'We've also taken first place' Choi Jeong's multi-hit performance + Kim Geon-woo's 7 innings deleted... SSG surges with 4-game winning streak 'ERA in the 0th-point range, foreign investor also defeated' [Incheon Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

SSG Landers' fierce momentum could not be subdued even by the top-ranked team, which boasts the league's best pitcher.

On the 24th, SSG defeated KT Wiz 5-0 in a home game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With this victory, SSG extended its winning streak to four games, improving to 14 wins and 8 losses, narrowing the gap with the first-place KT to 1.5 games and maintaining third place. KT, whose winning streak ended at three games, recorded 16 wins and 7 losses.

Park Seong-han, the hottest hitter in the KBO League, opened the game. He troubled Caleb Boshly (0.87 ERA), the only pitcher in the league with an ERA in the 0th-point range, from the early innings. Park hit a double in the top of the 1st inning, reaching a .500 batting average. With a 1-1 count, he powerfully pulled a changeup located high and outside, sending it to left-center field for a double. This extended his record of consecutive hits to 23 games since the season opener.

Park Seong-han is the first in KBO League history to maintain a .500 batting average through 22 games since the season opener. With today's hit, he reached exactly .500 with 40 hits in 80 at-bats.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Park returned to the plate and once again cleanly drove a two-seam fastball that broke outside the zone from Boshly, resulting in a single to left field.

In the 3rd inning, Choi Jeong took over the bat. As the leadoff hitter of the inning, Choi powerfully hit Boshly's 131 km/h sweeper located outside, sending it over the left-center field fence for a solo home run. It was his 4th home run of the season and another milestone in KBO League history.

With this home run, Choi completed 4,400 career hits, setting the youngest record in KBO League history at 39 years, 1 month, and 27 days, and the second-youngest ever. Before Choi, Choi Hyung-woo set the record on September 6 last year at 41 years, 8 months, and 21 days.

After adding another run in the 5th inning, Kim Min-su replaced Boshly in the 6th inning. Choi Jeong launched another home run in his 4th at-bat. With a 3-1 count, he pulled a 134 km/h cutter located inside on the 5th pitch, sending it over the left-field fence for a solo home run. It was his 5th home run of the season and his 523rd career home run.

On the mound, Kim Geon-woo secured a perfect victory against Boshly. Boshly threw 91 pitches over 5 innings, allowing 8 hits (1 home run), 4 walks/strikes, recording 6 strikeouts, and giving up 4 earned runs, taking his first loss of the season after a 4-game winning streak. His ERA jumped from 0.78 to 1.93, but Kim Geon-woo was different.

In the top of the 1st inning, with one out, Kim allowed a walk and a hit, putting runners on first and third. However, he threw a bold inside curve to Jang Seong-woo, inducing a ground ball to the shortstop for a double play, erasing the scoring threat.

Kim easily held the line through the 4th inning but faced another crisis in the 5th. With one out and a runner on first, Kwon Dong-jin's batted ball fell between the center fielder and infielders. Kang Hyun-woo was called out at second base due to a judgment error on the batted ball, and Choi Won-jun was retired with a ground ball to the first baseman, continuing his scoreless pitching.

Kim finished the 6th inning with three up, three down. He threw 90 pitches and returned in the 7th, striking out Sam Hilliard, inducing a ground ball to the third baseman from Oh Yun-seok, and getting pinch-hitter Yoo Jun-gyu out on a foul fly to the first baseman, completing his career-first 7-inning scoreless outing.

Moon Seung-won, who entered in the 8th inning, allowed no hits over 2 innings, securing the team's victory. Kim Geon-woo earned his 3rd win of the season, lowering his ERA from 5.00 to 3.60.

In the lineup, Choi Jeong (2 hits, 1 walk, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored) with multi-home runs, Park Seong-han (2 hits, 1 run scored) with multi-hits, and Jung Jun-jae (2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 run scored) shone brightly.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.