*This content was translated by AI.
"I don't usually cry..."
The losing streak, which seemed endless, was finally snapped after 14 games. It was a game flow no one had anticipated, and the "captain" Oh Tae-gon (35, SSG Landers), who carried the heaviest burden, personally sealed the victory.
On the 3rd, Oh Tae-gon started as the leadoff hitter and right fielder in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League home game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Incheon SSG Landers Field, delivering a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th to secure a 5-4 comeback win.
SSG, which had fallen to as low as 9th place, climbed to sole 7th place with this victory.
Kim Kwang-hyun, who was scheduled to serve as captain this season, underwent surgery due to a shoulder injury, and Oh Tae-gon was suddenly asked to take on the role.
Contrary to concerns, the team surged early in the season, even reaching 1st place. Despite injuries to Kim Kwang-hyun, rookie Kim Min-jun, and batting ace Ko Myung-jun, SSG held firm in the upper standings. However, cracks began to appear. Starting pitcher Mitch White also suffered an injury, causing the rotation to collapse, and the once-strong bullpen began to feel the strain. Ultimately, SSG's winning streak came to a halt on the 16th of last month.
As the losing streak lengthened, Oh Tae-gon even developed symptoms of a stress-induced stomach ulcer. The pressure to end the streak was immense, but ultimately, he bore the shame of the most consecutive losses in the team's history.
On this day, temporary starter Baek Seung-geon was pulled after just one inning, leading to a shaky start, and the team trailed 2-4 until the top of the 8th. In the bottom of the 8th, Guillermo Heredia hit a thrilling two-run tying home run. After surviving a scoring threat in the top of the 9th, the team came to bat in the bottom of the 9th. After hits by Jeon Ui-san and Jo Hyung-woo, and a sacrifice bunt by Jung Jun-jae, Park Sung-han was walked intentionally. With one out and bases loaded, Oh Tae-gon stepped up to the plate and swung decisively at Jo Young-geon's first pitch, a 147 km/h fastball. The ball soared straight toward center field, and SSG instantly sensed the end of the losing streak. Hong Dae-in, who had replaced Jeon Ui-san at third base, tagged up and scored comfortably, completing the thrilling comeback victory.
In a post-game broadcast interview, Oh Tae-gon could not hold back his tears. The stands were filled with the passionate cheers of fans who could not leave, overcome by the emotion of breaking the losing streak.
Oh Tae-gon, who is batting .243 in 50 games this season, has been struggling recently but delivered two crucial hits today. In the 6th inning, with the team trailing 1-4, a ground ball took an irregular bounce, resulting in a lucky hit, and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Choi Jung. In the 8th, Oh Tae-gon's hit set the stage for Heredia's tying two-run homer. Then, in the 9th, he stepped up as the decisive hero.
After the game, Oh Tae-gon said, "I tried not to cry, but tears slipped out. Honestly, I thought it would be embarrassing to cry, so I tried to hold them back, but I ended up crying without realizing it. I guess I was really struggling."
The responsibility of the captaincy at 35 years old was immense. Oh Tae-gon began his career with the Lotte Giants in 2010, moved to KT Wiz, and then joined SK Wyverns (the predecessor of SSG) in 2020, but this was his first experience with such a difficult losing streak. "It wasn't this hard back then. I was young and didn't understand the weight of it, but now that I'm the captain and a veteran, I think it's a bit harder," he shared.
He had tried everything. However, the collapsed pitching and hitting balance was not easily restored. "We held many meetings, said many encouraging words, and also gave harsh criticism. I tried everything, but nothing worked," he said, adding, "Today, I didn't know the outcome, so I told everyone to keep going until the end. I think it's a great relief that we were able to break the losing streak."
"Everything was terrible. I hated it all. I thought, 'Why is this happening while I'm captain?' It was hard. I don't know why, but the manager must have been struggling a lot, and the front office staff must have been struggling too. Everyone must have been going through a hard time," he said.
That's why the 9th inning opportunity was so crucial. Oh Tae-gon explained, "I get very nervous in these situations, more than usual. But today, instead of being nervous, I was focused on finishing this no matter what. I thought Jun-jae would bunt and Sung-han would definitely get a hit. Inside, I thought, 'I will finish this. It's not even about getting a hit; I just need to hit a sacrifice fly to end this. We have to finish today.'"
He could instantly sense the result at the moment of contact. Oh Tae-gon said, "Because Hong Dae-in at third base is fast, the moment the ball went to the outfield, I thought, 'Ah, we did it.' Right after I hit it, I thought, 'It's over. The 13-game losing streak is finally over.'"
Before the game, he even gifted coffee and snacks to his younger teammates who were suffering in the hot weather during Futures League games. It was a gesture to encourage everyone to pull together. Oh Tae-gon shyly revealed, "We are struggling too, and everyone is struggling. I've noticed that afternoon games are extremely hot. I thought the minor league players were having a hard time, so I sent them some food to eat and cheer up."
"When things aren't going well, nothing works. When the pitchers are good, the hitters aren't, and when the hitters are good, the pitchers aren't. The pitching and hitting balance was just too off. I think today's game was a turning point for both the pitchers and the hitters," Oh Tae-gon said. He added, "As a veteran, I hope the younger players' skills improve quickly. That's the only way to become a strong team. The condition for a strong team is depth. I hope the young players grow quickly, create synergy, and engage in good competition."
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*This content was translated by AI.
