In the 43-year history of the KBO, there has never been such a team. It seems to indicate the recent upturn of the Lotte Giants.
Lotte won 14-11 in the last game of the three consecutive games during the week against the Hanwha Eagles of the “2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League” at Sajik Stadium on the 29th of last month. The last time the outcount of the game was set was 0:07 a.m. on the 30th, a day after the 8th midnight in KBO League history, and won a valuable victory.메이저놀이터
As the score showed, the game was not easy. With Lotte 5-0 ahead of the top of the fourth inning, the game was suspended for 68 minutes due to heavy rain and ground maintenance. It was not easy to warm up again and play again. The gap, which was 11-3 at the end of the game, was gradually narrowed, and Hanwha chased him fiercely in the second half of the game, but won the game by winning.
He won, but he couldn’t help but smile. This is because the last showdown of this season between the Kiwoom Heroes and their teams of Game 16 to be held at Gocheok Sky Dome immediately after the game ended. It takes about four to five hours from Sajik Stadium in Busan to Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. As Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung said, the team arrived at the hotel at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Ahead of the match against Kiwoom on Thursday, the team only conducted simple warm-ups instead of training.
It was difficult to control the condition due to the tired body and long-distance movement due to the blood fight against Hanwha, but Lotte overcame it all and secured an 8-2 victory against Kiwoom. It is an unofficial record, but it became the first team in KBO league history to win long-distance travel after the end of the game after midnight.
Prior to the Lotte-Hanwha match on the 29th of last month, there were seven closing games after midnight. There were three times when the team won the two-day game without a beat.
On Sept. 3, 2008, Doosan beat Hanwha 6-5 in the next game after winning the game 1-0 in the 18th inning (ending at 0:22 on Sept. 4). On May 12, 2009, the SK Wyverns also beat the LG Twins 16-10 in the 12th inning (ending at 0:09 on May 13), and then beat the LG Twins 2-1 in the next game. The last time was on April 9, 2010. Hanwha won the game against the Lotte Giants 15-14 in the 12th inning (ending at 0:00 on April 10), and won the next game 9-2.
However, what the previous three teams had in common was that they played the next match in the same place after midnight. Both teams had to face off each other under the same conditions that the game ended after midnight, and that was much less physically burdensome. It is different from Lotte in 2024.
Lotte won the game against Hanwha for two days without a beat, and has been on an upward trajectory, catching Kiwoom even after going through long distance. While he was there, he moved to Jamsil and won both consecutive games against the Doosan Bears. He won the game 7-4 on April 31, and won the game 4-3 after 12 extra innings, recording four consecutive wins.
Lotte was as hot as the summer. With a monthly win rate of 0.636 in August (14 wins and eight losses), Lotte has been on the rise, ranking second among the 10 teams. The team is aiming to advance to the post season following September. Will Lotte’s rise continue in September.