Samsung Lions Edge NC Dinos in Pitching Duel, 8-6
The Samsung Lions outlasted the NC Dinos on Friday night at Changwon, prevailing 8-6 in a game that swung on defensive lapses and timely hitting. Samsung’s bullpen was the difference, with five relievers combining to shut down the Dinos over the final four innings. Lee Seung-min picked up the win despite throwing just one inning, while Kim Jae-yoon earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
| NC Dinos | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 1 |
It was a sloppy affair early on. The Lions committed two errors in the opening frame alone, with Lee Seung-hyun responsible for both miscues in center field. Those mistakes cost them dearly when NC capitalized with two runs. The Dinos looked primed to take control.
Samsung answered back methodically. In the second inning, Kim Ji-chan lined a double into the gap, and the Lions worked the count in their favor. They’d score two to tie it up by the end of the frame. The momentum kept building through the middle innings.
The fourth was where things really opened up. Kim Tae-hun launched a two-run shot off Won Jong-hae to give Samsung a 5-2 cushion. It was a no-doubt blast to left field. But the Dinos responded immediately—Kim Hyung-jun crushed a three-run homer off Yang Chang-seop on the very next batter, giving NC a sudden 6-5 lead. Just like that, the game was flipped on its head.
The momentum swung back to Samsung in the sixth. Cheon Jae-hwan stole a base to get into scoring position, and the Lions manufactured a run to retake the lead at 7-6. It was exactly the kind of clutch baseball you want to see late in the summer.
The decisive moment came in the eighth. With one out and the bases loaded, Diaz stepped up and drove a fly ball to left field. Kim Hui-jip attempted the catch but couldn’t haul it in, and Diaz was credited with a sacrifice fly. That brought home the insurance run that would prove crucial. Samsung led 8-6.
The Dinos couldn’t muster anything in the ninth. Kim Jae-yoon retired the side in order, striking out one to lock down the save.
Pitching Performance
Samsung’s starting pitcher Lee Seung-hyun lasted just two and two-thirds innings. He allowed six hits and three runs while issuing no walks and striking out one. The errors behind him didn’t help matters. But the real story was what came after.
Yang Chang-seop inherited a tight spot and imploded, giving up three runs on two hits in just two-thirds of an inning. His time on the mound was forgettable. Fortunately, Im Ki-young stabilized things with two and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and fanning two.
Lee Seung-min entered in the eighth and threw a scoreless frame to get the win. Jang Chan-hee struck out one in two-thirds of an inning, and Kim Jae-yoon sealed it all with a strikeout-laden ninth.
For NC, Won Jong-hae didn’t make it past the third inning, charged with five runs on four hits. Shin Young-woo pitched better in relief, striking out four over one and two-thirds innings. Song Myung-ki looked sharp with two scoreless frames. But Bae Jae-hwan blew up in the eighth, allowing two runs on two hits without recording an out. He took the loss.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions | ||||||
| Lee Seung-hyun | 2 ⅔ | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Yang Chang-seop | 0 ⅔ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Im Ki-young | 2 ⅔ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Lee Seung-min [W] | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jang Chan-hui [H] | 0 ⅔ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kim Jae-yoon [S] | 1 ⅓ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NC Dinos | ||||||
| Won Jong-hae | 3 ⅓ | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Shin Young-woo | 1 ⅔ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Song Myung-gi [H] | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Bae Jae-hwan [L] | 0 ⅔ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Ryu Jin-wook | 1 ⅓ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Offensive Highlights
Kim Ji-chan paced the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Choi Hyung-woo contributed two hits and drove in three runs with some timely at-bats in crucial moments. Kim Tae-hun’s two-run home run in the fourth gave Samsung its first lead of the day.
NC couldn’t generate enough consistent offense to overcome the pitching struggles. Kim Hyung-jun’s three-run shot was the Dinos’ biggest blow—without that blast, Samsung would have been out of reach much earlier. Choi Jeong-won and Kwon Hee-dong each had two hits but couldn’t drive in runs when it counted.
| Batter | AB | H | R | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions | |||||
| Kim Ji-chan | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Choi Hyung-woo | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Diaz | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kim Tae-hun | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| NC Dinos | |||||
| Choi Jung-won | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kim Hui-jip | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kwon Hee-dong | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kim Hyung-jun | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Key Play
The sacrifice fly by Diaz in the eighth inning with the bases loaded proved to be the game-winner. It was a textbook execution: the runner on third tagged and scored on the catch in left field. That one play was the difference between a one-run victory and a tie going into the ninth.
Standings Impact
Samsung improved to 65-44 with two draws, maintaining second place in the standings. The Lions continue their push toward the postseason with another quality win. NC dropped to 48-56 with two draws, now firmly in eighth place with a twelve-game deficit ahead. The Dinos’ season grows more difficult by the day.