Lotte's Park Se-woong achieves his second win of the season with a '5th attempt, 6th try' effort, as Jeon Min-jae's back-to-back home runs and Hyun Do-hoon's 'one-out, bases-loaded iron wall pitching' came to his aid... SSG falls into a four-game losing slump [Incheon On-the-Ground Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Park Se-woong finally secured his second win of the season (5 losses) after six attempts. 'Power-hitting shortstop' Jeon Min-jae, who hit back-to-back home runs, and Hyun Do-hoon, who erased a one-out, bases-loaded crisis in the bottom of the 7th, served as Park's top-tier support.

On the 17th, Lotte secured a 2-1 comeback victory against SSG Landers in an away game at Incheon SSG Landers Field during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With two consecutive wins, the 9th-place Lotte improved to 26 wins, 39 losses, and 1 tie, narrowing the gap to 0.5 games against the 8th-place SSG, which fell into a four-game losing streak with 27 wins, 39 losses, and 1 tie.

Lotte set its starting lineup with Yoon Dong-hee (center fielder), Ko Seung-min (second baseman), Reyes (left fielder), Han Dong-hee (designated hitter), Na Seung-yeop (first baseman), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), Son Ho-young (right fielder), Son Seong-bin (catcher), and Park Seung-wook (third baseman). Park Se-woong started on the mound.

SSG countered with Park Sung-han (shortstop), Jung Jun-jae (second baseman), Choi Jeong (designated hitter), Kim Jae-hwan (left fielder), Guillermo Heredia (right fielder), Jeon Ui-san (first baseman), Go Myeong-jun (third baseman), Jo Hyung-woo (catcher), and Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder). Kim Geon-woo started for SSG.

The game remained tightly contested under the steady pitching of both starters. Kim Geon-woo and Park Se-woong allowed runners but did not waver easily. Kim Geon-woo retired Na Seung-yeop on a first baseman's grounder with two outs and runners on first and second, while Park Se-woong retired the side in order to end the first inning.

In the top of the 2nd, after Kim Geon-woo allowed consecutive hits, he induced a center fielder's fly ball from Son Seong-bin and a second baseman's grounder from Park Seung-wook to complete the inning with a double play, giving SSG an opportunity. In the bottom of the 2nd, Kim Jae-hwan's leadoff hit was followed by Jeon Ui-san's double with one out, allowing SSG to take the lead.

Kim Geon-woo retired the side in order in the 3rd but allowed a walk, a right-field single, and another walk in the 4th, creating a bases-loaded crisis. However, he escaped the scoring danger with two strikeouts and induced weak contact.

However, the win went to Park Se-woong. From the 4th through the 6th inning, he allowed baserunners every inning but skillfully induced weak contact, limiting SSG to just one run through six innings.

Kim Geon-woo could not escape the top of the 6th unscathed. After allowing a left-field single to leadoff hitter Na Seung-yeop, he gave up a go-ahead two-run home run to Jeon Min-jae over the left-field wall. He also allowed a left-field single to Son Ho-young, but Son Seong-bin's bunt attempt was fielded by catcher Jo Hyung-woo, who threw to first for a double play, ending the inning without further runs.

The bottom of the 7th was the decisive moment of the game. Lotte brought in Kim Kang-hyun after Park Se-woong, but Choi Ji-hoon hit a double to right field, and Park Sung-han drew a walk. Jung Jun-jae advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and with an unfavorable count, Choi Jeong was intentionally walked, creating a one-out, bases-loaded situation.

Lotte entrusted its fate to Hyun Do-hoon. Hyun Do-hoon threw seven cutters out of nine pitches to induce weak contact, then struck out Noh Gyeong-eon on a full-count swing-and-miss. Heredia followed with a weak catcher's foul fly.

Park Jeong-min, who entered in the 8th, allowed a left-field single to leadoff hitter Jeon Ui-san but induced a third baseman's grounder from Go Myeong-jun to clear the bases, and Jo Hyung-woo also recorded an out on weak contact.

SSG recalled closer Jo Byung-hyun, who had not appeared since the Samsung game on the 12th. He retired the side in order with three strikeouts before heading to the 9th. Lotte brought in closer Choi Joon-yong. Choi Ji-hoon fouled off five pitches in an unfavorable count, waiting for an opportunity, and finally hit a two-run double off the right-field fence after a 10-pitch at-bat. Park Sung-han was retired on a second baseman's grounder, leaving one out with a runner on third.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung personally came onto the field. He replaced first baseman Ko Seung-min with Kim Se-min at third base, moved third baseman Son Ho-young to second, and shifted second baseman Park Seung-wook to first, implementing an extreme infield shift by moving the entire infield forward. Shortstop Jeon Min-jae fielded a high-hop grounder hit by Jung Jun-jae. While he could not retire the batter-runner, he held the runner at third. With one out and runners on first and third, Choi Jeong came to the plate. After watching one pitch, Choi Jeong fouled off the second. Choi Joon-yong threw a changeup with a favorable 1-2 count and recorded a check-swing strikeout from Choi Jeong. He then induced a second baseman's grounder from fourth hitter Kim Jae-hwan to close out the game.

Park Se-woong threw 99 pitches over six innings, allowing eight hits, one walk, striking out four, and giving up one run. After earning his first win of the season against KIA on the 10th, he secured another victory after six attempts.

Kim Kang-hyun (⅓ inning), Hyun Do-hoon (⅔ inning), and Park Jeong-min (1 inning) each recorded a hold, while Choi Joon-yong earned his 10th save of the season (3 wins, 3 losses, 1 hold), achieving double-digit saves for the second time in his career since 2022.

Kim Geon-woo threw 92 pitches over six innings, allowing eight hits (one home run), three walks, striking out three, and giving up two earned runs. He recorded his third quality start of the season (six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs) but received insufficient run support and took the loss, improving his record to 6 wins and 4 losses.

In the lineup, Jeon Min-jae excelled with three hits in four at-bats, two RBIs, and one run scored, including the go-ahead two-run home run. Son Ho-young and Ko Seung-min also contributed with two hits each, helping secure the team victory.

For SSG, Jeon Ui-san hit three hits and was responsible for the team's only RBI, but his performance was overshadowed by the team's loss.

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*This content was translated by AI.