Emotional debut QS by the 20th-year-old rookie → Choi Jeong ends '9-game losing streak'... SSG crushes Doosan, 4-2 [Jamsil Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The rookie pitcher's bold performance and the veterans' sharp focus combined to deliver a breakthrough. SSG Landers finally escaped their nine-game losing streak.

On the 7th, SSG defeated Doosan Bears 4-2 in an away game at Songpa-gu Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League schedule.

The team snapped a nine-game losing streak that had begun with a loss to KT Wiz on the 25th of last month. With a record of 31 wins, 50 losses, and 3 ties, SSG extended its lead over the bottom-ranked Kiwoom Heroes by four games while narrowing the gap against fifth-place Doosan to ten games, keeping alive their hopes for the postseason.

Had they lost today, SSG would have become only the ninth team in league history to record two separate double-digit losing streaks within a single season—but that disgrace was avoided.

SSG lined up Park Sung-han (shortstop), Kim Sung-wook (right fielder), Choi Jeong (designated hitter), Guillermo Heredia (left fielder), Oh Tae-gon (first baseman), Go Myeong-jun (third baseman), Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder), Jo Hyung-woo (catcher), and Jung Jun-jae (second baseman). Kim Min-jun started on the mound.

Doosan arranged its lineup with Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Ryu Seung-min (right fielder), Kang Seung-ho (first baseman), Jung Soobin (center fielder), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), An Jae-seok (third baseman), Park Jun-soon (second baseman), Son Ah-seop (designated hitter), and Kim Min-seok (left fielder). Wes Benjamin started on the mound.

Manager Lee Seung-yong placed his strongest hitters against Benjamin, but the pitcher proved difficult to crack. Although Benjamin had allowed four earned runs over five innings in one SSG matchup earlier this season, he held SSG hitless through the first three innings, allowing only Oh Tae-gon's double to second base as a baserunner by the end of the fourth inning.

Kim Min-jun's pitching was even more impressive. After giving up a single to Son Ah-seop on a left-field grounder with one out in the bottom of the first, Kim struck out Park Jun-soon swinging and induced a groundout to third base from Yang Eui-ji. He retired all three batters in order in the second inning and efficiently closed out the third with just four batters faced.

With one out in the fourth, Choi Ji-hoon made a spectacular catch on a deep fly ball to center field hit by Yang Eui-ji, colliding with the wall to secure the out. Kim Min-jun removed his cap and bowed in gratitude. He later allowed a single to An Jae-seok but retired Park Chan-ho on a flyout to center field.

The SSG offense finally got going in the top of the fifth, lightening Kim Min-jun's burden. With one out, consecutive singles from Kim Sung-wook and Choi Jeong set the stage for Heredia to hit a two-run double into left-center field, driving in both runners.

For Kim Min-jun, just two runs were enough. In the bottom of the sixth, he struck out Son Ah-seop and Park Jun-soon with powerful fastballs on swinging strikes. After allowing a hit to Yang Eui-ji, he induced a groundout to second base from An Jae-seok, securing his first quality start (six or more innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs) in his debut season. He also became the sixth high school rookie in club history (including SK era) to record a quality start in his debut season.

The veterans' focus helped push the team closer to victory. In the top of the eighth, Park Sung-han singled up the middle, and after Kim Sung-wook's sacrifice bunt created a one-out, second-base situation, Choi Jeong crushed Lee Yong-chan's split-finger fastball down the middle, sending it over the right-field wall for a two-run home run. This was his 19th home run of the season, traveling 120 meters.

There was still no room for complacency. In the bottom of the eighth, reliever Moon Seung-won entered and immediately gave up a solo home run (his sixth) to leadoff batter Jung Soobin over the left-field wall. With one out, he walked Son Ah-seop and allowed a double to Park Jun-soon, putting runners on second and third before handing the ball to Kim Min-woon.

Kim Min-woon surrendered a sacrifice fly to center field from Yang Eui-ji, trading an out for one run. With two outs and a runner on second, he walked An Jae-seok but retired Park Chan-ho via a looking strikeout, finishing the inning without allowing any further runs.

With SSG leading 4-2, closer Jo Byeong-hyun took the mound in the bottom of the ninth. After a full-count battle against pinch hitter Kim In-tae, he struck him out swinging on an outside fastball. He then induced a groundout to third base from Kang Seung-ho and retired final batter Jung Soobin with a swinging strikeout, finally putting an end to the long losing streak.

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

*This content was translated by AI.