The Hanwha Eagles prevented the league-leading LG Twins from reaching 50 wins.
Hanwha won () in an away game against LG in the 2023 KBO League at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Wednesday. Young ace Moon Dong-ju pitched eight innings of one-run ball, and the offense scored two runs early against foreign pitcher Casey Kelly. The bullpen, which was activated in the top of the eighth, protected the lead.
Hanwha recorded its 34th win of the season (40-44). They improved their record against LG to 4 wins, 1 tie, 5 losses, and a 5 percent winning percentage. Moon Dong-joo earned his sixth win of the season. LG suffered its 30th loss of the season (49 wins, 2 draws).
Hanwha swept Kelly at home on May 11. They scored six runs on four hits and six walks in one and a third innings. The leadoff hitter, Kim In-hwan, became the nemesis, raising his career batting average against Kelly to .556.
That momentum carried over to the offense in the top of the first inning. Kim In-hwan, who batted second, led off with a walk, and Noh Si-hwan followed with a single to left on a full count. The fourth batter, Chae Eun-sung, hit a well-struck ball in front of the second baseman, but Moon Hyun-bin followed with a double down the right field line to load the bases.
Moon pitched seven innings without getting into any trouble. He used his curveball and slider to strike out Hong Chang-ki and Kim Hyun-soo in the first inning, and after giving up a double to left field to Hong Chang-ki two batters later to put runners in scoring position for the first time, he retired Moon. After retiring the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings, Moon got a leadoff single to Shin Min-jae in the sixth inning, but catcher Choi Jae-hoon made a perfect throw to second base to prevent the runner from stealing, and then used an outside (left-handed) curveball to strike out the next batter, Hong Chang-ki, to move closer to a quality start (QS-6 innings or less, 3 earned runs or less). Moon also got a grounder in front of the pitcher.
Moon retired the opposing cleanup trio of Hyun-Soo Kim, Austin Dean, and Ji-Hwan Kim in order in the seventh inning. It was his third QS-plus outing of the season (7 innings of 3 earned runs or less). The finish, however, was not good. He faltered in the eighth inning as his pitch count approached 100. With one out, he gave up a double to Moon Bo-Kyung to right-center, a walk to Park Hae-Min, and a Texas hit to left-center to Shin Min-Jae.
Eventually, Hanwha manager Choi Won-ho pulled Moon Dong-ju, who had thrown 108 pitches, from the mound and brought in set-up man Kim Bum-soo. The game-winner. 해외안전놀이터 추천
Kim induced an infield grounder against Hong Chang-ki. The ball was slow, so a double play was not possible. Shortstop Lee Do-yoon laid down a fielder’s choice to first base. Third baseman Moon Bo-kyung scored.
Kim Bum-soo retired the winning pitcher, Moon Dong-joo. He gave up a walk to Moon Sung-joo, but induced a grounder to the next batter, Kim Hyun-soo. The 17,000-strong home and away crowd at Jamsil Stadium was mixed.
In the bottom of the ninth, Hanwha brought in closer Park Sang-won, who got Austin to ground out to third and Oh Ji-hwan to fly out to center field with one out. He induced a double play against the long-hitting Park Dong-won.
