'Shock' until the 5th inning was perfect... Ryu Hyun-jin allowed 5 hits and 6 runs after a surprise bunt, enduring a 'nightmare 6th inning' before ultimately being pulled from the game [Daejeon]

*This content was translated by AI.

It was a perfect pitching performance that promised a historic feat. There was not a single flaw. However, it collapsed in an instant. A surprise bunt by SSG Landers' Choi Ji-hoon (29) completely turned the tide.

Ryu Hyun-jin started the home game against the SSG Landers at the Daejeon Hanwha Life Park on the 30th in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, allowing 5 hits and 2 walks in the top of the 6th inning, giving up 6 runs (4 earned runs) before being pulled from the game.

In four games this season, he posted a 2-1 record with an ERA of 2.96, delivering his best performance since returning to the KBO League.

The pitching staff had self-destructed the previous day by surrendering 11 walks and hit-by-pitches, and the game was attended by Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, who is also the club owner. With the weight of being the ace, Ryu Hyun-jin took the mound in a situation where he had to secure a victory with his signature perfect pitching.

He was perfect through the 5th inning. Leading with a fastball clocked at 147 km/h, he mixed in cutters, curveballs, and changeups, and even deployed a new weapon, the sweeper, against left-handed batters.

Perhaps the fact that it was too perfect was the problem. Choi Ji-hoon created a crack in the SSG lineup, which had not allowed a single baserunner through the 5th inning. Leading off the top of the 6th, Choi Ji-hoon attempted a surprise bunt on the first pitch against Ryu Hyun-jin. Hanwha was caught off guard by the play, which they had not anticipated at all. Ultimately, the perfect game was broken.

Did Ryu Hyun-jin's concentration break after that? He was shaken up rapidly. He surrendered three consecutive hits to Oh Tae-gon, Jo Hyung-woo, and Park Sung-han, allowing two runs and taking the lead. After An Sang-hyun's sacrifice bunt, Choi Jeong was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Guillermo Heredia then hit a single to left field, allowing two more runs.

An unlucky scene also unfolded. During Han Yu-seom's at-bat, Ryu Hyun-jin's pitch bounced, and while that happened, the runners on first and second attempted a double steal. Choi Jae-hoon threw the ball to third base, and although it was a timing that could have caught Choi Jeong, who started late, the throw went astray. Kim Sung-wook then fielded a ground ball and threw it home to record an out, but after allowing a two-run RBI single to Choi Ji-hoon, he eventually handed the ball to Min Woo and was pulled from the game.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who had thrown only 67 pitches through the 5th inning, threw 30 pitches in the 6th and was ultimately pulled after throwing 97 pitches. His ERA also skyrocketed from 2.96 to 3.60.

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*This content was translated by AI.