Already +6 wins against SSG alone, the dormant lineup revives with '2 games, 17 runs'... Ryu Hyun-jin takes the field for a sweep [Incheon]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Hanwha Eagles, who had been struggling with 2 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw in 10 games, found an opportunity to turn things around. Facing SSG Landers at a critical moment, they secured another victory and smiled. The collapsed lineup was completely revived.

Hanwha, led by manager Kim Kyung-moon (68), secured an 8-1 victory over SSG Landers in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game at Incheon SSG Landers Field on the 27th.

Until the trip to Incheon, the atmosphere was gloomy. Before facing SSG, Hanwha had played 21 games in June, recording 7 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws, struggling to maintain a winning percentage in the .300s. In particular, they lost 10 of 13 close games decided by three runs or fewer. Even Yonatan Peraza, Moon Hyun-bin, and Kang Baek-ho, who had been swinging the bat, showed a downward trend, with their June batting average dropping to a very low 0.240.

Just then, they faced SSG. Earlier in the season, they had met eight times, winning six and losing two, showing a strong face.

Meeting SSG, the Hanwha players completely revived. In the game on the 26th, Wang Yencheng pitched 5⅔ innings allowing only one run, and leading with Noh Si-hwan, who hit four consecutive home runs, the lineup recorded 10 hits and scored nine runs, demonstrating high cohesion to secure a 9-2 victory.

On this day as well, starting pitcher Owen White pitched 5⅔ innings scoreless, and the team showed focus with 13 hits and eight runs, including home runs from Kang Baek-ho and Noh Si-hwan.

Most importantly, they took an early lead and gradually widened the gap, minimizing the burden on the bullpen. They used only six relief pitchers in two games, and on this day, they secured a comfortable win without using a single member of the top relief trio.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon expressed satisfaction, saying, "Starting pitcher White performed his role well, pitching 5⅔ innings scoreless," and gave White a thumbs-up.

The lineup's performance stood out even more. Manager Kim said, "Choi In-ho, who was called up from the Futures League today and started as the leadoff hitter, brought vitality by continuing his good form with hits including a double and a sacrifice fly," and added, "Also, in the fifth-inning offense where extra runs were needed, the batters showed focused play. They created a five-run big inning, shifting the momentum, and ultimately secured the victory."

Against SSG, they have 8 wins and 2 losses, securing a +6 win advantage against just one team. With this win, Hanwha stands at 36 wins, 37 losses, and 2 draws, still needing just one win to reach .500, making it easy to see how significant this is in the SSG ranking competition. While Hanwha has been ahead of SSG in the season standings, along with Lotte (5 wins, 2 losses) and Doosan (6 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw), the gap with SSG is particularly large.

Momentum is with Hanwha as they aim for a series sweep on the 28th. Ace Ryu Hyun-jin takes the mound. SSG showed a strong start to the season but has been shaky recently, with Choi Min-jun taking the mound. Can Ryu Hyun-jin's stable pitching and the heated Hanwha lineup's harmony combine for a three-game sweep?

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.