'Austin and Song Chan-ui blast back-to-back home runs' LG defeats NC 5-1, closing in on the lead [Jamsil On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The LG Twins, powered by two home runs, subdued the NC Dinos and ignited the race for the top spot.

On the 1st, LG secured a 5-1 victory over NC in a regular-season home game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With this win, LG, now on a two-game winning streak, improved to 18 wins and 10 losses, holding onto second place. NC, with 13 wins and 15 losses, moved further away from the .500 winning percentage mark.

The turning point came in the bottom of the third inning when both teams were tied 0-0. With two outs, Cheon Seong-ho opened the scoring with a triple to right-center field. Austin targeted the first pitch and sent it over the left-field wall. The same scene happened once more. After Moon Bo-kyung reached base on a walk, Song Chan-ui unleashed a two-run home run to left field, propelling LG to a 4-0 lead in an instant.

The starting pitcher duel also yielded contrasting results. LG's Anders Tollhurst pitched 6⅓ innings, allowing 7 hits, 3 hit-by-pitches, striking out 5 batters, and giving up just 1 earned run to earn his fourth win (1 loss) of the season. NC's Natsuki Toda pitched 5 innings, allowing 5 hits (2 home runs), 3 walks or hit-by-pitches (2 walks, 1 hit-by-pitch), striking out 4 batters, and surrendering 5 earned runs, resulting in his fourth loss (1 win) of the season.

NC recorded 8 hits, leading in that category. However, Matt Davidson went 3-for-4 with 1 RBI, and Park Min-woo went 2-for-4, accounting for all of NC's offensive production. For LG, Austin went 1-for-4 with 1 home run and 2 RBIs, while Song Chan-ui went 1-for-2 with 1 home run and 2 RBIs.

On this day, LG lined up its batting order as follows: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Cheon Seong-ho (third baseman), Austin Dean (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (designated hitter), Song Chan-ui (left fielder), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Park Dong-won (catcher), and Koo Bon-hyuk (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Anders Tollhurst.

NC countered with the following lineup: Kim Ju-won (shortstop), Park Min-woo (second baseman), Park Geon-woo (designated hitter), Matt Davidson (first baseman), Lee Woo-seong (left fielder), Han Seok-hyun (right fielder), Ahn Jung-yeol (catcher), Do Tae-hoon (third baseman), and Choi Jung-won (center fielder). The starting pitcher was Natsuki Toda.

LG took the lead with a big inning in the third. In the bottom of the third with two outs, Cheon Seong-ho opened the scoring with a triple that split the right-center field. Austin targeted the first pitch from Toda and sent it far over the left-field wall. It was his seventh home run of the season, traveling 122.1 meters.

Shortly after, Moon Bo-kyung drew a walk, and Song Chan-ui lifted Toda's low fastball down the middle over the left-field wall once again. It was his fourth home run of the season, traveling 126.7 meters.

In the bottom of the fourth, leadoff batter Park Hae-min reached base with a single to right field. Park Hae-min advanced to third base on Park Dong-won's sacrifice bunt and Koo Bon-hyuk's single to left field, then scored on Hong Chang-ki's fly ball to right-center field. LG extended its lead to 4-0.

In the top of the seventh, NC managed to score one run when Kim Han-byung's single up the middle and a hit-by-pitch to Park Min-woo created a one-out, bases-loaded situation. Davidson then drove in a run with a single to left field. However, NC failed to score any further runs and suffered the defeat.

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*This content was translated by AI.