'Scary' KT, 6 Runs in Bottom of 9th Inning Reverses 5-Point Deficit! Hilaryard's Game-Winning Hit '4:3→4:9→10:9' Thrilling Comeback Victory [Suwon On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Fierce, not just scary. KT Wiz overturned a game where they were trailing by five runs through the top of the ninth inning to secure a thrilling comeback victory.

KT staged a massive six-run inning in the bottom of the ninth at the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular-season home game held at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 20th, defeating the KIA Tigers 10-9.

KT, who dramatically snapped a two-game losing streak, maintained a two-game gap behind the first-place LG Twins (44 wins, 26 losses) with a record of 41 wins, 1 tie, and 27 losses. KIA, whose winning streak of '3' was halted by a shocking comeback loss, remained in fourth place with a record of 37 wins, 1 tie, and 33 losses.

The turning point came in the bottom of the ninth. With KIA leading 9-4, closer Sung Young-tak, who posted an ERA of 1.78, took the mound. It was not a good start. Leadoff batter Sam Hilaryard hit the first pitch over the fence for a solo home run, and Kim Min-hyuk hit a double down the right-field line after a 12-pitch at-bat. Ryu Hyun-in drew a walk, and Oh Yun-seok hit a single to left field. Although left fielder Park Jae-hyun appeared to make a diving catch on Oh Yun-seok's hit, video review ruled it a one-bounce catch, correcting the situation to one out with runners on first and second, and bases loaded with no outs.

But KT had Ahn Hyun-min. Heo Kyung-min reached on a hit-by-pitch, and Ahn Hyun-min hit a two-run single to center field to tie the game. Ahn Hyun-min stole second base to put himself in scoring position, and when Hilaryard's hit struck the shortstop's glove, it became a two-run single, allowing KT to overturn the four-hour game.

The starting pitcher duel failed to meet expectations for both teams. KIA's Hwang Dong-ha pitched 3⅔ innings, allowing 5 hits, 4 walks, 1 hit-by-pitch, striking out 3, and giving up 4 runs (2 earned). KT's Bae Je-seong pitched 3⅓ innings, allowing 4 hits, 4 walks, striking out 3, and giving up 3 runs (2 earned).

It was a high-scoring game with KT recording 14 hits and KIA 13 hits, totaling 27 hits exchanged. For KT, Sam Hilaryard went 3-for-6 with 1 home run, 2 RBIs, and 1 run scored; Kim Min-hyuk went 3-for-5 with 1 run scored; Kwon Dong-jin went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and 1 walk; and Ahn Hyun-min went 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs and 3 walks.

For KIA, Park Jae-hyun went 2-for-6 with 3 hits, 1 run scored; Na Sung-beom went 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs and 1 run scored; Han Jun-su went 3-for-4 with 1 walk; and Kim Sun-bin went 2-for-3 with 1 run scored, but their efforts were overshadowed by the team's loss.

KT's lineup that day was: Choi Won-jun (right fielder), Kim Hyun-su (first baseman), Ahn Hyun-min (designated hitter), Sam Hilaryard (center fielder), Kim Min-hyuk (left fielder), Ryu Hyun-in (third baseman), Oh Yun-seok (second baseman), Han Seung-taek (catcher), and Kwon Dong-jin (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Bae Je-seong.

KIA countered with Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-beom (designated hitter), Harold Castro (first baseman), Kim Sun-bin (second baseman), Han Jun-su (catcher), Kim Kyu-sung (shortstop), and Park Jung-woo (right fielder). The starting pitcher was Hwang Dong-ha.

The first run belonged to the visiting team, KIA. They seized a good opportunity in the top of the second inning. Leadoff batter Na Sung-beom's ground ball was not fielded cleanly by KT's second baseman Oh Yun-seok, allowing him to reach base. Castro hit a single to center field, and Han Jun-su drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Kim Kyu-sung hit a single to left field, driving in one run. Park Jung-woo drew a walk, giving KIA a 2-0 lead.

Kim Do-young hit a two-run single to center field in the top of the fourth with two outs and runners on first and second, capitalizing on the first pitch from Sugimoto. In the top of the fifth, with KIA trailing 3-4, Kim Sun-bin and Han Jun-su reached base with consecutive hits, and Kim Kyu-sung drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Park Jung-woo drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 4-4, and Kim Ho-ryeong struck out swinging.

Park Jae-hyun then capitalized on a middle-in pitch from Sugimoto Kouki, hitting a three-run triple through the gap between center and right field. In the top of the seventh with one out and runners on second and third, Na Sung-beom hit a two-run single to center field, extending the lead to 9 runs.

KT regretted scoring only one run in the bottom of the third with bases loaded and no outs. After Kwon Dong-jin drew a walk, Choi Won-jun hit a single to left field, and Kim Hyun-su was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Ahn Hyun-min drew a bases-loaded walk to score one run. However, Hilaryard struck out, Kim Min-hyuk hit a foul pop-up to the catcher, and Ryu Hyun-in grounded out to second base, failing to tie the game.

KT made up for the previous inning's disappointment with a big inning in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and runners on first and second, pinch hitter Lee Jung-hoon hit a two-run single to left field. Ahn Hyun-min drew a walk, and two more runners scored on an opposing error, adding three runs.

KIA held off KT's fierce rally with a winning relief corps of Jeong Sang-hyun (1 inning), Kwak Do-gyu (1 inning), Jo Sang-woo (1 inning), and Jung Hae-young (1 inning), allowing no runs through the eighth inning. In the bottom of the ninth, closer Sung Young-tak found himself in a bases-loaded, no-out crisis, and relief pitcher Kim Beom-soo also allowed consecutive two-run singles, leading to KIA's shocking comeback loss.

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*This content was translated by AI.