's leadoff hitter Lee Ji-young hit a single in the bottom of the seventh inning, and pinch hitter Kim Seong-hyeon advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt to create a one-out, second-base opportunity. Pinch hitter Han Yu-seom hit a ground out, advancing the runner to third base, but Choi Ji-hoon was caught on a fly ball to the right fielder, preventing any runs.

In the top of the eighth inning with two outs, Hwang Seong-bin reached second base with an infield hit and a stolen base, but Yoon Dong-hee hit a ground ball to the third baseman.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, SSG's leadoff hitter Jeong Jun-jae hit a double, and Oh Tae-gon advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt to create a one-out, third-base opportunity. Guillermo RAY walked intentionally, and Ha Jae-hoon hit an RBI single to seal the victory. In the ensuing one out, runners on first and second, Park Seong-han and Lee Ji-young both struck out.

In the top of the ninth inning during Lotte's final at-bat, the heart of the lineup with Son Ho-young, RAY, and Choi Hang was silent, resulting in the loss.

[OSEN]