The next day, the game ended at "25 minutes before midnight"! The LG Twins' command staff also expressed gratitude to the members who endured the 5th-hour and 5-minute bloodbath, saying, "It was thanks to everyone who did not give up and continued to cheer."

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) sought to share the joy of victory with all members after a grueling 5-hour and 5-minute battle.

On the 8th, LG defeated Hanwha Eagles 9-8 in a regular-season away game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park. With this win, LG improved to 22 wins and 12 losses, narrowing the gap with the first-place KT Wiz (23 wins, 11 losses) to just one game. Hanwha, now 14 wins and 20 losses, remained in eighth place.

It was difficult to single out one standout player from this game. The collapse began with starting pitcher Song Seung-gi, whose record of three consecutive strikeouts against six batters was rendered meaningless as he surrendered 5 hits (including 1 home run) and 2 walks over 4 innings, recording 7 strikeouts while allowing 5 runs (3 earned).

However, the new cleanup trio turned the tide throughout the game with hot hitting. Cheon Seong-ho contributed with 3 hits in 6 at-bats, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored, excelling on both offense and defense. New fourth hitter Austin Dean went 3-for-6 with 1 home run, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored, while Oh Ji-hwan went 4-for-6 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored, performing brilliantly.

The lower-order batters also stood out. Koo Bon-hyeok recorded 2 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 walk, and 1 run scored. Captain Park Hae-min delivered a clutch single to right field with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, driving in the go-ahead run from first and third bases, putting an end to the long contest.

This game ended at 11:35 p.m., just 25 minutes before midnight. Considering the next game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m., the players had less than nine hours of rest before returning to the field. Thus, this victory could be described as a game worth two wins.

After the game, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop stated, "Had we lost today's (8th) game, the team's morale could have plummeted. However, thanks to every player uniting tightly and focusing on securing the victory until the end, we were able to win. I want to praise their concentration."

He continued, "Austin led the lineup with 3 hits and 2 RBIs, and Oh Ji-hwan followed with 4 hits and 2 RBIs. Park Hae-min, as captain, hit the game-winning run in a crucial situation, enabling us to secure the victory."

For Hanwha, it was regrettable that they failed to capitalize on several walk-off opportunities. Focusing only on the eighth inning onward, Noh Si-hwan failed to even react to a slightly inside strike in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and bases loaded. In the bottom of the ninth, with the score tied 8-8 and one out with runners on second and third, the third baseman failed to attempt to score on Lee Won-seok's fly ball to right field.

The LG relief pitchers shone against Hanwha, who managed to hit 17 hits. Even with closer Yoo Young-chan sidelined for the season, the remaining pitchers stepped up. On this day alone, nine relievers were called upon. Woo Kang-hoon extinguished the urgent fire with a perfect ⅔-inning performance in the bottom of the seventh with one out and runners on first and third.

Kim Young-woo, who entered in the ninth inning, threw 40 pitches over 1⅔ innings, allowing 2 hits with no walks and 1 strikeout, laying the foundation for the comeback victory. Kim Jin-soo also silenced the fiery Hanwha lineup with a perfect 1-inning performance, striking out two batters. This was Kim Young-woo's first win of the season and Kim Jin-soo's first save in his fourth professional year.

Manager Yeom said with a broad smile, "Many middle relievers were used. Woo Kang-hoon handled the crisis well, and Kim Young-woo took responsibility for 1⅔ innings, creating the foundation for victory. Kim Jin-soo also secured a save in a tough situation, allowing us to win. I congratulate Young-woo on his first win and Jin-soo on his first save."

A large crowd of 16,551 fans visited Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park on this day. However, most fans continued to cheer through the 11th inning of extra innings.

Manager Yeom conveyed his sincere gratitude, saying, "The reason we were able to win today, especially, is thanks to the fans who did not give up and continued to cheer until late at night. Because of them, we were able to secure an important victory. Thank you."

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*This content was translated by AI.