'Monster' Ryu Hyun-jin was also subdued, and the long-awaited 'post-Kim Kwang-hyun' has emerged... SSG's Kim Geon-woo ties for the league lead in wins [Daejeon]

*This content was translated by AI.

He is now the undisputed native ace of SSG Landers. Kim Geon-woo (24) secured a victory in a matchup against Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles), who is regarded as the greatest pitcher in Korean history, extending his personal winning streak to four games.

On the 30th, Kim Geon-woo started against the Hanwha Eagles at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game, throwing 98 pitches over 5⅔ innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 walks/strikeouts, recording 4 strikeouts, and giving up only 1 earned run in a strong performance.

The team's lineup recorded 12 hits and 8 walks, scoring 14 runs. In his sixth game of the season, Kim Geon-woo secured his fourth victory without a loss. His ERA dropped significantly from 3.60 to 3.23.

It was a game where Ryu Hyun-jin's dignity shone. Ryu Hyun-jin showcased sharp control and a diverse repertoire, pitching a perfect game through the fifth inning.

Kim Geon-woo also displayed solid pitching. His fastball reached a top speed of 146 km/h, not surpassing Ryu Hyun-jin's 147 km/h, but he effectively used a mix of curveballs, sliders, and changeups to dominate the Hanwha lineup with various breaking balls.

He gave up one run in the second inning, allowing a double to Ju Seok and a sacrifice fly to Choi Jae-hoon, but faced no major trouble thereafter. Choi Ji-hoon broke Ryu Hyun-jin's perfect game with a bunt in the bottom of the sixth inning. Following that, Hanwha recorded 5 hits and 2 walks, scoring 6 runs before Ryu Hyun-jin was pulled from the mound.

Kim Geon-woo returned to the mound in the sixth inning. After allowing a walk and a hit with two outs, he was relieved by Kim Min, who recorded a strikeout to end the inning without allowing any additional runs.

SSG Landers manager Lee Seung-yong smiled. "Thanks to the active offense in the later innings and the strong performance of starter Kim Geon-woo, we were able to achieve a winning series," he said, adding, "On the mound, starter Kim Geon-woo took responsibility for over five innings and maintained the game's momentum well."

With this victory, he rose to a tie for first place in wins. Having been a promising prospect to succeed Kim Kwang-hyun, he has now transformed into a solid ace who will take responsibility for SSG's future.

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*This content was translated by AI.