Game Summary
The Lotte Giants pulled off a stunning upset on Saturday night, defeating the second-place Samsung Lions 10-7 at home. It was a wild affair that saw the Giants overcome a resilient Samsung lineup, with starter Beasley delivering seven strong innings to earn the win. The Lions, despite out-hitting their opponents, couldn’t muster enough runs when it mattered most, leaving them with their second consecutive loss.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 2 |
| Lotte Giants | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 13 | 0 |
Samsung came into the matchup riding high in second place, but Lotte’s bats came alive early. The home team struck quickly in the first inning when Reyes hammered a triple into right-center field with one out and a runner on first, scoring a crucial early run. That blast set the tone for what would become a back-and-forth battle that kept both dugouts engaged until the final out.
The Lions fought back, chipping away at the deficit throughout the game. Jeon Byeong-woo drove in three runs, while Kim Sung-yoon added two more. But it wasn’t quite enough. Han Dong-hee’s solo homer in the eighth inning provided crucial insurance for the Giants, and Lotte’s bullpen managed to shut down any late Samsung comeback bid.
Pitching Performance
Beasley was the star of the show on the mound. The Lotte right-hander allowed just seven hits across seven innings, striking out four without issuing a walk. He gave up four runs, but they came in scattered fashion—nothing that threatened to derail the Giants’ comeback effort. It was a composed, professional outing that earned him his eighth win of the season.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions | ||||||
| Bos [L] | 3 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Lee Jae-ik | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bae Chan-seung | 0 ⅓ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kim Tae-hun | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Seung-hyun | 0 ⅔ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jang Chan-hee | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lotte Giants | ||||||
| Beasley [W] | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Choi Jun-yong | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Kim Won-joong | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
The problem for Samsung started early with starter Boss, who lasted only three innings. He surrendered nine hits and seven runs in that brief appearance, setting a hole too deep for his offense to climb out of. The Lions turned to their bullpen quickly, cycling through six different arms in a desperate attempt to keep the game close. Lee Jae-ik provided two scoreless innings with a couple of strikeouts, but the damage was already done.
Lotte’s bullpen was efficient down the stretch. Jun-yong Choi and Won-joong Kim each came out for one inning in the final two frames, combining to allow just three more hits and keep Samsung at bay. The Giants’ pitching held up when it counted most.
Offensive Highlights
Jeon Min-jae led the Giants’ attack with three hits and four RBIs, anchoring Lotte’s lineup when runners were in scoring position. Na Seung-yeop also went 3-for-4 with an RBI, staying hot at the plate. Han Dong-hee chipped in two hits including that solo home run in the eighth that proved decisive.
| Batter | AB | H | R | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions | |||||
| Kim Ji-chan | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kim Sung-yun | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Choi Hyung-woo | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jeon Byung-woo | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Lee Jae-hyun | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lotte Giants | |||||
| Na Seung-yeop | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Reyes | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Han Dong-hee | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Yoon Dong-hee | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jeon Min-jae | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
For Samsung, Kim Ji-chan and Lee Jae-hyun each collected two hits, but couldn’t string together the kind of rally needed to overcome the early deficit. Jeon Byeong-woo’s three RBIs kept the Lions’ hopes alive, but the team couldn’t get the timely hits required to complete the comeback. Reyes, despite the early triple, hit into a double play in the second inning—a momentum killer at a critical moment.
Errors also played a role. Ryu Ji-hyeok made a mistake in the fourth, while Kim Young-woong bobbled one in the sixth. In a game this tight, those little breakdowns can be the difference between winning and losing.
Key Play
Reyes’ three-bagger in the first inning was the turning point. With the Lions’ lineup just getting settled, that extra-base hit gave Lotte early momentum and set the emotional tenor for the evening. Had Samsung escaped that inning unscathed, this game might have unfolded completely differently. Instead, the Giants rode that early strike and never relinquished the lead.
Standings Impact
The loss stings for Samsung, which remains in second place with a 59-39 record (2 draws). The Lions sit just games behind the pace-setting team, so dropped games against lesser competition can add up quickly down the stretch. Lotte, sitting in eighth at 44-54, doesn’t move much in the standings, but moral victories like this can spark a turnaround if the team builds on it.