'Another Hunt for Adam' Sim Woo-jun's 4-RBI Show, Hanwha Breaks 4-Game Losing Streak and Returns to 6th Place... '7 Innings, 1 Earned Run' White Records Season 6th Win [Gwangju On-Site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

The veteran's strategic move hit the mark perfectly. Hanwha Eagles deployed Sim Woo-jun in an advanced position and sank the KIA Tigers' ace, breaking their four-game losing streak.

On the 22nd at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, Hanwha defeated the KIA Tigers 7-3 in a 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League away game, thanks to Sim Woo-jun's performance that included a three-run home run and a total of four RBIs.

With the four-game losing streak snapped, Hanwha recorded 41 wins, 44 losses, and 3 ties. They swapped positions with the NC Dinos, who had rested due to rain cancellation, and climbed to sixth place in just one day. Meanwhile, KIA, who concluded their four-game winning streak, maintained fourth place with a record of 49 wins, 41 losses, and 2 ties.

Hanwha lined up its batting order as follows: Sim Woo-jun (shortstop), Oh Jae-won (left fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (center fielder), Noh Si-hwan (designated hitter), Yonatan Peraza (right fielder), Heo In-seo (catcher), Kim Tae-yeon (first baseman), Lee Do-yoon (second baseman), and Park Jung-hyun (third baseman). Starting pitcher Owen White took the mound.

KIA set its starting lineup as follows: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Herald Castro (designated hitter), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Na Sung-bum (right fielder), Han Jun-soo (catcher), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Park Sang-jun (first baseman), Kim Kyu-sung (shortstop), and Yoon Do-hyun (second baseman). Adam Oller started the game.

Sim Woo-jun's deployment as the leadoff hitter drew attention. Although he had never started as a leadoff batter all season, he recorded 3 hits and 2 RBIs in 7 at-bats against Oller this season. With an opponent batting average of 0.429, Manager Kim boldly placed Sim Woo-jun in the top spot.

In the top of the first inning, after Sim Woo-jun and Oh Jae-won were out on consecutive grounders, Hanwha took an early lead following Moon Hyun-bin's walk, Noh Si-hwan's single to left field, and Yonatan Peraza's infield hit.

In the second inning, it was Sim Woo-jun's turn at bat. Oller struggled with his control from one out, issuing consecutive walks to Lee Do-yoon and Park Jung-hyun, giving Sim Woo-jun an opportunity. After falling behind in the count with a foul ball and a swing-and-miss on the first two pitches, he smashed a slider aimed at the zone's hanbok line on the third pitch, sending it over the left-field wall for a three-run home run.

This was his third home run of the season, coming more than three months after his last one against KT Wiz on April 1. In the fourth inning, with two outs, he watched the first pitch go for a strike but did not miss the second changeup, driving it into center field for a hit. He recorded his first multi-hit game in six contests.

Oller, who struggled against Sim Woo-jun again today, was pulled after throwing 92 pitches through five innings, having allowed four runs.

Riding the momentum, Sim Woo-jun continued to dismantle the KIA pitching staff. After giving up a run in the bottom of the fifth and narrowing the deficit to three points, Hanwha attacked in the top of the sixth inning with Lee Tae-yang on the mound. Following Lee Do-yoon's hit and Park Jung-hyun's bunt that moved runners to second base, Sim Woo-jun sent a high curveball to left field on a 2-2 count after six pitches, bringing in another run. KIA replaced Lee Tae-yang with Kim Beom-su to escape the danger.

While Sim Woo-jun shone in the lineup, starting pitcher White fully fulfilled the role of an ace on the mound. He allowed a walk to Kim Ho-ryeong in the second inning but delivered a perfect performance through four innings without allowing a single hit with one out in the bottom of the fourth.

The only run he allowed came from Park Sang-jun's solo home run with one out in the fifth inning. In the sixth, he walked Na Sung-bum with one out but induced a double play off Han Jun-soo to escape scoring trouble. He returned for the seventh inning and completed his outing with three up, three down.

In the top of the eighth, Jo Dong-wook took over and gave up a solo home run to Yoon Do-hyun. Although he surrendered Yoon's first home run of the season, he recorded two outs before handing the ball to Lee Sang-gyu and finished the inning without allowing any additional runs.

In the top of the ninth, Moon Hyun-bin reached base with a surprise bunt, followed by Noh Si-hwan's hit and Lee Won-seok's sacrifice bunt that advanced runners. Heo In-seo then drove in all runners with a hit to center field, extending the lead to five runs. Lee Sang-gyu took the mound in the bottom of the ninth, walking leadoff batter Na Sung-bum but striking out Han Jun-soo on a fly ball to center field. However, he allowed Kim Ho-ryeong's double down the left-center gap for one run. Park Sang-won came in and retired Park Sang-jun on a fly ball to left field and struck out Kim Kyu-sung to close out the game.

White threw 97 pitches over seven innings, allowing four hits (one home run), two walks, and recording five strikeouts in a scoreless performance, earning his sixth win of the season (with five losses). In the lineup, Sim Woo-jun led with three hits and four RBIs, while Moon Hyun-bin contributed three hits and two runs scored.

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*This content was translated by AI.