‘Unbelievable.’

The Lotte Giants fell into their first ‘crisis’ this season. Lotte gave up all three home matches to KT Wiz, who placed 8th in the league, and fell into a quagmire of the season’s first sweep loss and four consecutive losses. Lotte took a big hit by giving up the game after an extended confrontation that lasted until the 12th inning.메이저놀이터

Lotte lost 6-7 in the 9th game of the season against KT in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 8th. After being driven by KT to 0-5, Lotte pursued KT and played an overtime game, but lost by giving KT a score in the 12th overtime.

Lotte Giants pitcher Dan Strayley went down the mound after recording 5 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings against the KT Wiz held at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 8th. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

After starting pitcher Dan Strayley gave up 5 runs in 5 innings and went down the mound early, Lotte struggled with 8 pitchers until the 12th inning, but failed to score points in scoring opportunities and fell into a painful 4-game losing streak.

Lotte started by giving KT a first run in the first inning. Lotte starter Strayley allowed KT’s No. 1 hitter, Kim Min-hyuk, a triple that split the right middle. KT took a 1-0 lead with 2nd hitter Kim Sang-soo hitting 1 RBI in a timely manner. Strayley didn’t waver any more. Strayley finished the first inning by returning the follow-up hitter with a fly ball to center field and two strikeouts.

Lotte allowed one more point with a missed hit in the third inning. Strayley allowed a walk to the ninth batter’s squad. Strayley, who faced the situation with one out and second base with a sacrifice bunt, gave Kim Sang-soo, the second batter, an extra point with a missed hit that fell between the right fielder and second baseman.

Lotte Giants pitcher Dan Strayley went down the mound after recording 5 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings against the KT Wiz held at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 8th. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

Strayley faced a crisis with no bases loaded in the 4th inning. In the sixth inning, Strayley allowed three hits in a row, starting with Kang Hyeon-woo, the lead batter at number 6. Strayley treated 8th hitter Jung Joon-yeong with a ground ball in front of the pitcher, and Lee Hak-joo threw home to catch the first out. However, he gave the 9th battalion a right-middle hit and gave 2 more points. The score widened to 0-4. However, Strayley escaped the risk of additional runs by striking out two subsequent batters. Strayley threw 72 pitches through the fourth inning.

Lotte Giants outfielder Yoon Dong-hee started as the 5th hitter and right fielder in the home game against the KT Wiz on the 8th, creating a multi-hit game and contributing to the team’s offense. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

Lotte had a chance to chase at the end of the 4th inning. In Lotte, third batter Jeon Jun-woo went to first base due to a catch error by KT third baseman Hwang Jae-gyun. Batter 5 Yoon Dong-hee recorded consecutive hits following his first at-bat, creating a situation with 2 out 1st and 2nd base. However, Lee Hak-joo, who took the place of Noh Jin-hyeok at bat, was unable to score the chase as he retreated with a grounder in the infield.

Lotte gave up one more point in the 5th inning due to an infielder’s defensive error. Strayley got off to a good start, striking out batter Sang-Cheol Moon in third. However, he gave Park Byeong-ho a walk. Strayley seemed to catch a double hit by treating Lee Ho-yeon, who came in, as a ground ball, but shortstop Lee Hak-joo’s catch did not work properly, and only the second base runner was out. Lee Hak-joo’s mistakes continued. Lee Hak-joo failed to properly catch a normal ground ball and gave up second base. Lotte gave Hwang Jae-gyun a hit that fell between second baseman and center fielder and allowed one more point. Lotte widened the score gap to 0-5.

On the other hand, Lotte was tied up by KT starting pitcher Bae Seong-seong. Exclusive is a pitcher who won only one win this season. However, the Lotte batting line only scored two hits against exclusion until the 5th inning. Lotte’s fifth hitter, Yoon Dong-hee, got two hits, but the other batters were silent. The Lotte hitter was not a force as he could not provide even one point to starter Strayley. In the end, Strayley threw 102 balls up to the 5th inning and was replaced by Jin Seung-hyun in the 6th inning. Strayley went down the mound after recording 5 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings.

Lotte Giants pitcher Jin Seung-hyeon took the mound in the 6th inning against the KT Wiz on the 8th and did his job by putting out three KT batters neatly. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

Lotte coach Larry Sutton started to turn the atmosphere around by replacing two infielders in the beginning of the 6th inning. Coach Sutton put Kim Min-soo at third base, excluding Lee Hak-joo. Instead of Go Seung-min, Jeong Hoon was put in as the first baseman. In Lotte, Jin Seung-hyun, who climbed the mound following Strayley, threw three KT batters out with confident pitching.

Lotte attempted a counterattack at the end of the 6th inning. After the 2nd, Lotte had a chance to get 2nd, 1st and 3rd base with consecutive hits from center hitters Jeon Jun-woo and Ahn Chi-hong. Yoon Dong-hee, who had two at-bat hits, entered the at-bat. However, Yoon Dong-hee was dismissed by KT’s second pitcher Kim Min-soo as a pitcher’s ground ball.

Lotte Giants infielder Kim Min-soo came out as the lead batter at the end of the 7th inning against the KT Wiz on the 8th and hit a triple, opening the door to Lotte’s frustrating attack. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

At the end of the 7th inning, Lotte succeeded in a miraculous counterattack by raising the hot ‘force’ of this season. The opening of the attack was opened by Kim Min-soo. Kim Min-soo hit a triple with a big ball that cut through the middle left in a match with KT pitcher Kim Min-soo for the ‘same name’ and hit the first long hit of the day. In Lotte, Park Seung-wook, the 7th hitter, walked on base after a full count confrontation, creating valuable scoring opportunities for 1st and 3rd base safely. KT lowered Kim Min-soo and put sovereignty on the mound.

At bat, catcher Yoo Kang-nam stepped in. Gangnam Yoo hit the ball from Ju Kwon and called third base runner Minsu Kim home. Park Seung-wook settled on second base. Lotte scored a precious one point and pursued 1-5. Lotte led Park Seung-wook home by knocking out one RBI in a timely hit by Kim Min-seok, the first hitter, in a second base situation. Lotte pursued by 2-5, 3 points. Lotte followed up with a 3-5, 2-run lead as Jung-hoon hit a lucky hit that landed in front of the left fielder on third pitcher Son Dong-hyun.

Lotte Giants veteran Jeon Jun-woo hit a two-run home run over the left fence in a 3-5 situation at the end of the 7th inning against KT Wiz on the 8th, completing a 5-5 tie. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

Lotte had veteran Jeon Jun-woo. Batter 3 Jeon Jun-woo coolly turned KT Son Dong-hyun’s fastball and hit a thunderbolt-like two-run home run that went over the left wall slightly. Lotte scored 5 points in an instant in the 7th inning and tied the score at 5-5. Lotte completed the first big inning in three consecutive matches with KT and quickly tied the score.

Lotte Giants veteran Jeon Jun-woo hit a dramatic two-run home run over the left wall in the bottom of the 7th inning 3-5 in a game against KT Wiz on the 8th, completing a 5-5 tie. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

In the beginning of the 8th inning, Lotte faced KT with a walk and a sacrifice bunt with 1 company and 2nd base. Coach Sutton put Seung-Min Koo on the mound following Se-Jin Jang and started the Pil Seung-Joe. Koo Seung-min allowed a walk, but saved the team from a crisis by turning Kim Min-hyuk and Kim Sang-soo into the outfield with a fly ball and a strikeout.

Lotte Giants finishing pitcher Kim Won-joong took the mound in the ninth inning in the 8th game of the season against the KT Wiz on the 8th. Courtesy of Lotte Giants

Lotte put Kim Won-joong on the mound in the beginning of the ninth inning and burned its will to win. In the ninth inning, the first batter, Moon Sang-cheol, was walked, and the second batter, Park Byung-ho, was hit, putting them in a safe first and second base situation. Kim Won-joong faced pinch hitter Park Kyung-soo. Lotte caught Park Kyung-soo’s bunt-and-slash ball and caught second base runner Ahn Chi-young with a force-out from third base. Park Seung-wook then caught Jang Seong-woo’s hit with a fantastic diving catch and forced out the second base runner.

However, Kim Won-joong gave Hwang Jae-gyun, the 7th hitter, a hit that split left-center and allowed a come-from-behind score. The score was 4-5, and Lotte was in crisis with 2nd and 3rd bases. Kim Won-joong was strong. Kim Won-jung got out of the crisis himself by striking out the battalion.

Lotte launched an attack at the end of the ninth inning with a score of 5-6. Lotte was on the verge of defeat as Hwang Seong-bin and Kim Min-seok, who entered the plate as the lead batters, struck out in a row. Jung-hoon created a chance for second base by hitting KT finishing pitcher Kim Jae-yoon with a long hit that hit the left-middle outfield steel leader. KT allowed Jeon Jun-woo to reach first base with an intentional ball. Lotte faced a situation with 2 companies, 1st and 2nd base.

At bat, another Lotte veteran, captain An Chi-hong, entered. An Chi-hong made a ball that went over KT third baseman Kim Sang-soo’s head, and shortstop Kim Sang-su rolled over. In the meantime, Lotte second base runner Jeong Hoon made a home run to tie the score at 6-6. Lotte faced a 6-6 tie, 2 companies 1st and 3rd base ending situation. However, Yun Dong-hee unfortunately withdrew with an infield grounder. Lotte went into overtime for two days in a row following the 7th.

Lotte put Choi Yi-joon on the mound in the 10th inning. Choi Lee-jun passed the key to victory to the batters by blocking KT Kim Min-hyuk, Kim Sang-soo, and Ahn Chi-young.

In the 10th inning of extra time with 2 outs, Lotte went on base with a hit that separated Yoo Kang-nam between 3 and 4. Hwang Seong-bin hit KT pitcher Kim Jae-yoon in front of the right fielder, but was out.

Lotte put Choi Yi-joon back on the mound in the 11th inning. Choi Yi-jun gave a walk to Park Kyung-soo and Hwang Jae-gyun, putting him in a situation with two outs on first and second base. Choi Lee-jun saved the team once again by striking out against KT hitter Jung Joon-young.

Lotte started to finish the 11th inning. Lotte ‘Super Rookie’ Kim Min-seok came out as the lead batter and got a walk from KT’s changed pitcher Lee Sang-dong and went to first base. Lotte’s Jung-hoon tried to bunt. Jung-hoon’s batted ball floated, and first baseman Lee Sang-ho hit the glove with a one-bound. However, referee Moon Dong-gyun declared it out. Director Lotte Sutton applied for a video review, which was eventually overturned. Jung Hoon succeeded in sending Kim Min-seok to second base with a successful sacrifice bunt.

Jeon Jun-woo, who fired a two-run four to tie the game in the 7th inning, entered the plate. Jeon Jun-woo took the chance to finish with 1 company and 2nd base. However, after a full count matchup, he struck out. Ahn Chi-hong, the main character of the 9th inning tie-breaker, entered the at-bat. However, An Chi-hong also struck out and the game entered the 12th inning.

In the beginning of the 12th inning, Lotte put Choi Yi-jun down and veteran Yoon Myung-jun on the mound. Yoon Myung-jun allowed KT lead hitter Bae Jeong-dae to hit next to the right fielder. KT coach Lee Kang-cheol ordered first batter Kim Min-hyeok to make a sacrifice bunt and made 1 out and 2 base. Yoon Myung-Jun put Kim Sang-Soo on a walk, putting him in a situation of 1 company, 1st and 2nd base. Yoon Myeong-jun gave Ahn Chi-young a ball that fit his body and faced a crisis with the first base loaded.

KT coach Lee Kang-cheol carried out a squeeze operation, and Lotte allowed a 6-7 reversal. Yoon Myung-Jun walked once again and faced the bases loaded situation once again. Yoon Myung-jun was in danger by allowing 3 walks only in the 12th inning. Yoon Myeong-jun finished the last defense of the day by treating follow-up hitter Jang Seong-woo as a ground ball.

Lotte launched the last attack in the 12th inning, 6-7, one point behind. Batter 5 Yoon Dong-hee was unfortunately struck out by KT pitcher Park Young-hyeon and withdrew. Lotte Sutton coach Jack Rex, who returned from a knee injury, played as a pinch hitter. Rex made a good swing, but was caught by the left fielder. Even the last batsman, Park Seung-wook, withdrew due to a floating ball in left field, and Lotte lost the game that lasted until the 12th inning to KT.