'Riley's 13-strikeout show + all starters with hits': NC crushes Kiwoom, achieves winning series without Matt Davidson! [Changwon On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

NC Dinos secured a decisive victory against Kiwoom Heroes with a powerful offensive display and a dominant pitching performance. This marked the first series since foreign batter Matt Davidson was placed on waivers, which NC concluded as a winning series.

On the 28th, NC defeated Kiwoom 9-2 in a home game at Changwon NC Park during the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.' The team demonstrated sharp focus by scoring five runs in the first inning alone to take control of the game.

With this win, NC capped the three-game weekend series against Kiwoom as a winning series, finishing the week with a 3-3 record. Meanwhile, although Kiwoom broke its 10-game losing streak the previous day (27th), it failed to secure a consecutive victory.

For this game, NC set its starting lineup in the following order: Kim Ju-won (designated hitter), Han Seok-hyun (center fielder), Park Min-woo (second baseman), Lee Woo-seong (left fielder), Park Geon-woo (right fielder), Kim Hwi-jip (third baseman), Kim Hyung-jun (catcher), and Kim Han-byul (shortstop). NC's starting pitcher was Riley Thompson.

In response, Kiwoom arranged its batting order as follows: Seo Geon-chang (second baseman), Choo Jae-hyun (right fielder), An Chi-hong (first baseman), Hyu-ra (left fielder), Kim Geon-hee (catcher), Park Chan-hyuk (designated hitter), Im Byung-wook (center fielder), Kwon Hyuk-bin (shortstop), and Yeo Dong-wook (third baseman). Starting pitcher Nathan Wiles, making his return after recovering from a shoulder injury, took the mound.

Kiwoom took the early lead. In the top of the first inning, with leadoff batter Seo Geon-chang reaching on a single to left field and Choo Jae-hyun drawing a walk, Kiwoom created a bases-loaded opportunity. An Chi-hong then hit a two-run double down the left-field line, putting Kiwoom ahead 1-0.

However, NC quickly turned the tide. With runners on first and third and no outs following consecutive hits by leadoff batter Kim Ju-won and Han Seok-hyun, third batter Park Min-woo hit a sacrifice fly to center-left field, tying the game at 1-1.

In the following inning with no outs and runners on first and second, a fielder's choice grounder by fourth batter Lee Woo-seong to shortstop resulted in an error by Kwon Hyuk-bin. This allowed runner Han Seok-hyun to score from third base, giving NC a 2-1 lead. Riding the momentum, with no outs and runners on first and third, fifth batter Park Geon-woo launched a 115-meter three-run home run over the left-center field fence. NC scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning alone, taking a commanding 5-1 lead and firmly seizing early control of the game.

Although Wiles was removed from the mound immediately after the start of the second inning, NC's offensive onslaught continued. A solo home run by Lee Woo-seong in the bottom of the second and another solo home run by Kim Hwi-jip in the bottom of the third extended the lead to 7-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, with one out and a runner on third, Seo Geon-chang hit a sacrifice fly down the right-field line to score one run for Kiwoom. However, in the bottom of the fifth, NC's Kim Hyung-jun responded with a solo home run, making the score 8-2.

NC added another run in the bottom of the sixth to seal the victory. Leadoff batter Park Min-woo reached on a single to left field. Following a ground ball by Lee Woo-seong to the left side of the infield, Kiwoom committed a throwing error, creating a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. Park Geon-woo then hit a sacrifice fly to score another run, extending the lead to 9-2. Kiwoom failed to score after the top of the sixth inning and lost the game.

NC starter Riley earned the win with five innings pitched, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out 13 batters and surrendering only two earned runs. Notably, he recorded an incredible streak of eight consecutive strikeouts. Following him, relievers Kim Tae-hoon, Son Ju-hwan, Ha Jun-young, and Choi Woo-seok each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the game. In the lineup that piled up 14 hits, Park Geon-woo went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, while Lee Woo-seong contributed 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Park Min-woo also added to the offense with 2-for-4 and one RBI.

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*This content was translated by AI.