Game Summary
The LG Twins edged out the NC Dinos in a thrilling 10-inning affair Tuesday night, claiming a 5-4 victory in a matchup that came down to the final at-bat. Hong Chang-gi delivered the decisive blow in the 10th, slapping a two-out, bases-loaded single through the middle to send the Twins home winners and leave the Dinos frustrated after nearly pulling off a comeback.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Dinos | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| LG Twins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 1 |
NC’s starter Taylor was exceptional through six innings, scattering just two hits while striking out five and allowing no runs. The Dinos couldn’t capitalize on that dominance, though. LG’s Tolhurst matched the effort on the other side, holding NC to five hits across his six innings of work. The game remained tight throughout, with neither team able to break through decisively until the late innings.
What started as a pitching duel gradually dissolved into a back-and-forth battle. The Dinos got an early look at scoring opportunities but couldn’t convert. The Twins, meanwhile, stayed patient, waiting for their moment to strike. That moment came in the eighth inning when Austin smashed his 33rd home run of the season off reliever Son Ju-hwan, a three-run shot that gave LG a 5-2 lead.
NC refused to go quietly. They scraped together a couple of runs to draw within one, but couldn’t quite close the gap as regulation ended knotted at four. The extra inning belonged entirely to the Twins, who loaded the bases with two outs before Hong came through with the walk-off single that sent the Dinos home empty-handed.
Pitching Performance
Taylor’s six innings of one-hit, shutout baseball set the tone for what should have been a pitcher’s duel. He worked around two walks with impressive command, striking out five. The Dinos’ bullpen, however, couldn’t hold the line. Kim Jin-ho lasted just a third of an inning before giving up two runs on one hit and a walk. Son Ju-hwan came on in relief and gave up the three-run bomb to Austin in the eighth.
Jeon Sa-min took the loss after allowing two runs on three hits in just two-thirds of an inning during the decisive 10th. The reliever also contributed a wild pitch that moved runners into scoring position—a critical mistake in a one-run game.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Dinos | ||||||
| Taylor | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Lee Yong-jun [H] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kim Jin-ho | 0 ⅓ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Son Joo-hwan | 1 ⅔ | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Jeon Sa-min [L] | 0 ⅔ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| LG Twins | ||||||
| Tolhurst | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Lee Woo-chan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kim Jin-soo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Son Ju-young | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Kennedy [W] | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
On the Twins’ side, Tolhurst matched Taylor stride for stride through six innings, allowing five hits and two runs while walking just one. LG’s bullpen was more reliable down the stretch. Lee Woo-chan, Kim Jin-soo, Son Ju-young, and closer Kennedy all delivered clean innings when it mattered most. Kennedy earned the win despite allowing a run in the ninth, thanks to the heroics that followed.
Offensive Highlights
Austin was the story on offense for the Twins. The slugger went 4-for-5 with a triple, a double, and three RBIs. His 33rd home run of the season provided the go-ahead cushion that proved decisive. Austin also tripled in the 10th, reaching base four times in five attempts.
| Batter | AB | H | R | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC Dinos | |||||
| Choi Jung-won | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kim Hyung-jun | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Blaine | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Park Geon-woo | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ahn Jung-yeol | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Shin Jae-in | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| LG Twins | |||||
| Austin | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Song Chan-ui | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Moon Bo-gyeong | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hong Chang-ki | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The Dinos’ offense generated activity without efficiency. Choe Jung-won collected two hits in four at-bats, and Park Gun-woo also finished with two hits in five trips to the plate. Blaine drove in one run, and Ahn Jung-yeol added another RBI, but NC simply didn’t have enough run production when the game was on the line.
Song Chan-ui provided secondary support for LG, going 1-for-5 with an RBI, while Moon Bo-gyeong chipped in two hits in a spot start. Hong’s walk-off single was his only hit in five at-bats, but it was the only one that mattered.
Key Play
There was only one play that truly mattered: Hong Chang-gi’s bases-loaded single in the 10th inning with two outs. The Twins had loaded the bases through a combination of strategic at-bats and the Dinos’ inability to execute late in the game. With Park Min-woo representing the winning run at third, Hong fell behind in the count before fighting off a tough pitch and punching it through the infield for the winner. It was a classic walk-off moment—the kind that shifts momentum in a long season.
Standings Impact
The loss keeps NC in the basement at 8th place with a 48-57 record. Meanwhile, LG improved to 62-50 and solidified their position in third place. With a win like this, the Twins are building chemistry down the stretch, while the Dinos face the reality that comebacks only matter if they finish the job.