Lotte almost gave up the winning game again because of closer Kim Won-joong.
The Lotte Giants of professional baseball won 2-0 in Game 12 of the season against KT Wiz of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 10th.먹튀검증
Lotte won 46 games, 3 draws, and 55 losses in the season, breaking four consecutive losses against KT, including avenging its defeat the previous day.
Starting pitcher Charlie Barnes earned his seventh win (two losses) of the season by pitching hard at 109 pitches, including four hits, three walks and six strikeouts. Kim Sang-soo (one scoreless inning) and Kim Won-joong (one scoreless inning) followed, while Kim Won-joong managed to post his 18th save of the season.
Closer Kim Won-joong was on the verge of loading the bases with Kim Sang-soo’s infield hit, Bae Jeong-dae’s double and pinch hitter Moon Sang-chul’s automatic four pitches after one out in the bottom of the ninth inning with a 2-0 lead, but he managed to end the game by striking out Kang Baek-ho with a swing and striking out Shim Woo-joon with a ground ball to shortstop.
In the batting lineup, Hwang Sung-bin, who had two hits and one RBI in five at-bats, including a wedge bunt hit, and Park Seung-wook, the main character of the winning home run, stood out.
After the game, Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung said, “Starting player Barnes was able to set the stage for victory by pitching seven scoreless innings. Kim Sang-soo and Kim Won-joong, who came out after the game, also blocked well without losing a point, so we were able to win the game with a shutout,” adding, “I want to praise Park Seung-wook for hitting the winning homer.”
KT Wiz Park sold out 18,700 seats despite the heat wave warning. Ticket power of Lotte’s away fans played a part. “I also want to thank the fans for their enthusiastic support to the end despite the heat,” manager Kim said.
Ace Barnes, who led his team to victory, said, “I feel great to win. I hope I can continue like I am now,” adding, “I was able to overcome the crisis because Son Sung-bin caught the runner on the second base well in the crisis in the fifth inning.” There was a crisis when the opponent’s first batter got on base in the seventh inning, but it was resolved well. When the coach visited the mound, he said he would just go for one more batter. I wanted to finish the inning by catching the last batter somehow.”
The Lotte Giants will challenge the winning series of three consecutive weekend games with foreign pitcher Aaron Wilkerson at the forefront on Wednesday. KT has announced that it will be Ko Young-pyo, a Korean ace.