The Lotte Giants won 12-8 against the Kiwoom Heroes on Tuesday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The Giants gave up three runs in the bottom of the first inning, but battled back. They pounded out 18 hits, including two home runs, to demolish the Heroes’ mound. Veteran Jeon Jun-woo Ahn Chi-hong hit a home run to break up the rally.
The three-game series ended with a 2-1 win and a sweep.
They were 2-7 in nine games before last week. They needed some rebounding momentum, but they didn’t get it. They continued to lose ground in the mid-table race. This winning series could be a chance to turn things around.
The Heroes took the lead in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Lee Yong-kyu led off with a triple to center field and scored on an infield single by Kim Hye-sung. A walk and a hit batsman put runners on first and second with Kim Hui-jip and Lee Ju-hyung hitting RBI singles to score two more runs. 3-0.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the second inning, Lotte fought back.
Six consecutive batters reached base in the second inning. No. 9 Shin Jung-geun singled to right center to bring in Park Seung-wook from second. No. 1 Kim Min-sik singled to right to put runners on second and third, and No. 2 Ahn Chi-hong singled to right to score a run. 2-3.
With runners on first and third, No. 3 Lee Jung-hoon singled to tie the game. Gudrum, No. 4, and Yoon, No. 5, followed with back-to-back singles. The Heroes poured out seven hits in the top of the second inning and quickly took a 5-3 lead.
The Heroes responded in the bottom of the third with a run-scoring home run by Kim Hwijip. In the top of the fifth inning, Jeon Jun-woo hit a two-run home run. The Heroes fought back. In the bottom of the fifth, Kim Hwijip hit a two-run double to make it 6-7. Lotte got a run in the top of the sixth on Ahn Chi-hong’s single and a run in the top of the seventh on pinch-hitter Jung Hoon’s sacrifice fly.
Neither starter lasted past the fifth inning. Lotte’s Han Hyun-hee lasted four innings and Heroes’ Jung Chan-heon was pulled after giving up five runs in 3⅔ innings.
The Heroes, who had snapped a nine-game losing streak the day before, were unable to overcome the Lotte offense. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games. 토토사이트