With Na Gyun-an's 7-inning quality start plus (QS+) performance, Jeon Min-jae alone delivered 3 RBIs! Lotte defeats No. 1 LG 3-2 and surges to a two-game winning streak [Busan On-the-Ground Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Jeon Min-jae (27) led the Lotte Giants to victory with a one-man show, taking full responsibility for all of his team's runs.

On the 26th, Lotte defeated the LG Twins 3-2 in a regular-season home game at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

With this win, the eighth-place Lotte improved to 32 wins, 2 ties, and 40 losses, accelerating their push toward the middle of the standings. Meanwhile, the first-place LG fell to a two-game losing streak, standing at 47 wins and 28 losses, allowing the chase to continue.

Lotte once again gained the upper hand in the pitching duel. Lotte's starting pitchers had been delivering strong performances, leading to a 7-1-2 record in their last 10 games. The same held true on this day. Lotte's Na Gyun-an secured his fourth win (with six losses) of the season with a quality start plus (QS+) performance: 7 innings, 5 hits allowed, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs (QS+ is defined as a starting pitcher's performance of at least 7 innings with 3 or fewer earned runs). LG's starter Im Chan-kyu also responded with 7 innings, 5 hits allowed, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 3 earned runs, but it was just one step short.

With both teams exchanging five hits each, Lotte's Jeon Min-jae answered the pitching battle with a standout offensive performance: 2 hits in 3 at-bats and 3 RBIs. In the bottom of the fifth inning with one out and runners on second and third, Jeon hit a two-run double down the left-field line. Then, in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and a runner on first, he hit a one-run double to left-center field, sealing the victory.

Meanwhile, before the game, a retirement ceremony was held for Jung Hun, who had played exclusively for Lotte. Jung Hun, receiving applause from a full house of 23,200 spectators, became the victory fairy and smiled until the very end.

On this day, Lotte lined up its batting order as follows: Hwang Seong-bin (center fielder), Go Seung-min (second baseman), Victor Reyes (left fielder), Han Dong-hee (designated hitter), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Na Seung-yeop (first baseman), Park Seung-wook (third baseman), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), and Son Seong-bin (catcher). Na Gyun-an was the starting pitcher.

In response, LG set its lineup as: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Song Chan-ui (designated hitter), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Dong-won (catcher), Moon Sung-ju (left fielder), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). Im Chan-kyu was the starting pitcher.

The game began with a tense pitching duel. Both teams' starting pitchers exchanged sacrifice flies in scoring position situations, maintaining a 0-0 tie. The home team, Lotte, broke the deadlock. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Yoon Dong-hee and Na Seung-yeop hit consecutive line-drive singles to open the scoring. Park Seung-wook then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third with one out. Jeon Min-jae's sharp hit flew down the left-field line for a two-run double.

LG immediately launched a counterattack. In the top of the sixth inning, leadoff hitter Hong Chang-ki reached base on an infield hit, and Park Hae-min followed with a double down the left-field line. Although Austin Dean struck out, Moon Bo-kyung hit a deep ball to center field, allowing the runner from third to score. Subsequently, Song Chan-ui capitalized on Na Gyun-an's first pitch, hitting a one-run single to left field to tie the game at 2-2.

Lotte's lower-order batters then stepped up again. In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Park Seung-wook hit a single to left field, and Jeon Min-jae crushed Im Chan-kyu's outside curveball on the first pitch, sending it to left-center field. Jeon's one-run double gave Lotte a 3-2 lead. Kim Won-joong and Choi Jun-yong then each pitched scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth, respectively, securing the victory for Lotte.

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*This content was translated by AI.