*This content was translated by AI.
Even Lee Kang-cheol (60), a KBO legend with 152 career wins as a pitcher, deemed it perfect. Ace Ko Young-pyo (35) led KT Wiz to victory once again with another quality start pitching performance.
On the 2nd, KT defeated Hanwha Eagles 12-1 in a regular-season home game at SuwonKT Wiz Park during the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.
With both pitching and hitting dominating the opponent, it was "Go-Quals" (Ko Young-pyo + Quality Start) Ko Young-pyo who drove KT's lead. Today, Ko Young-pyo generated 11 swings and misses using a two-seam fastball reaching up to 139 km/h (35 pitches), his signature changeup (31 pitches), and a well-tuned sweeper (27 pitches).
By securing strikes on the first pitch to every batter, he created favorable ball counts with no significant threats. The biggest crisis came in the sixth inning. Leadoff hitter Sim Woo-jun singled to left field, and Moon Hyun-bin singled to right field, resulting in two outs with runners on first and third. However, by consistently targeting the upper inside corner against Kang Baek-ho, he ultimately ended the inning with a fly ball caught by the center fielder.
With this performance, Ko Young-pyo achieved his 11th quality start of the season and his fourth quality start plus (starting pitcher pitching at least seven innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs), proving why he is called "Go-Quals."
By recording consecutive quality starts against formidable teams LG Twins, NC Dinos, and Hanwha, praise from the manager naturally followed.
After the game, manager Lee Kang-cheol praised Ko Young-pyo: "Ko Young-pyo delivered a perfect pitching performance reminiscent of his prime, leading to two victories in games on last Tuesday (July 28) and today (August 2)."
As a result, Ko Young-pyo lowered his ERA from as high as 7.07 to 3.64 and is now just one win away from achieving double-digit wins for the fifth time in his career with nine wins (six losses).
Ko Young-pyo shared his thoughts: "I felt good in recent games and was on a good roll. So rather than trying to do anything better, I aimed to maintain that good feeling as much as possible while pitching."
The chemistry with catcher Han Seung-taek (32), who has worked together with him for the first time this year, is also maturing. Ko Young-pyo said: "Today, I felt the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) was slightly lower, so I tried to adapt and adjust accordingly. Catcher (Han) Seung-taek made excellent pitch selection choices, allowing me to deliver good pitches. Also, without the defensive help from our fielders, we couldn't have won. I want to express my gratitude."
With this win, KT extended their winning streak to six games, improving their record to 59 wins, two draws, and 36 losses, maintaining sole possession of first place. The stable performance of the starting rotation combined with back-to-back "seven-run innings" highlights the fantastic harmony of their powerful hitting.
Ko Young-pyo concluded: "The recent increase in our wins likely means our team's overall performance and concentration have been strong. Since everyone is showing great form, I will focus even more on the mound and pitch with greater intensity."
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*This content was translated by AI.
