'4G 10 Home Runs, 36 Runs' — The Winning Formula Only Hanwha Can Execute to Catch Leading LG [Jamsil On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.

It was an unsurpassable victory. Facing the first-place team, Hanwha delivered a flawless performance both on the mound and at the plate, improving their head-to-head record against LG. This game once again confirmed exactly how to secure a win against the league-leading LG Twins.

Under the leadership of manager Kim Kyung-moon (68), the Hanwha Eagles secured an 8-1 victory in their away game against the LG Twins on the 3rd at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this win, Hanwha improved to 39 wins, 38 losses, and 2 ties, overtaking the Doosan Bears to move into fifth place.

Although trailing behind second-place Samsung Lions (2-6-1), third-place KT Wiz (3-5), and fourth-place KIA Tigers (4-5), Hanwha held a balanced 3-3 record against LG prior to this game. With today’s win, they now lead the head-to-head series at 4-3.

It was a satisfying victory achieved through perfect balance between pitching and hitting. Starting pitcher Owen White showed vulnerability against left-handed batters, yet he faced an LG lineup featuring seven left-handed hitters and still delivered a scoreless outing over seven innings, allowing just four hits, one walk, and striking out five batters with 111 pitches thrown. This marked White’s fifth win of the season (with four losses).

After Kang Baek-ho hit a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, White returned to the mound in the seventh. He allowed a double by Austin Dean with one out, then struck out Moon Bo-kyung on a swing-and-miss, followed by issuing a walk to Cheon Seong-ho. Although his pitch count had already exceeded 100, Hanwha trusted White. He then retired Moon Sung-ju on a fly ball to left field, extinguishing the threat himself.

Surviving the seventh-inning crisis was also a decisive moment for today’s victory. In the bottom of the seventh, Lee Sang-gyu allowed three consecutive hits, loading the bases with no outs. Hanwha brought in left-handed reliever Jo Dong-wook. Jo induced a double play from Hong Chang-ki and struck out Song Chan-ui, completely erasing the danger.

In the top of the eighth, Yonatan Peraza and Moon Hyun-bin set up scoring opportunities. With one out and runners on first and third, Kang Baek-ho drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Noh Si-hwan then followed with a two-run home run, and Lee Do-yoon added an RBI double, resulting in five runs scored in the eighth inning alone and solidifying Hanwha’s lead with a big inning.

In the top of the ninth, after a walk by Park Jung-hyun and an infield hit by Oh Jae-won, it seemed like the scoring chance would vanish due to Moon Hyun-bin’s double play. However, Kang Baek-ho once again drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk, sending the ball over the fence and sealing the victory. Although Hanwha allowed one run in the bottom of the ninth, it had no impact on the game’s momentum.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon expressed satisfaction. After the game, he said, “White held strong through a tense flow for seven innings, laying the foundation for our win. I want to praise White first.” White has now gone 12⅔ scoreless innings since his appearance against SSG Landers on the 27th (5⅔ innings), earning two consecutive wins and bringing his season total to five victories.

Praise was also due for the power duo of Kang Baek-ho, who recorded a multi-home run and four RBIs over three consecutive games with three straight home runs, and Noh Si-hwan, who hit home runs in two consecutive games. Manager Kim said, “Kang Baek-ho delivered a decisive performance with two home runs, including the go-ahead shot, and the entire lineup, led by Noh Si-hwan, scored when it mattered most, allowing us to secure the win.”

The starting pitcher who threw a perfect game, the batters who delivered clutch RBIs, and the relievers who erased the biggest crisis of the game were all acknowledged. Manager Kim praised Jo Dong-wook, saying, “Jo Dong-wook did an excellent job escaping the bases-loaded, no-out situation.”

In four of Hanwha’s seven wins against LG this season, they scored 36 runs (allowing only 11), overpowering their opponents with explosive hitting. They hit a total of 10 home runs in those victories. In contrast, in the three losses to LG, they managed just 13 runs and allowed 18, with only one home run recorded.

Only Hanwha and KT Wiz (5-3) lead the season series against LG. Both teams rely heavily on power hitting. Given LG’s consistently strong lineup, it was clear that a batting explosion would be essential to secure a win.

In contrast, the four lowest-ranked teams in batting average struggled significantly when facing LG: SSG Landers (1-8), Doosan Bears (2-7), Kiwoom Heroes (3-6), and Lotte (5-7).

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*This content was translated by AI.