Nine years after Lee Taek-geun, a Heroes walk-off grand slam! An Chi-hong: "It was too hard during the losing streak..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom Heroes 'Veteran infielder' An Chi-hong (36) rescued the team from the swamp of despair. Recreating the glorious moment of a walk-off grand slam recorded by Lee Taek-geun (46, retired) during his Nexen Heroes days nine years ago, he wrote a dramatic story that snapped the team's losing streak.

On the 10th, Kiwoom Heroes secured a 5-1 victory against KT Wiz in a home game at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League', thanks to An Chi-hong's walk-off grand slam. With this win, Kiwoom broke its grueling five-game losing streak and succeeded in turning the tide.

That day, with the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th inning with one out and bases loaded, An Chi-hong watched the first pitch, a strike inside his body, then selected two consecutive outside balls to proceed cautiously. Then, he did not miss the 144th km/h fastball from opposing pitcher Kim Min-soo on the fourth pitch, which came right down the middle, and pulled it powerfully. The ball shot straight toward left-center field, leaving the fence behind. It was a substantial hit, reaching a distance of 130 meters. Although An Chi-hong rarely expresses his emotions, at the moment of hitting, confident it would be an outfield fly, he instinctively raised both arms and cheered, savoring his joy.

This home run was the 25th walk-off grand slam in KBO League history, and it was An Chi-hong's first career walk-off grand slam, the 18th-year veteran who debuted in the pros in the 2009 season. Furthermore, he made history by marking his first career walk-off home run with a grand slam.

Especially, the case where a 'first walk-off home run for an individual' was a grand slam in the history of the Heroes franchise occurred nine years ago, on May 18, 2017, against Hanwha at Gocheok, by Lee Taek-geun. An Chi-hong, on May 10, 2026, against KT at Gocheok, became the 20th person (across the entire KBO) to achieve this feat, proving the value of a Veteran. The previous case was when Lotte Giants' Victor Reyes hit a grand slam against Ulsan Doosan on July 17, 2024.

After the game, when meeting with reporters, An Chi-hong commented on his walk-off home run: "I'm still in a daze. In fact, I was really struggling all week. Everything was incredibly frustrating, and the games weren't going well either. But I'm somewhat relieved that I could end the week in such a good direction."

In the previous day's game (9th, a 6-6 draw), An Chi-hong showed a dedicated defensive performance, moving not only to his familiar second base position but also to shortstop. He said, "It happened that I had to go out due to the team's situation. I waited for the ball to come, but it eventually didn't come." He also added, "Still, if the team needs me, I want to fulfill any role."

Regarding playing as a designated hitter versus also participating in defense, he honestly stated, "It seems that moving during defense while playing a game is better for my physical balance. It might be tough, but I think there are more positive aspects."

Furthermore, as one of the team's most senior players regarding the five-game losing streak, An Chi-hong said, "We lost games we should have won, and not only I but also the young players must have had a hard time." He added, "I am trying to communicate with my juniors and overcome this crisis well. Still, I will approach games with the expectation that things will continue to get better," making a reassuring commitment.

Kiwoom Heroes, having ended the grueling losing streak, will aim for a rebound next week, riding the momentum gained from An Chi-hong's walk-off hit. Above all, there are more positive elements as 'No. 1 starter' Raul Alcantara has completed a turn of rest and returned to the starting rotation.

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*This content was translated by AI.