Game Summary
The SSG Landers pulled off a crucial road victory against the Samsung Lions on Wednesday night, holding on for a 6-4 win at Daegu. It was a back-and-forth affair that came down to the eighth inning, where Ji-hun Choi’s sacrifice fly broke a tie and ultimately decided the contest. The Landers, sitting near the bottom of the standings, showed resilience against the second-place Lions in what turned into a pitching battle with multiple bullpen appearances from both sides.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSG Landers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 2 |
| Samsung Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
SSG starter Min-jun Choi lasted just over four innings, allowing four runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three. The Lions jumped on him early, but the Landers’ defense and subsequent relievers kept the game within reach. By the time Samsung’s starter Won-tae Choi left after five innings, the contest remained competitive, setting up a tense late-game scenario.
Pitching Performance
SSG’s pitching staff pieced together a solid outing despite the early damage inflicted by Choi. After the starter ran into trouble, the Landers turned to Yeong-jun Jeon, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by recording two strikeouts. Min Kim then delivered a clean sixth inning, walking one but allowing nothing more. The bullpen was activated early and often, but the strategy paid dividends as Kyung-eun Noh took the win with a scoreless seventh, Seung-won Moon contributed a hold in the eighth, and closer Byung-hyun Jo sealed matters in the ninth with a strikeout.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSG Landers | ||||||
| Choi Min-jun | 4 ⅓ | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Jeon Young-jun | 0 ⅔ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Kim Min | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Noh Kyung-eun [W] | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Moon Seung-won [H] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jo Byung-hyun [S] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Samsung Lions | ||||||
| Choi Won-tae | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Bae Chan-seung | 0 ⅔ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Kim Tae-hun | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jang Chan-hee | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lee Seung-min [H] | 1 ⅓ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Lee Seung-hyun | 0 ⅓ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Satoshi [L] | 0 ⅔ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Yang Chang-seop | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Samsung’s pitching collapsed under pressure when it mattered most. Won-tae Choi’s five innings of work kept the Lions in the game with seven strikeouts, but the backend fell apart. Chan-seung Bae, Tae-hun Kim, and Chan-hee Jang combined to throw just one inning while issuing four walks. By the time Satoshi took the mound in the eighth, the damage was done. The Lion reliever recorded only one out before giving up a go-ahead run, taking the loss without earning a decision in the standings.
Offensive Highlights
Samsung’s two-run homer in the fourth by Hyung-woo Choi gave the Lions an early advantage, and Jae-hyun Lee added a solo shot in the fifth to extend the lead to 3-1. That appeared to be enough on a night when both teams struggled to generate consistent offense. The Lions managed just nine hits total, limiting their scoring chances despite the power display.
| Batter | AB | H | R | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSG Landers | |||||
| Jung Jun-jae | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Choi Ji-hun | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jeon Ui-san | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kim Jae-hwan | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Jo Hyung-woo | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oh Tae-gon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Samsung Lions | |||||
| Gu Ja-wook | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Choi Hyung-woo | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Lee Jae-hyun | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The Landers’ breakthrough came through a combination of patience and timely hitting. Jun-jae Jung went 2-for-5 and set the tone, while Jae-hwan Kim contributed two hits and drove in two runs, capping his night with a solo homer off Chang-seop Yang in the ninth. Ki-hun Jeon’s 1-for-4 afternoon included two RBIs, the most crucial coming in the eighth. Hyung-woo Jo picked up two hits including a double, providing insurance runs late in the ballgame. The Landers’ bench also performed, with Ji-hyuk Ryu stealing a base in the second before being caught stealing in the fourth.
Key Play
The turning point arrived in the eighth inning with one out and runners on first and third. Ji-hun Choi stepped up and delivered a sacrifice fly to center field that scored the go-ahead run from third. It wasn’t flashy, but it was exactly what the Landers needed. After that, Samsung never recovered. The Lions threatened in their half of the eighth, as evidenced by two-out doubles from Hyung-woo Choi and Tae-geon Oh, but they couldn’t get the crucial hit to tie or take the lead. When Jo recorded his strikeout save in the ninth, the game belonged to SSG.
Standings Impact
The victory does little to alter the playoff picture dramatically. SSG remains firmly in ninth place with a 45-64 record, sitting well back of contention. For Samsung, the loss snaps any momentum the second-place club might have possessed. At 65-44, the Lions still hold a solid playoff position, but dropping games to clubs like the Landers—who have struggled all season—represents a missed opportunity in what could be a tight race down the stretch. Both teams return to action tomorrow as the regular season heads into its final stretch.