New foreign hitter Lewin Diaz’s home run kept the Samsung Lions in second place.
Samsung won 5-3 against the Lotte Giants in the “2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League” at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 23rd by combining Kang Min-ho’s three-run and Diaz’s two-run shot.
Samsung, which won its 65th win (two draws and 53 losses) with the victory, maintained its second place, while Lotte, which has been in the middle of a three-game losing streak, remained in eighth place with 50 wins, three draws and 60 losses.메이저사이트
Starting Hwang Dong-je (three hits, four strikeouts, three walks and two runs in five innings) allowed a sacrifice fly to Son Ho-young in the first inning, and Samsung, which was being dragged 0-1, turned the score around by scoring three runs with one home run in the fourth inning.
Samsung had a chance to hit Lee Jae-hyun’s hit to first and second bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Kang Min-ho hit a three-run homer (season 17) off “Lotte ace” Aaron Wilkerson to cross the fence in the left-center field. However, Samsung allowed the game to tie the game 3-3 after Ko Seung-min hit a two-run homer with no outs and runners on the first base in the top of the sixth inning.
The player who brought the victory was Diaz, the fourth batter. Diaz entered the batter’s box after Lee Jae-hyun, the first batter, got on base with a hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, and hit a two-run home run against Park Jin, the Lotte bullpen. It was his second home run of this season.
Taking the lead, Samsung put in the closing pitcher Kim Jae-yoon at the top of the ninth inning. As if to meet expectations, Kim put three batters to rest and kept the win, securing his fifth save (4 wins and eight losses) for this season. Choi took the mound at the top of the seventh inning with one out and runners on the third base, and allowed one hit and two walks to secure his third win (one loss) for this season.
Praise poured in on Diaz after the game. Diaz, who joined Samsung as a substitute for Ruben Cardenas, hit a precious finishing home run on the day he visited Lions Park for the first time since being promoted to the first team.
Coach Park Jin-man, who chose to break up with Cardenas, said after watching Diaz’s performance, “It’s what the team and fans want.”
Diaz, a left-handed batter, also hit a home run in his debut game. Diaz started as the fourth batter (first baseman) against the NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park on the 17th, and recorded one hit, one homer, one RBI and one run from four times at bat. He hit a home run against a pitcher he was facing for the first time in his KBO League debut.
The previous foreign hitter Cardenas showed power with two home runs in seven games, but did not get a passing score due to back injuries and insincere posture. On the other hand, expectations are growing that Diaz, who shows high concentration and commitment, will be better than Cardenas.
Meanwhile, Lotte starter Aaron Wilkerson pitched seven innings of six hits (one homer), seven strikeouts, one walk and three runs, but failed to become the winning pitcher. Park Jin-jin (two runs allowed in 0.2 innings), who gave up a home run to Diaz, won his fourth loss of the season.