'Kim Tae-hyung's gamble paid off': 'Defensive shift' held on in the bottom of the 9th to secure a one-run lead, giving Lotte a thrilling two-game winning streak [Incheon]

*This content was translated by AI.

Bottom of the 9th, 2-1, one out, runner on second. Only two outs remained for victory. In a situation where the closer was on the mound, Kim Tae-hyung (59), manager of the Lotte Giants, suddenly stepped onto the field. It was not a pitching change. His aggressive instruction ultimately led to victory.

Under manager Kim Tae-hyung, Lotte secured a 2-1 comeback victory in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game against SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 17th.

While trailing 0-1 thanks to strong performances by the starting pitchers, Lotte took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 6th on a two-run home run by Jeon Min-jae. Park Se-woong held the line with just one run allowed through six innings, then Kim Kang-hyun (⅓ inning), Hyun Do-hoon (⅔ inning), and Park Jung-min (one inning) kept the scoreless streak alive before passing the baton to closer Choi Jun-yong in the 9th.

Despite facing a 0-2 count advantage, Choi Ji-hoon managed to hit a double after mixing fastballs, changeups, curves, and cutters. It was a huge relief that the powerful hit did not clear the fence but struck the right-field wall.

Park Sung-han was then induced to hit a ground ball to the second baseman, and Choi Ji-hoon advanced to third base. Manager Kim Tae-hyung then walked out onto the field himself. Since the closer was on the mound, no one expected a pitching change, which raised questions.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung made a defensive adjustment. He replaced first baseman Ko Seung-min with Kim Se-min at third base. Third baseman Son Ho-young moved to second base, and second baseman Park Seung-wook shifted to first base. The infielders then moved their positions significantly forward. It appeared to be a determined effort to prevent the runner from scoring from third. Although it was a risky move that could have allowed a go-ahead run, it succeeded.

Jeong Jun-jae's ground ball bounced high, but shortstop Jeon Min-jae fielded it cleanly. After holding the runner at third and throwing to first, the batter-runner's foot was faster. If he had aimed for home plate at the moment of contact, he might have been safe, but perhaps feeling the pressure of Lotte's aggressive infield defense, Choi Ji-hoon's foot was held back.

Although no additional out was recorded, an extra option emerged: the game could now be ended with a double play. Choi Jeong entered the batter's box and watched the first pitch for a strike. A second pitch to the body was fouled, putting him in a 0-2 count. Choi Jun-yong actively exploited the favorable situation. He threw a sharply dropping changeup on the fourth pitch, but Choi Jeong's swing was called a check-swing in the unfavorable count. Following this, Kim Jae-hwan, who has been struggling severely, came to the plate and grounded out to the second baseman, allowing Lotte to secure a thrilling victory.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung's bold move also stood out in the 7th inning. Kim Kang-hyun, who entered after Park Se-woong, allowed a double to Choi Ji-hoon and a walk to Park Sung-han, then faced a crisis with one out and runners on second and third due to Jeong Jun-jae's sacrifice bunt. As the count became unfavorable against Choi Jeong, he opted for an automatic intentional walk to load the bases.

In the biggest showdown before the 9th inning, Manager Kim Tae-hyung brought in right-handed pitcher Hyun Do-hoon. Was the intention to induce a weak contact against Kim Jae-hwan? The at-bat lasted nine pitches, seven of which were cutters. Kim Jae-hwan swung repeatedly, fouling off three times, and finally struck out on the ninth pitch with a swing and miss.

In the subsequent at-bat against Guillermo Heredia, he also aggressively threw cutters and finished the inning with a foul fly by the catcher, laying the foundation for the day's victory.

After the game, Manager Kim said, "Park Se-woong held the line for six innings allowing just one run, performing his role as a starting pitcher well. Hyun Do-hoon, who entered in a difficult situation, and closer Choi Jun-yong held the line without allowing any runs, allowing us to secure the victory," crediting the pitching staff.

Regarding Jeon Min-jae, who alone drove in two runs for the team that day, he added, "Jeon Min-jae, who is maintaining good hitting form, hit the go-ahead two-run home run that led to our victory," and "I would like to thank the fans who provided support with enthusiasm comparable to the home team."

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*This content was translated by AI.