'Wang Yencheng early exit in first inning → 2-7 → 18-7' Hanwha turns the tables with Kang Baek-ho and Kim Tae-yeon's 8-RBI show... NC road series ends 1 win, 1 loss [Changwon on-site review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Hanwha Eagles, who were facing a heavy defeat, wrote a dramatic comeback story with their powerful lineup. The RBI performances by Kang Baek-ho and Kim Tae-yeon saved the team from crisis.

Hanwha secured an 18-7 comeback victory against NC Dinos at NC Park in Changwon on the 28th during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game, thanks to Kang Baek-ho's three-RBI double in the top of the 7th inning.

With this result, Hanwha, now 24 wins and 25 losses, maintained its fifth-place position. Meanwhile, NC, with 20 wins, 28 losses, and one tie, returned to a tie for eighth place alongside the Lotte Giants, who won on the same day.

Hanwha set its lineup as Lee Won-seok (center fielder), Yonatan Peraza (right fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (left fielder), Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Heo In-seo (catcher), Lee Do-yoon (second baseman), Kim Tae-yeon (first baseman), and Sim Woo-jun (shortstop). Actual ace Wang Yencheng made the starting appearance.

NC countered with Kim Joo-won (shortstop), Lee Woo-seong (designated hitter), Park Geon-woo (right fielder), Matt Davidson (first baseman), Kwon Hee-dong (left fielder), Kim Hyung-jun (catcher), Kim Han-byul (second baseman), Shin Jae-in (third baseman), and Park Si-won (center fielder). Starting pitcher for NC was Kim Tae-kyung.

The early game dynamics deviated from expectations. Wang Yencheng wavered from the start. In the bottom of the 1st inning, he allowed a hit-by-pitch to Kim Joo-won, a single to Lee Woo-seong, and a walk to Park Geon-woo, starting with no outs and bases loaded. After recording two outs, he surrendered a bases-loaded walk to Kim Hyung-jun, conceding the first run. It was fortunate for Hanwha that they did not allow additional runs. Wang threw 36 pitches in the 1st inning alone.

In the top of the 2nd inning, Kang Baek-ho crushed a 139 mph fastball from Kim Tae-kyung, sending it over the center-field fence for a solo home run to tie the game. This was his 11th home run of the season.

However, in the bottom of the 2nd inning, Park Si-won hit a go-ahead solo home run. He connected with a 145 mph fastball on the first pitch, sending it over the right-field fence. This was his first home run of the season, and the first time he had hit a home run since May 7 last year against Suwon KT, a span of 386 days.

Wang Yencheng could not find stability even in the 3rd inning. He allowed consecutive hits to Park Geon-woo and Davidson, conceding runs before ultimately being pulled. The reliever, Yoon San-heum, also allowed consecutive hits, and the team surrendered three runs in the 3rd inning alone.

With no outs and no runners on base in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Kim Tae-yeon crushed Kim Tae-kyung's slider for a solo home run over the left-field fence (his 3rd of the season). However, Hanwha started the 4th inning by allowing a walk, and Lee Woo-seong hit a double, failing to narrow the score gap.

NC starter Kim Tae-kyung allowed two runs on two home runs but held strong for six innings, pitching with three hits allowed, one walk, four strikeouts, and two earned runs. In the bottom of the 6th inning, Davidson added a run with a solo home run to left-center field (his 6th of the season), making it appear as though NC would comfortably secure the victory.

The momentum shifted strangely from the start of the top of the 7th inning. NC's reliever Lee Jun-hyeok lost control, issuing a straight walk to Noh Si-hwan, followed by a wild pitch. Then, a fatal error by center fielder Park Si-won occurred. He dropped a routine fly ball to center field, allowing the runner on second base, Noh Si-hwan, to advance past third and score. Heo In-seo also advanced to second base.

NC replaced center fielder Park Si-won with Han Seok-hyun and switched pitchers to Kim Jin-ho, but the crisis continued as Lee Do-yoon hit a one-RBI double. Kim Tae-yeon was walked, and after Sim Woo-jun hit a ground ball, Lee Won-seok walked again.

Lim Ji-min, who entered the game with one out and bases loaded, retired Peraza via a looking strikeout, but Moon Hyun-bin's walk resulted in a walk-off run. He then also surrendered a bases-loaded walk to Moon Hyun-bin.

With the score trailing 4-5, Kang Baek-ho stepped up to the plate and delivered. He drove a high forkball from Lim Ji-min, hitting it off the fence for a large double that brought all runners home. The score became 7-5, Hanwha in the lead.

Hanwha, which had been trailing throughout and had saved its top relievers, was able to bring out strong cards from the bottom of the 7th inning. Park Sang-won entered in the bottom of the 7th and shut down the inning perfectly. In the top of the 8th, the lead extended further. Heo In-seo hit a single off reliever Bae Jae-hwan, and following Lee Do-yoon's hit, Kim Tae-yeon hit a sweep triple with a fake bunt slash from a bases-empty, first-and-second situation. This was his first career triple in 10 years since joining Hanwha in 2016. With one out and a runner on third, Lee Won-seok's ground ball to the third baseman added another run, extending the lead to 11-7, a four-run margin.

The hot Hanwha lineup showed no signs of cooling down. In the top of the 9th, Kang Baek-ho walked, Noh Si-hwan hit a one-RBI double, and consecutive sacrifice flies by Kim Tae-yeon and Sim Woo-jun followed. The NC defense, completely out of focus, committed an error by Kim Joo-won on a fielding play, allowing two more runs. Then, Lee Jin-young walked, and Noh Si-hwan hit a two-RBI go-ahead sacrifice fly. Hanwha scored seven more runs in the 9th inning alone and ended their offense. In the bottom of the 9th, Jo Dong-wook entered and shut down the inning without allowing a run to close out the game.

In the Hanwha lineup, Kang Baek-ho and Moon Hyun-bin, who hit consecutive home runs, each drove in four runs, giving the team the momentum, while Noh Si-hwan boosted his batting performance with two hits, two walks, and three RBIs.

Wang Yencheng, who struggled with the fewest innings and most runs allowed of the season, was able to escape a loss crisis thanks to the explosive offense.

NC starter Kim Tae-kyung pitched the most innings of his career. His previous record included two appearances, the longest being 5 1/3 innings against LG in Jamsil on October 2, 2022. Although he achieved his first quality start (six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs) in his debut, the bullpen failed to protect the lead, and he could not secure the win.

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*This content was translated by AI.