'Finally,' Lotte begins to stir, surging with a powerful three-game winning streak and a jump in the standings! The 'headshot ejection' acts as a massive variable, with Kim Won-jung securing a save in the 9th inning. [Incheon On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Finally, the Lotte Giants have begun to move. They defeated the SSG Landers and secured a swift three-game winning streak.

On the 2nd, Lotte defeated SSG 7-5 in an away regular-season game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League held at the SSG Landers field in Incheon.

With this victory, Lotte rode a three-game winning streak to a record of 11 wins, 1 tie, and 17 losses. Playing the only afternoon game at around 2 p.m., Lotte jumped to 8th place, surpassing the Kiwoom Heroes. Meanwhile, SSG recorded 17 wins and 12 losses.

For this game, SSG set their starting lineup in the following order: Park Sung-han (shortstop), Jung Jun-jae (second baseman), Choi Jeong (third baseman), Heredia (left fielder), Han Yu-seom (designated hitter), Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder), Oh Tae-gon (first baseman), Choi Jun-woo (right fielder), and Jo Hyung-woo (catcher). The starting pitcher was Benigniano.

Facing SSG, Lotte set their starting batting order as follows: Jang Du-seong (center fielder), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Reyes (left fielder), Yu Gangnam (designated hitter), Kim Min-seong (first baseman), Park Seung-wook (third baseman), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), Son Seong-bin (catcher), and Han Tae-yang (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Na Gyun-an.

SSG seized the initiative early in the bottom of the 1st inning with a powerful hit. Park Sung-han launched a solo home run to right-center field against Na Gyun-an, taking a 1-0 lead. SSG added another run in the bottom of the 4th. Heredia hit a sacrifice fly that dropped just inside the left-field line, bringing third baseman Choi Jeong home.

While Benigniano was pitching well for the first time in a while, a major variable occurred in the top of the 6th. With no outs and a runner on first, Benigniano's fastball struck Jang Du-seong's helmet, resulting in a headshot ejection. This was a massive variable.

With runners on first and second and no outs, Noh Gyeong-eun suddenly took the mound. Perhaps his body wasn't fully warmed up. Yoon Dong-hee's sacrifice fly, Reyes' two-run double to left-center, and Noh Jin-hyuk's sacrifice fly to left field each broke the tie, turning the score to 3-2 in Lotte's favor. Subsequently, with two outs, Jeon Min-jae hit a sacrifice fly to left-center, extending the lead to 4-2.

Lotte added two more runs in the top of the 7th. Park Seung-wook drew a bases-loaded walk, and when Park Si-hu committed a wild pitch, runner Yoon Dong-hee scored from third base, making it 6-2. In the top of the 8th, with one out and runners on first and third, Reyes hit a two-run double to left-center, pushing the score to 7-2.

Nevertheless, SSG did not give up easily. In the bottom of the 8th, with no outs and runners on first and second, they launched a three-run home run against the reliever Jeong Cheol-won, launching a fierce comeback attempt. However, Heredia flew out to right field, Han Yu-seom struck out swinging, and Choi Ja-hoon flew out to center field, failing to score any additional runs. Ultimately, Lotte brought Kim Won-jung to the mound in the bottom of the 9th, retiring the SSG lineup in order to secure the team victory.

Lotte starter Na Gyun-an pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out seven, giving up two earned runs, and secured his first win of the season. His total pitch count was 102. Park Jeong-min (0 innings, 1 hit allowed, 2 runs allowed), Jeong Cheol-won (1 inning, 1 hit allowed, 1 strikeout, 1 run allowed), and Kim Won-jung (1 inning, no hits allowed, 1 strikeout, scoreless) then pitched in succession to protect the team victory. In the batting lineup, which produced a total of 13 hits, Yoon Dong-hee recorded three hits, while Reyes and Jeon Min-jae each recorded multi-hit games.

SSG starter Benigniano pitched five innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out three, giving up two earned runs, but had to swallow his disappointment due to the headshot ejection. His total pitch count was 73. Noh Gyeong-eun (1 inning, 5 hits allowed, 1 strikeout, 2 runs allowed) then took the loss. Jang Ji-hoon (1/3 inning, 2 hits allowed, 2 runs allowed), Park Si-hu (2/3 inning, no hits allowed, scoreless), and Lee Ki-soon (2 innings, 3 hits allowed, 2 strikeouts, 1 run allowed) pitched in succession. In the SSG batting lineup, which managed 8 hits, Park Sung-han, Choi Jeong, and Choi Jun-woo each recorded multi-hit games.

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

*This content was translated by AI.