'This is unbelievable' shock and horror: '12-game losing streak team vs. 8-game losing streak team' → Fateful one-on-one showdown confirmed; 'Defeat would be fatal'

*This content was translated by AI.

'Shock and horror' is an apt description. SSG Landers and Kiwoom Heroes meet while both are trapped in severe losing streaks. Unless the game ends in a tie, one team will break its losing streak and celebrate, while the other will be left with a bitter defeat.

'8th-place' SSG and '10th-place' Kiwoom will face off in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season matchup at Incheon SSG Landers Field at 6:30 p.m. on the 2nd.

'SSG, with a record of 22 wins, 1 tie, and 30 losses this season, is facing the most critical crisis since its founding.

SSG has already broken its club record for consecutive losses set after Shinsegae Group acquired the team in 2021 (previously 8 consecutive losses in May 2024). Furthermore, with a loss to the Hanwha Eagles on the 31st of last month, the team fell into a 12-game losing streak, surpassing the all-time consecutive loss record from its predecessor era as SK Wyverns (11 consecutive losses in 2000 and 2020).

SSG's losing streak began with a game against the LG Twins on the 17th of last month. However, it suffered a fatal blow during a three-game series against Kiwoom that followed. At that time, closer Jo Byung-hyun allowed walk-off hits to Kiwoom's Kim Woong-bin on consecutive days, causing the team to collapse. The aftermath was severe. Since then, SSG has faced the KIA Tigers, Samsung Lions, and Hanwha Eagles in succession, losing every series.

Today, SSG will start Benigniano. Benigniano has made 10 starts this season, posting a record of 1 win and 3 losses with an ERA of 5.63. Over a total of 46⅓ innings, he has allowed 58 hits (7 home runs), issued 20 walks, recorded 34 strikeouts, and surrendered 33 runs (29 earned). His WHIP stands at 1.68, and his batting average against is 0.305.

Against Kiwoom this season, he has gone 0-0 in two games with an ERA of 2.53, pitching 10⅔ innings, allowing 11 hits (1 home run), issuing 2 walks, hitting 1 batter, recording 8 strikeouts, and surrendering 4 runs (3 earned).

In response, Kiwoom had been on a five-game winning streak up to its victory against LG on the 22nd, but has since fallen into an 8-game losing streak. Kiwoom also fell into a losing streak after its closer collapsed in a game it had nearly secured. On the 24th at Jamsil against LG, closer Yuto allowed a three-run walk-off home run to Park Hae-min. Since then, Kiwoom has been unable to mount any significant resistance in three-game series against KIA and KT, surrendering every series.

Kiwoom will counter with foreign ace Alcantara on the mound to break its losing streak. Alcantara has recorded 4 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 3.18 this season. Over 65 innings, he has allowed 67 hits (10 home runs), issued 9 walks, recorded 61 strikeouts, surrendered 24 runs (23 earned), posted a WHIP of 1.17, and held opponents to a 0.262 batting average. Against SSG this year, he appeared in one game, pitching 8 innings, allowing 2 hits, issuing 1 walk, recording 8 strikeouts, and throwing a scoreless performance to secure a win.

Coincidentally, both teams fell into losing streaks after their closers collapsed in situations where they were expected to hold the lead. This underscores just how critical the closer role is in baseball. Who will emerge victorious in the Kiwoom-SSG matchup?

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*This content was translated by AI.