'Solo home run in the decisive moment': Kiwoom's An Chi-hong honestly confesses, "My heart felt heavy during the 10th-game losing streak → I'm really glad we quickly took the lead back"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kiwoom's 'veteran infielder' An Chi-hong (36) delivered a priceless decisive home run that prevented the team from suffering the disgrace of its franchise-record longest losing streak, saving the team.

On the 27th, Kiwoom defeated the NC Dinos 3-1 in an away game at Changwon NC Park in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League'. With this victory, Kiwoom finally broke its grueling 10-game losing streak.

At the center of it all was An Chi-hong. With the score tied 1-1, two outs, and no runners on base in the bottom of the 7th inning, An Chi-hong hit a solo home run over the left-field wall against NC's reliever Jeon Sa-min. That home run became the game-winning hit of the day.

After the game, An Chi-hong's expression showed a mix of joy and relief. Speaking to StarNews, An Chi-hong said, "It's been a really long time since we brought home a victory."

On this day, Kiwoom took an early lead with a solo home run by Choi Jae-hyun in the second inning, but in the bottom of the 6th inning, they allowed a run-scoring single by Park Min-woo, tying the game 1-1. It was a moment where the mood could have sunk and the nightmare of the losing streak could have resurfaced. Reflecting on the situation in the bottom of the 7th when they could have taken the lead again, An Chi-hong said, "When the game was tied, the team's mood had dipped a bit," and added, "I'm really glad we quickly took the lead back in that situation," as he breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, this 10-game losing streak was a heavy burden even for veteran An Chi-hong. Although he was supposed to anchor the heart of the lineup, his batting did not come around as expected, and he suffered greatly from inner turmoil.

An Chi-hong said, "First of all, I didn't do anything properly during the losing streak, so I really have nothing to say," bowing his head. He continued, "I don't know if I would have been okay even if I had just met the average, but my pace was really bad. I was also out of the lineup in previous games, and given that situation, I think my heart felt even heavier," revealing the unspoken sense of responsibility and emotional strain he felt as a veteran.

But at the most decisive moment, the veteran's silence was broken. Thanks to An Chi-hong's single home run that prevented the team's disgraceful 11-game losing streak, Kiwoom was able to secure a precious foothold to bounce back.

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*This content was translated by AI.