'White, or rather Peraza's super play': RBI leader Kang Baek-ho also smiled; NC frustrated by 'error → judgment mistake' [Changwon on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

I thought it was Owen White (27), but it was Yonatan Peraza (28, both of Hanwha Eagles). I thought it was a single, but he stole an extra base. I thought he was surely out, but he scored with a super play. Peraza created all these scenes in the top of the first inning.

The fourth matchup of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League season between the Hanwha Eagles and the NC Dinos was held at Changwon NC Park on the 26th. On that day, the name Peraza could not be found on-site.

This was because Peraza, who started as the second hitter and right fielder for Hanwha, did not bring his own uniform and appeared wearing White's uniform.

Was it to erase the embarrassment? Peraza took off from the early stages of the game. In the top of the first inning with one out, Peraza, who came to the plate, smashed a fastball from NC's starting pitcher Curtis Taylor, producing a hit to right field.

The scenes that followed stood out even more. When Moon Hyun-bin hit a ground ball to right field, Peraza calmly judged the batted ball and reached second base. Seeing right fielder Han Seok-hyun fumble with the ball twice, Peraza late in the play rushed to third base, stealing an extra base.

The subsequent situation was a scene that baseball fans could hardly be unfamiliar with. A ground ball to the third baseman by Kang Baek-ho was fielded, and NC's third baseman Shin Jae-eun threw to second baseman Park Min-woo, creating a force out at second base. Suddenly, third base runner Peraza sprinted toward home plate.

Park Min-woo suddenly threw the ball toward home plate. For Peraza, this was a choice he could certainly attempt. With a high probability of a double play if he had stayed put, it was the best move he could make to induce an error.

The timing for the out was perfect. Catcher Kim Hyung-jun caught the ball first, but Peraza avoided the tag and passed home plate. Kim Hyung-jun, who lost his balance and fell while lunging, struggled twice afterward to tag Peraza. However, each time Peraza moved his body skillfully to avoid the tag and soared like Superman to touch home plate.

It was difficult to confirm whether he was out with the naked eye. The home plate umpire called him safe, but the NC side could not accept it and requested a video review. A slow-motion review revealed that at the moment Peraza touched home plate after avoiding two tags, it was not Kim Hyung-jun's mitt holding the ball that touched Peraza's body, but his right hand. The result stood: safe.

RBI leader Kang Baek-ho was able to record his 50th RBI, and scoring leader Peraza was able to further solidify his first-place standing in that category. Additionally, he provided a precious leadoff run for the team on a three-game winning streak.

For NC, the consecutive disappointing plays were even more painful as they gave up runs they did not need to. Han Seok-hyun gave up an extra base with a disappointing defensive play, and in a situation where the inning could have been ended with a double play attempt, a flustered Park Min-woo threw the ball toward home plate. Peraza's witty play shifted the fortunes of both teams from the early stages of the game.

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*This content was translated by AI.