Baseball
Baseball
KT Dominates Hanwha 12-1, Extends Win Streak to Six Games
KT Wiz continued their formidable run on August 2nd, securing a decisive 12-1 victory over Hanwha Eagles at Suwon KT Wiz Park. This win marks KT's sixth consecutive triumph, solidifying their hold on first place in the KBO League standings. The Eagles, meanwhile, fell into a three-game losing streak, dropping further behind the fifth-place team by 4.5 games.
The KT offense exploded in the later innings, particularly in the sixth, where they amassed seven runs. After leading by a narrow 1-0 margin through five innings, KT broke the game open with a series of hits from Kim Sang-soo, Han Seung-taek, and Jang Jun-won. Choi Won-jun added an RBI single, followed by Kim Hyun-soo’s eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot. Sam Hilliard then crushed his 29th season home run, a two-run blast, effectively quashing any Hanwha comeback hopes. The team added another four runs in the seventh, including a three-run homer from Jang Jun-won, bringing the score to 12-0.
Pitcher Ko Young-pyo was instrumental in the victory, delivering a stellar performance with seven scoreless innings. He threw 93 pitches, allowing five hits, no walks, and striking out eight batters, earning his ninth win of the season. Ko utilized a mix of two-seam fastballs, changeups, and sweepers to keep the Hanwha lineup in check, including navigating a 1st and 3rd inning jam in the sixth. Hanwha’s only run came in the ninth inning on a solo home run by Noh Si-hwan.
KT’s dominant performance, marked by strong pitching and an explosive offense, saw them sweep the three-game series against Hanwha. This extends their impressive record in the second half of the season to 12 wins, one tie, and one loss over 14 games, maintaining their lead over the second-place team. Hanwha’s starter Owen White pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks, and six strikeouts before the bullpen struggled to contain the KT lineup.
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