'I never thought a single win would be this hard' SSG, on a five-game losing streak, wept as self-inflicted 'errors upon errors' cost them victory

*This content was translated by AI.

They managed a dramatic tie in the top of the ninth inning and succeeded in taking the lead in the top of the 10th and 11th innings, creating two chances to secure a win. However, the SSG Landers players, who were on a five-game losing streak, appeared as if they had no desire to win.

On the 1st, SSG played a home game against the KIA Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League, and after an extra-inning battle, the game ended in a 6-6 tie.

SSG, which broke its franchise-record 13-game losing streak on the 2nd of last month, fell into a five-game losing streak twice afterward and failed to end the losing streak on this day, remaining in 9th place with 30 wins, 46 losses, and 3 ties.

With the starting rotation crumbling, rookie Kim Min-jun took the mound to try to end SSG's losing streak. He cleanly retired the side in order, including striking out Kim Do-young, who leads the league in home runs, in the bottom of the first inning, but the second inning was disappointing. After issuing a walk to leadoff hitter Na Sung-beom, he recorded two outs, but allowed a hit to Han Jun-soo and a hit-by-pitch to Park Sang-jun, putting the bases loaded with two outs. He then gave up a two-run RBI single to Kim Gyu-seong. It was painful that he held the top of the order well but was shaken by the bottom of the order, resulting in runs allowed.

Kim Min-jun retired the side in order again in the third inning, striking out Kim Do-young and Na Sung-beom, and also retired the side in order in the fourth inning, but he could not hold on in the fifth. He recorded two strikeouts but gave up a one-run RBI single to Park Jae-hyun with two outs and a runner on second base. With his pitch count reaching 94, he handed the ball to Lee Ro-un before facing Kim Do-young and was pulled from the game.

SSG, which had been trailing after Guillermo Heredia's double to right field in the top of the fourth and Han Myung-jun's one-run RBI single, tried to catch up. They missed a bases-loaded opportunity with two outs in the top of the seventh when Kim Jae-hwan struck out, and then squandered another chance in the top of the eighth with a double play hit by Han Myung-jun with one out and a runner on first base, before taking their final offensive turn in the top of the ninth.

KIA brought in closer Sung Young-tak, and SSG appeared to be in a losing position. However, leadoff hitter Choi Ji-hoon drew a walk, followed by pinch-hitter Jeon Ui-san's one-run double, and then Choi Jeong hit a two-run RBI single with two outs and a runner on third base, tying the game and resetting the score.

SSG closer Jo Byung-hyun, who entered the game in the bottom of the ninth, retired the side in order cleanly, sending the game to extra innings and seizing a golden opportunity to end the five-game losing streak. In the top of the 10th with one out, Han Myung-jun hit a two-run double off the fence, followed by Choi Ji-hoon's go-ahead, one-run triple that split the gap between center and right field.

However, in the bottom of the 10th defensive inning, Jo Byung-hyun was hit in the arm by the first batter, Kim Ho-ryeong, and was replaced. Moon Seung-won then entered the game, but a bad throw occurred during a pickoff attempt at first base, allowing the runner to advance to second base. He gave up a ground ball single to Park Jae-hyun, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Kim Do-young's sacrifice fly to left field eventually allowed the tying run again. It was a tying run that would not have scored without an error.

The chaotic atmosphere continued. When Park Jung-woo hit a routine ground ball, the paths of shortstop Park Sung-han and second baseman Jeong Jun-jae overlapped. The ball hit Park Sung-han's glove and rolled toward center field. During this time, the runner on second base advanced to third.

SSG, with the bases loaded after automatically issuing an intentional walk to Harold Castro, sent pinch-hitter Kim Tae-gun to the plate, who was retired with a ground ball double play to shortstop, allowing them to exhale.

In the 11th inning, with one out, Choi Jeong hit a two-run double that split the gap between center and right field against Choi Ji-min, achieving his 4,500th career base hit, the second in league history. Then, Choi Jun-woo was hit by a 143 km/h fastball from Choi Ji-min on his back and reached first base. This was followed by Heredia's two-run go-ahead double. Choi Jun-woo, who ran all the way home, was ruled safe after video review. It seemed as if the goddess of victory was smiling upon SSG.

However, a single win never came easily. Kim Min, who took the mound, started by allowing a double to Han Jun-soo and also gave up a hit to Byun Woo-hyuk, putting himself in a no-out, runners on first and third crisis. He then gave up a one-run RBI single to Kim Gyu-seong, leading to a no-out, runners on first and second crisis.

Kim Min, who allowed consecutive hits to the bottom of the order, committed a throwing error to first base when Kim Ho-ryeong bunted the ball. The ball went backward, and during that time, the tying run scored at home. SSG squandered a victory they had almost secured due to consecutive defensive errors in the 10th and 11th innings.

Fortunately, they avoided a six-game losing streak. With two outs and runners on second and third, Kim Min struck out Park Jae-hyun, then issued an automatic intentional walk to Kim Do-young to load the bases. He induced a ground ball to second base from Park Jung-woo and recorded the out at home to secure the go-ahead run. He then retired Castro with a ground ball to second base, ending the long game in a tie.

This game revealed both SSG's desperate desire for a win and why they are forced to struggle through a five-game losing streak. Disappointing moments kept occurring at crucial junctures.

The 2nd will not be an easy task for SSG. While KIA will start ace James Neill, SSG will rely on the inconsistent Anthony Venegas. Venegas pitched a perfect 7-inning scoreless game against KT Wiz on the 7th of last month, but has since allowed a staggering 19 runs over 15 innings in three games, falling into severe slump. Facing the first opponent, KIA, he takes the mound with the heavy task of ending the losing streak.

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

*This content was translated by AI.