'Was this a game that required such a hard-fought victory?' Lotte hits 12 extra-base hits and commits 2 errors, yet still secures a tense 3-2 win with 10 hits [Busan]

*This content was translated by AI.

Five consecutive innings with two or more extra-base hits, plus two errors. One wonders if this was truly a game that required such a difficult victory.

Lotte Giants secured a tense one-run victory over Kiwoom Heroes with a 3-2 score at Busan Sajik Stadium on the 4th.

Despite recording 10 hits and four walks, Lotte left 12 runners on base. Notably, from the third through seventh innings, they had two or more extra-base hits in five consecutive innings (three in the fourth). In defense, both errors directly resulted in runs.

Lotte took the lead first. In the bottom of the first, leading off batter Hwang Sung-bin hit a triple that struck the upper part of the fence behind right field. Na Seung-yeop then followed with a single to left field, easily scoring one run.

However, errors hampered Lotte's efforts. Starting pitcher Rodriguez, who had pitched perfectly through three innings, allowed his first baserunner in the top of the fourth when he failed to field Seo Geon-chang's grounder (pitcher's fielding error). This was followed by a single to left field by Choi Jae-hyun, putting runners on first and third. After one out, An Chi-hong's batted ball rolled between the pitcher and third baseman, resulting in an infield hit. During this sequence, Seo Geon-chang scored from third base to tie the game 1-1.

Lotte took a 3-1 lead with Hwang Sung-bin's bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth and Go Seung-min's two-run single to center field in the bottom of the fifth. However, Kiwoom mounted a comeback in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Choi Jae-hyun drew a walk, followed by a grounder hit by Davison that Lotte second baseman Go Seung-min failed to field properly (fielding error), creating a first-and-second base opportunity. An Chi-hong then hit a two-run single to center field, narrowing the gap to 2-3. An Chi-hong recorded two hits and drove in both of his team's runs alone that day.

Rodriguez escaped a three-game losing streak with six innings pitched, allowing three hits, striking out six batters, and surrendering two unearned runs. He earned his sixth win (with eight losses) of the season for the first time in nearly a month since his July 7 start against KIA Tigers. Lotte's subsequent relievers Lee Ee-mu-ra, Choi Jun-yong, and Kim Won-joong each pitched scoreless innings.

Kiwoom's starting pitcher Ha Young-min took his sixth loss (with four wins) of the season after pitching five innings, allowing nine hits and three earned runs.

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*This content was translated by AI.