'Wow, a 7 1/3-inning, one-run masterpiece' Lee Min-seok finally breaks through! Leads Lotte to three straight wins with season's first victory → Kiwoom suffers fourth straight loss [Gocheok On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants, showcasing a balanced performance in both pitching and hitting, pushed 'last-place' Kiwoom Heroes into a four-game losing streak while surging to three consecutive victories.

On the 19th, Lotte secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kiwoom in an away game held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, as part of the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.' Lotte took a two-run lead in the bottom of the fourth inning and held on to secure the win.

With this victory, Lotte continued its three-game winning streak, widening the gap with Kiwoom. Meanwhile, Kiwoom fell into a four-game losing slump, left with regret.

Lotte set its starting lineup in the following order: Hwang Sung-bin (center fielder), Ko Seung-min (second baseman), Rayeyes (left fielder), Han Dong-hee (third baseman), Na Seung-yeop (first baseman), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), Noh Jin-hyuk (designated hitter), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), and Park Geon-woo (catcher). The starting pitcher was right-hander Lee Min-seok.

In response, Kiwoom arranged its batting order as follows: Seo Geon-chang (second baseman), Hiura (designated hitter), Kim Woong-bin (first baseman), Kim Geon-hee (catcher), Yeo Dong-wook (third baseman), Won Seong-jun (center fielder), Choo Jae-hyun (left fielder), Park Chan-hyuk (right fielder), and Kwon Hyuk-bin (shortstop). Raul Alcantara took the mound as the starting pitcher.

The score remained 0-0 through the third inning, but Lotte took the lead. After a bunt hit by leadoff hitter Hwang Sung-bin, a walk by Han Dong-hee, and an infield hit by Na Seung-yeop, Lotte created a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity. Jeon Min-jae then delivered a two-run single to left field, making it 2-0.

However, Kiwoom immediately answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth. After Kim Geon-hee reached on an error, a fielder's choice double play by shortstop Yeo Dong-wook seemed to halt their momentum. Following two outs, Won Seong-jun drew a walk, and Choo Jae-hyun followed with a two-run double to center field, tying the game at 1-2.

Kiwoom failed to add any further runs. In the bottom of the eighth, leadoff hitter Seo Geon-chang reached on a hit to right field but failed to score. Lotte brought in Hyun Do-hoon with one out in the eighth and survived a bases-loaded, two-out crisis by also calling on closer Choi Jun-yong. Kiwoom extended their opportunity to two outs with runners on first and third in the bottom of the ninth but ultimately fell short without a clutch hit.

Lotte's starter Lee Min-seok earned his first victory of the season with a strong performance of 7 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, striking out six, walking two, and surrendering just one run. Relief pitchers Hyun Do-hoon and Choi Jun-yong followed, pitching 1/3 and 1 1/3 innings respectively without allowing any runs. Offensively, Jeon Min-jae was the hero of the win, going 1-for-3 with two RBIs. On the other side, Kiwoom's starter Alcantara pitched well with seven innings, four hits allowed, five strikeouts, one walk, and two earned runs, but became the losing pitcher due to his team's lack of offense.

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*This content was translated by AI.