'Eight pitchers go all out → LG Twins defeated for the first time in six months' Hanwha's Kim Kyung-moon: "Noh Si-hwan at No. 4 brought positive energy" [Jamsil on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins met again after six months. Was it the desperate desire to avoid a three-game losing streak? Hanwha Eagles went all out and ultimately secured a valuable victory.

Under the leadership of manager Kim Kyung-moon (68), Hanwha defeated LG Twins 8-4 in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game held at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 23rd.

Even after winning 7-3 in the third game of the Korean Series on October 29 last year, Hanwha had to watch the championship ceremony at home. Having already lost two of three games in this series, Hanwha entered the contest with even stronger determination to win.

This was also Noh Si-hwan's return game after signing a record-breaking contract worth 30.7 billion won over 11 years, the largest in KBO League history. Manager Kim Kyung-moon, who had sent Noh Si-hwan to the minor league after a poor performance in 13 games this season with no home runs and a batting average of 0.145 (8 hits in 55 at-bats), immediately inserted him as the No. 4 hitter upon his return.

Hanwha made an early strategic move by replacing temporary starter Hwang Jun-seo, who had pitched 2⅔ innings allowing 44 pitches and 2 runs (1 earned), in the middle of the 3rd inning. The team deployed a total of eight pitchers: Kim Seo-hyun, followed by Jo Dong-wook (⅓ inning), Park Sang-won (⅔ inning), Jung Woo-ju (1 inning), Lee Min-woo (1⅓ innings), and Kim Jong-soo (⅓ inning).

The lineup generated power. Starting with Yonatan Peraza's solo home run in the bottom of the 4th inning while trailing 0-2, Noh Si-hwan exploded with his first home run of the season against reliever Ham Deok-ju. Hanwha then took the lead by adding another run, followed by Moon Hyun-bin's solo home run in the 5th inning and Hwang Young-mok's two-run single in the 6th inning.

Hanwha brought in closer Jack Cushing one pitch early and added two more runs in the top of the 9th inning by capitalizing on an opponent's error, sealing the victory. Although Austin Dean hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 9th, keeping tension high until the end, Hanwha ultimately secured the win.

After the game, manager Kim Kyung-moon praised the team, saying, "All players performed well. Both pitchers and batters fulfilled their roles, allowing us to win the final game of the three-game series."

Most importantly, Noh Si-hwan's performance was a welcome sight. Before the game, he expressed, "I didn't expect to perform well from the start. I need to take it slow and reduce the pressure. It's not just Noh Si-hwan; anyone in FA feels stressed when they don't deliver results. So I hope we can relax our minds, smile together with our teammates, and play with ease."

Despite concerns about his ability, he was entrusted with the crucial No. 4 batting position. Manager Kim stated, "After all, isn't Noh Si-hwan our Hanwha's No. 4 hitter?" Ultimately, Noh Si-hwan led the lineup with two hits in four at-bats, one walk, one RBI, and one run scored, including a decisive home run.

Manager Kim credited Noh Si-hwan, saying, "Our No. 4 hitter Noh Si-hwan hit a home run in his first game back, bringing positive energy to the team."

Breaking the two-game losing streak and securing today's victory, Hanwha improved to 9 wins and 12 losses, moving up one spot to joint 6th place. They will now travel to Daejeon to face the NC Dinos.

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*This content was translated by AI.