SSG Landers 5, KT Wiz 4 – Kim Min-jun Leads the Way | June 24 Review

SSG Landers Edge KT Wiz in Defensive Battle, 5-4

The SSG Landers secured a narrow victory over the second-place KT Wiz on June 24, 2026, claiming a 5-4 win in a tightly contested matchup at the Wiz’s home venue. Despite being ranked ninth in the standings, the Landers demonstrated superior clutch execution and pitching stability to overcome their higher-seeded opponents. The game was decided by disciplined offensive play in the middle innings and a resilient bullpen performance that held the Wiz at bay during critical moments.

Pitching Performance

Min-Jun Kim earned the victory for the Landers, delivering a solid five-inning start in which he allowed five hits and one run while striking out four batters against two walks. Kim’s performance set the tone early, establishing control despite two wild pitches by opposing starter Sauer. The Landers’ relief corps proved exceptional throughout the contest, with Kyung-Eun Noh, Gun-Wook Lee, and closer Byung-Hyun Cho combining to record five strikeouts across three innings of relief work. Cho secured the save with a clean ninth inning, striking out one batter to close out the game.

For the Wiz, starter Sauer absorbed the loss after surrendering five runs on eight hits over five innings, with three walks and only one strikeout demonstrating his difficulty locating the strike zone. The two wild pitches in the fourth and fifth innings proved particularly costly, as they allowed the Landers to advance runners into scoring position. KT’s bullpen, led by Kwon Joo with two solid innings, could not overcome the early deficit. Han Seung-Hyuk and Park Young-Hyun provided one inning each without allowing additional runs, but the damage had already been inflicted by that point.

Offensive Highlights

The Landers’ offensive attack was paced by Jun-Jae Jeong, who went 3-for-5 at the plate and provided consistent pressure on the Wiz pitching staff. Eredia contributed two hits and two crucial runs batted in, demonstrating timely hitting when runners were in scoring position. The team accumulated eleven hits overall, establishing control of the game’s tempo and limiting the Wiz to eight hits despite their second-place standing in the league.

KT Wiz mounted a comeback effort led by Hyun-Soo Kim and Min-Hyeok Kim, each recording two hits. However, the Wiz could not generate sufficient offensive momentum in the critical early innings when the Landers were building their lead. The Wiz’s three-run eighth inning, spearheaded by Min-Hyeok Kim’s two runs batted in and Yoon-Seok Oh’s run-scoring single, brought them within one run but ultimately proved too little, too late in a closely matched contest.

Key Play of the Game

The decisive moment came in the fourth inning when Hyung-Woo Cho delivered a sacrifice fly to center field with one out and runners in scoring position, giving the Landers a 2-0 advantage. This play exemplified the Landers’ ability to execute fundamental baseball and capitalize on scoring opportunities that the Wiz failed to generate. Additionally, Ji-Hoon Choi’s third-inning triple provided an additional scoring threat that shifted momentum firmly in favor of the visiting team. The Wiz’s eighth-inning rally, while demonstrating resilience, encountered a crucial running out situation when Choi was caught off base, preventing what might have been a tying run from scoring.

Standings Impact

The victory maintains the Landers’ position in the lower standings while providing confidence heading into their next contest. SSG finishes this contest with a record of 30 wins and 41 losses. Meanwhile, KT Wiz remains in strong contention for postseason positioning despite this setback, maintaining their second-place standing with 42 wins and 29 losses. The loss represents a rare misstep for the otherwise dominant Wiz, who entered the game as heavy favorites given their elevated standing within the league structure.