'Brisley → Iimura → Choi Jun-yong → Kim Won-jung' Lotte's stingy pitching, the manager secured one more "We needed an extra run..." [Suwon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lotte Giants Manager Kim Tae-hyung (59) brought in pinch hitter Noh Jin-hyuk (37) at the end of the game, who delivered a crucial RBI hit to seal the victory.

On the 4th, Lotte defeated KT 4-1 in an away game against Suwon KT Wiz Park during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

With this win, Lotte, currently in 8th place with two consecutive victories, secured a winning series and improved their record to 36 wins, 2 draws, and 43 losses, closing in on the mid-table teams. KT, now in a three-game losing streak and sitting in 3rd place, maintained its lead over 4th-place KIA Tigers with a record of 44 wins, 1 draw, and 35 losses.

Following a shutout victory the previous day (the 3rd), Lotte's pitching staff once again demonstrated exceptional performance on the mound. Starting pitcher Jeremy Brisley pitched six innings, allowing two hits, three walks, striking out six batters, and surrendering only one earned run to earn his fifth win of the season (with four losses). Following him, the reliable bullpen trio of Iimura Shota, Choi Jun-yong, and Kim Won-jung each pitched a scoreless inning.

The impressive pitching was further highlighted by the batting lineup's performance, which recorded nine hits in total. In the bottom of the 6th inning with Lotte trailing 0-1, leadoff hitter Hwang Seong-bin hit a double to left field. Go Seung-min followed with an RBI single up the middle, tying the game at 1-1. Victor Reyes reached third base on a single to right field and a sacrifice fly by Han Dong-hee. Na Seung-yeop then scored on a ground ball, giving Lotte a 2-1 lead.

However, the turning point came in the bottom of the 8th inning. Given that KT is known for having the league's strongest lineup, holding a one-run lead was indeed precarious. Lotte did not miss the opportunity when Reyes reached first base on an error by the first baseman with two outs in the 8th.

Kim Dong-hyeok replaced as a leadoff runner, and Han Dong-hee's at-bat resulted in a wild pitch that left runners on second base with two outs. Han Dong-hee was awarded an automatic intentional walk, and pinch hitter Noh Jin-hyuk stepped up to the plate for Park Seung-wook.

Noh Jin-hyuk drew four balls before driving a fifth changeup that broke outside into left field for an RBI single, extending Lotte's lead to 3-1. This was a crucial run that solidified their two-run advantage. In the 9th inning, Lotte added another run, and closer Kim Won-jung shut out KT in the bottom of the 9th without allowing any runs, securing the winning series.

After the game, Lotte Manager Kim Tae-hyung stated, "Starting pitcher Brisley delivered a stable performance, pitching six innings with only one earned run. The bullpen, including Iimura, Choi Jun-yong, and Kim Won-jung, held KT scoreless and helped us secure the victory."

He further praised the players, saying, "The fielders maintained their focus throughout the game. In a critical situation in the 8th inning where we needed an extra run, Noh Jin-hyuk's pinch-hit RBI single allowed us to seize control of the game."

A full house of 18,700 fans gathered at Suwon KT Wiz Park on this day, marking the 16th sellout of the season. Manager Kim Tae-hyung expressed his gratitude, saying, "Even though it was an away game, I want to thank our fans for providing support comparable to that of a home team."

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*This content was translated by AI.