'17-hit barrage' fearsome KT, all starters get hits for the 6th time! Closing in on 2nd place... Defeats LG 8-2, trails by 0.5 games [Jamsil On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

KT Wiz secured a winning series with powerful offense, racking up 17 hits against LG Twins.

On the 18th, KT defeated LG 8-2 in an away regular-season game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

With this victory, third-place KT extended its winning streak to six games, improving to 50 wins, 1 tie, and 35 losses, closing the gap to second-place LG (52 wins, 36 losses) by just half a game. Meanwhile, LG fell into a four-game losing streak, widening the gap with first-place Samsung Lions.

The turning point came in the bottom of the fifth inning when KT trailed 1-2. Leadoff batter Choi Won-jun hit a double to left-center field. Kim Hyun-soo capitalized on the first pitch with a two-run single to right field, driving in one run. An Hyeon-min reached base via a hit-by-pitch, and Sam Hilliard followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center-left, scoring another run to give KT a 3-2 lead.

Even against reliever Yacel Lios, KT's offensive onslaught continued. Heo Kyung-min hit a single to left field, driving in one run. Kim Min-hyeok added a hit to deep center-left with no outs and bases loaded. Han Seung-tae then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring another run and extending KT's lead to 5-2. LG failed to rally, sealing KT's sixth consecutive victory.

In the offensive showdown, KT dominated. Heo Kyung-min went 4-for-5 with one RBI; Hilliard recorded three hits (including a home run) in five at-bats for three RBIs and two runs scored over two straight games; Han Seung-tae contributed two hits in four at-bats with one RBI. Kim Hyun-soo went 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run, setting the KBO League record as the first player to achieve 100 hits in each of his first 17 seasons. Additionally, thanks to An Hyeon-min's hit in the eighth inning, KT achieved all-starters getting hits for the sixth time this season—the first since the June 13 game against Suwon NC Dinos.

In the starting pitcher matchup, KT held a clear advantage. KT's Matt Sauer pitched six innings, allowing five hits (including one home run), two walks, and striking out two batters while surrendering only two earned runs to earn his seventh win of the season (four losses). LG's Lim Chan-kyu lasted four innings, giving up nine hits, one hit-by-pitch, and five earned runs while recording two strikeouts, resulting in his third loss of the season (nine wins).

KT's lineup for the day was: Choi Won-jun (designated hitter), Kim Hyun-soo (first baseman), An Hyeon-min (right fielder), Sam Hilliard (center fielder), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Kim Min-hyeok (left fielder), Kim Sang-su (second baseman), Han Seung-tae (catcher), and Kwon Dong-jin (shortstop). Matt Sauer started on the mound.

LG countered with: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (designated hitter), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Song Chan-ui (left fielder), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Moon Jung-bin (first baseman), Park Dong-won (catcher), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). Lim Chan-kyu started on the mound.

KT, the visiting team, took the early lead. In the bottom of the second inning with two outs, Kim Sang-su hit a single to left field, followed by Han Seung-tae's single to right field, creating scoring opportunities. Kwon Dong-jin then drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

After building a four-run lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, KT added another run in the bottom of the seventh. Against reliever Kim Jin-seong, leadoff batter Heo Kyung-min hit a single to right field. With two outs, Han Seung-tae singled to left field, and Jang Sung-woo drew a walk to extend the opportunity. Choi Won-jun then earned a bases-loaded walk to push the score to 6-2. LG managed to end the inning only after bringing in Kim Jin-su to the mound.

In the top of the eighth inning, An Hyeon-min's infield hit completed KT's sixth all-starters-getting-hits feat of the season. Hilliard immediately followed with a two-run home run over the fence, sealing the game.

LG responded with a home run by Moon Jung-bin. In the bottom of the second inning with two outs, Oh Ji-hwan drew four balls to reach base. After swinging and missing twice at Sauer's outside breaking pitches, Moon hit a two-run homer over the center-field fence on a full count—a 137-meter shot, his eighth of the season. However, LG's counterattack ended there. Limited to scattered six hits, they fell into a four-game losing streak.

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*This content was translated by AI.