'Nine runs in one inning → A staggering 23 hits explosion': Last-place Kiwoom Heroes crush third-place LG Twins 18-11; ace lineup and winning rotation couldn't hold on [Jamsil On-site Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

Seven hits, four walks/pitcher hits, and nine runs poured out in just one inning. Led by their ace lineup, last-place Kiwoom Heroes defeated the LG Twins and reset the series to a tie.

On the 29th, Kiwoom secured an 18-11 victory over LG at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium in a regular-season away game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this win, Kiwoom split the series at one win and one loss, finishing with 36 wins, two ties, and 61 losses. The LG Twins, whose winning rotation collapsed, recorded 54 wins and 42 losses, falling to third place, three and a half games behind second-place KT Wiz.

With 20,067 spectators in attendance, the game saw 17 hits for LG and 23 for Kiwoom, totaling 39 combined hits—a bloodbath of offense. Records also poured out. Forty total hits mark the fourth-most hits ever recorded in a single KBO game (tied). Additionally, Kiwoom's 23 hits and 18 runs were season highs for a single game in terms of hits and runs scored.

Eight Kiwoom players recorded multi-hit games. Among them, leadoff hitter Seon Geon-chang went 5-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored, achieving five hits in a single game for the first time since June 22, 2017, against the Daejeon Hanwha Eagles—3,324 days later. An Chi-hong went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs; Matt Davidson went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs; Park Chan-hyuk went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, one walk, and two runs; Kim Geon-hee went 3-for-4 (including one home run) with three RBIs, two runs, and one walk; Lee Hyung-jong went 2-for-5 (including one home run) with three RBIs and two runs. Im Byung-wook and Kwon Hyeok-bin also contributed multi-hit performances to help secure the team victory.

For LG, Austin Dean went 4-for-5 with one home run (his 30th of the season), four RBIs, two runs scored, and one walk. This marked the ninth time in KBO history, the third for a foreign player, and the first in LG franchise history to achieve 30 home runs in three consecutive seasons. However, his performance was overshadowed by the loss. Both starting pitchers left the mound early. LG's Lachlan Wells pitched 3 innings, allowing 9 hits (including two home runs), issuing two walks, striking out two batters, and giving up five earned runs. Kiwoom's Ha Young-min pitched 3⅔ innings, allowing 10 hits (including one home run), issuing one walk, striking out three batters, and giving up seven earned runs. LG's winning rotation of Kim Jin-seong and Woo Kang-hoon also failed to hold the line.

That day, Kiwoom lined up its batting order as follows: Seon Geon-chang (designated hitter), An Chi-hong (second baseman), Matt Davidson (first baseman), Park Chan-hyuk (right fielder), Im Byung-wook (center fielder), Kim Geon-hee (catcher), Lee Hyung-jong (left fielder), Kwon Hyeok-bin (shortstop), and Yeo Dong-wook (third baseman). Starting pitcher: Ha Young-min.

LG countered with the following lineup: Hong Chang-gi (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (first baseman), Moon Jeong-bin (designated hitter), Moon Sung-ju (left fielder), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Park Dong-won (catcher), and Gu Bon-hyeok (second baseman). Starting pitcher: Lachlan Wells.

Both teams engaged in a high-scoring battle from the start. In the bottom of the first, Hong Chang-gi led off with a hit to left-center field, followed by Park Hae-min's hit to left field, placing runners on first and third with no outs. Austin then pulled Ha Young-min's outside sweeper into the left-field stands for his 30th home run of the season—a 119.2-meter blast.

Kiwoom responded with a home run of its own. In the top of the second, leadoff hitter Kim Geon-hee drew a walk off Wells. Lee Hyung-jong then capitalized on Wells' mistake pitch in the hanbok zone, sending it over the left-field wall for his fifth home run of the season—a 127.5-meter shot.

The top of the order ignited. After Kwon Hyeok-bin and Yeo Dong-wook flew out to the outfield, Seon Geon-chang singled to center field, and An Chi-hong hit a double to left-center field, placing runners on second and third with two outs. Although An's ball traveled deep into the outfield, it got stuck near the base of the wall, resulting in an awarded double.

On the subsequent infield single by Davidson, LG third baseman Moon Bo-kyung made a fine running throw. However, Davidson's foot was slightly faster, and after video review, the infield single and the run scored by the runner from third were both upheld. The score tied at 3-3.

Kiwoom took the lead. In the top of the third inning with one out, Kim Geon-hee capitalized on a high slider in an 0-ball, 2-strike count, sending it over the left-field wall for his seventh home run of the season—a 110-meter shot. In the top of the fourth, leadoff hitter Seon Geon-chang opened the scoring with a double down the left-field line. An Chi-hong followed with a single to center field, driving in one run and forcing Wells off the mound.

Big innings were exchanged. In the bottom of the fourth, Moon Bo-kyung and Park Dong-won recorded consecutive hits to load the bases with no outs. Gu Bon-hyeok then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring one run. Hong Chang-gi and Park Hae-min flew out on ground balls and a shortstop fly ball, respectively, but Austin Dean hit a sacrifice double down the left-field line, and Moon Jeong-bin singled to center field, driving in two more runs. LG took a 7-5 lead.

A bigger wave awaited LG. In the top of the fifth inning, Kiwoom scored nine runs, including eight consecutive baserunners. With one out, Kwon Hyeok-bin singled to left field, Yeo Dong-wook drew a walk, and Seon Geon-chang singled to center field, loading the bases. Relief pitcher Kim Jin-seong hit An Chi-hong and then allowed a two-run double down the left-field line to Davidson before being replaced by Woo Kang-hoon.

The incoming pitcher, Woo Kang-hoon, also struggled, allowing Park Chan-hyuk's sacrifice fly to left field for two RBIs. Im Byung-wook and Kim Geon-hee then recorded consecutive hits to load the bases again. On Lee Hyung-jong's ground ball, Park Chan-hyuk stepped on home plate. However, after video review, Lee was ruled safe at first base. This moment marked the completion of the 12th,000th team hit in KBO history—the ninth such milestone.

A wild pitch by Woo Kang-hoon allowed Kiwoom to extend their lead further. After Woo issued walks to Kwon Hyeok-bin and Yeo Dong-wook, loading the bases again, LG replaced its pitcher with Lee Woo-chan. Seon Geon-chang then hit a two-run single to left field off Lee, completing the nine-run big inning. Kiwoom led 14-7. With this hit, Seon achieved five hits in a single game for the first time since June 22, 2017, against the Daejeon Hanwha Eagles—3,324 days later.

Kiwoom's offense continued. In the top of the sixth inning, Davidson and Park Chan-hyuk recorded consecutive hits, followed by Im Byung-wook's ground ball, placing runners on second and third with one out. Kim Geon-hee then hit a two-run double to left-center field, scoring Kiwoom's 16th run. In the top of the seventh inning with two outs and runners on second and third, Im Byung-wook hit a two-run double to left-center field, bringing Kiwoom's total to 18 runs.

LG also chased diligently. In the bottom of the fifth inning with one out, Moon Bo-kyung hit a solo home run to left-center field, cutting the deficit by one run. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Song Chan-ui singled to left field, Austin Dean drew a walk, and Moon Jeong-bin was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Moon Sung-ju then grounded out to first base, scoring one run. However, Moon Bo-kyung flew out to right field, limiting LG's comeback to just one run.

Song Chan-ui's fly ball to left-center field in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs was ruled a double after video review. However, Lee Jae-won capitalized on Park Yoon-seong's first pitch, sending it over the left-center wall for his third home run of the season—a 126.9-meter shot. But the chase ended there. LG had a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and runners on first and second, but

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*This content was translated by AI.