Game Summary
The KT Wiz dominated the Kiwoom Heroes on Thursday night, cruising to an 8-3 victory in front of a loud crowd at the Wiz Park. KT’s balanced attack and solid pitching proved too much for the struggling Heroes, who managed just three runs despite an early solo homer from Davidson. The win extended KT’s lead atop the standings and dropped Kiwoom further behind in what’s become a one-sided season in the KBO.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiwoom Heroes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| KT Wiz | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
The game unfolded as a back-and-forth affair early on, but KT pulled away decisively starting in the sixth inning. That’s when An Hyeon-min’s crucial two-out bases-loaded groundball through the infield broke open a tight contest, and the Wiz never looked back. By night’s end, KT had recorded 11 hits to Kiwoom’s 7, and more importantly, had capitalized on their opportunities when it mattered most.
Park Jun-hyeon took the loss for Kiwoom despite allowing just three hits and two runs in three and a third innings of work. The real damage came from a succession of short relief appearances, with bae Dong-hyeon giving up four runs in just two and a third innings. KT’s pitching staff, meanwhile, managed the game with precision, particularly through the middle innings.
Pitching Performance
Ko Young-pyo was the story for KT. The right-hander worked five and a third innings, allowing three hits and three runs while striking out eight batters. More importantly, he kept Kiwoom off-balance throughout his time on the mound, issuing just two walks. Ko’s performance set the tone, putting his team in position to build the lead through the middle innings rather than having to scramble.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiwoom Heroes | ||||||
| Park Jun-hyun | 3 ⅓ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Bae Dong-hyun [L] | 2 ⅓ | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Kim Sun-gi | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Choi Hyun-woo | 1 ⅓ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| KT Wiz | ||||||
| Go Young-pyo | 5 ⅓ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Jeon Yong-ju [W] | 0 ⅔ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Woo Gyu-min | 0 ⅓ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joo Kwon [H] | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bae Je-sung | 1 ⅔ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Jeon Yong-ju earned the win with a clean two-thirds of an inning in the middle relief, striking out two without allowing a hit. The KT bullpen then locked things down in the late innings. Joo Gwon picked up a hold with a spotless ninth, while Bae Je-sung fanned three in his appearance to preserve the comfortable margin.
For Kiwoom, the pitching was a study in inconsistency. After Park’s decent start, the bullpen fell apart almost immediately. Bae Dong-hyeon’s brief, disastrous stint included five hits and four runs. Kim Sun-gi and Choe Hyun-woo managed to limit additional damage, but the early hole proved too deep to climb out of.
Offensive Highlights
Davidson provided the lone bright spot for Kiwoom’s bats, belting his 13th home run of the season off Ko Young-pyo in the sixth inning. The two-run blast cut what could have been an even larger deficit, giving the Heroes a momentary glimmer of hope. Kim Woong-bin contributed one hit and an RBI, while Kwon Hyuk-bin went 2-for-4 to pace the Kiwoom lineup.
| Batter | AB | H | R | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiwoom Heroes | |||||
| Davidson | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Kim Ung-bin | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kwon Hyuk-bin | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| KT Wiz | |||||
| Choi Won-jun | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kim Hyun-soo | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ahn Hyun-min | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Hilliard | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Heo Kyung-min | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
KT’s offense was more balanced but equally effective. Choi Won-jun led the charge with three hits in five at-bats, driving in two runs. Kim Hyun-soo chipped in two hits as well, and the supporting cast delivered timely contact when needed. Hillyard added two RBIs, showing the Wiz could score in multiple ways rather than relying on a single hot bat.
An Hyeon-min, despite committing an error in the fourth, made the biggest impact with his sixth-inning go-ahead grounder. The shortstop also contributed an RBI and swiped a bag, embodies KT’s all-around approach. Heo Kyung-min’s two-hit night rounded out a solid team effort at the plate.
Key Play
The turning point came in the sixth inning when An Hyeon-min’s bases-loaded grounder to short found a hole in the Kiwoom defense. What could have been an inning-ending double play instead scored two runs and gave KT a lead it wouldn’t surrender. The hit came off Kim Sun-gi and essentially sealed the outcome, transforming a one-run game into a commanding position.
Standings Impact
With the win, KT Wiz improved to 63-3-41 and maintained their commanding grip on first place. Kiwoom Heroes, now 40-2-72, saw their tenth-place finish cemented. The gap between these teams tells the story of the 2026 KBO season in a nutshell: one club firing on all cylinders, the other treading water in the bottom half of the league.