'Perfect through five innings' — The detail that toppled the monster: "Ryu Hyun-jin's pitches were too good," says Choi Ji-hoon, whose 'divine move' secured the victory [Daejeon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Ryu Hyun-jin's pitches were excellent today. We needed a momentum shift."

Indeed, he was a monster. He threw pitches that seemed impossible to hit. Although the score was only one run apart, there was no visible way to attack Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles). Choi Ji-hoon (29) felt they could not proceed as they were, and a small, unexpected detail he employed turned the tide of the game.

The fifth game of the season between SSG and Hanwha took place at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark. With SSG trailing 0-1, Choi Ji-hoon stepped up as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth inning. He adjusted his grip on the bat and executed a surprise bunt that the Hanwha defense had not anticipated at all, recording SSG's first hit of the day.

The Hanwha infielders had retreated. Although it was still too early to expect a perfect game, their determination to prevent any hits was clear. Choi Ji-hoon exploited this gap and, with a clever strategic move, created a crack in the game.

Was the perfect game broken in vain, leaving Ryu Hyun-jin shaken? Ryu Hyun-jin began to waver, and the SSG lineup did not miss the small opening. Choi Ji-hoon, who reached third base on Oh Tae-gon's double, tied the game 1-1 with Cho Hyung-woo's sacrifice fly.

This was only the beginning. After Park Sung-han's hit put SSG ahead, Guillermo Heredia delivered a sacrifice fly with one out and bases loaded, adding two more runs. Although SSG batters made some sloppy base-running plays, the more flustered team was Hanwha. Catcher Choi Jae-hoon's throw, intended to prevent a steal of third base, went awry, further disrupting the atmosphere. Choi Ji-hoon, who returned to the plate as the batter, then dropped a hit in front of the center fielder, driving in two more runs.

It was Choi Ji-hoon who broke the perfect pitching, and it was Choi Ji-hoon who ultimately forced Ryu Hyun-jin out of the game.

After the game, Choi Ji-hoon expressed satisfaction, saying, "I'm happy that the team won. I'm glad we continued our winning streak. It was also fortunate that the game became a high-scoring one, allowing our closer, Jo Byung-hyun, to rest."

The bunt in the sixth inning proved decisive. SSG manager Lee Seung-yong praised the move, stating, "Choi Ji-hoon's surprise bunt in the sixth inning was highly effective, and the subsequent big inning was the turning point."

Choi Ji-hoon found the only method available to him. And that single move turned the game around. Choi Ji-hoon reflected, "Ryu Hyun-jin's pitches were too good today. We needed a momentum shift, so I bunted. With no hits coming and the game being tight, I made that play. The following batters also hit with focus and created a big inning."

Ryu Hyun-jin pitched only 67 pitches over five innings, inducing groundouts from the SSG batters with pitches that hovered on the edge of the strike zone. There were no pitches far outside the zone; every pitch was a decisive one. For the SSG batters, it was a moment when finding a way to attack seemed difficult, but Choi Ji-hoon's quick thinking completely reversed the course of the game.

Despite his performance today, Choi Ji-hoon is still in the early stages of a season that has not met his expectations. In 27 games, he has recorded a batting average of 0.218 (22 hits in 101 at-bats), four home runs, 17 RBIs, 20 runs scored, four stolen bases, an on-base percentage of 0.279, a slugging percentage of 0.406, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.685. As he will become a free agent (FA) at the end of the season, this is a season in which he must strive even harder for himself.

Although the team is in second place, Choi Ji-hoon said, "The current standings mean nothing. We are in second, but there are still too many games left." He added, "I think I just need to do well from now on. I want to finish the season with good results by giving my all."

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*This content was translated by AI.