'First since Ryu Hyun-jin to So Hyoung-jun' Kim Min-jun delivers another, another, another, another 6-inning QS! 'Explosion of 14 hits' SSG defeats Lotte 9-1, surges to three-game winning streak [Incheon Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

SSG Landers' Kim Min-jun (20) led his team to a winning streak with a veteran-like performance that belied his rookie status.

On the 12th, SSG defeated Lotte 9-1 in a regular-season home game at Incheon SSG Landers Field as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this victory, the ninth-place SSG improved to 41 wins, 4 draws, and 60 losses. The eighth-place Lotte, whose winning streak was snapped, recorded 44 wins, 2 draws, and 56 losses.

After Pedro Avila earned a win with a six-inning, three-run quality start (QS) on the previous day (11th), SSG once again seized control of the game thanks to an outstanding performance by starting pitcher Kim Min-jun.

Kim Min-jun threw a total of 92 pitches, including a fastball reaching up to 148 km/h (51 pitches), forkball (20 pitches), slider (13 pitches), and curveball (8 pitches). He allowed three hits (one home run) over six innings, issued one walk, recorded three strikeouts, and gave up only one earned run. This marked his fifth QS of the season and brought his record to five wins (two losses).

His four consecutive QS appearances since the game against Busan Lotte on the 23rd last month is the 10th such record by a high school rookie in KBO history. The most recent instances were achieved by Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles) in 2006 and So Hyoung-jun (25, KT Wiz) in 2020. For SSG, this is the second time since Je Chun-mo in 2002.

Lotte rookie Kim Han-gyeol, who made his first-team debut replacing Na Gyun-an, who was absent due to symptoms of a cold on the day of the game, struggled over 4⅓ innings (29 pitches), allowing two hits, issuing three walks, striking out five batters, and giving up four earned runs. Despite his efforts, he became the losing pitcher amid poor offensive support that managed only three hits.

SSG's lineup dominated Lotte for two consecutive days, with 14 hits compared to Lotte's four — a threefold advantage. Jung Jun-jae went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored; Park Sung-han was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and one run scored; and Choi Ji-hoon went 3-for-5 with one RBI and three runs scored. In contrast, Lotte could only find solace in Na Seung-yeop's solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

SSG lined up Jung Jun-jae (second baseman), Park Sung-han (shortstop), Kim Jae-hwan (designated hitter), Jeon Ui-san (first baseman), Oh Tae-gon (right fielder), Choi Ji-hoon (center fielder), Bryce Mardis (left fielder), Jo Hyung-woo (catcher), and An Sang-hyun (third baseman). Kim Min-jun was the starting pitcher.

Lotte countered with Hwang Seong-bin (center fielder), Na Seung-yeop (first baseman), Victor Reyes (left fielder), Han Dong-hee (designated hitter), Go Seung-min (second baseman), Yoon Dong-hee (right fielder), Son Ho-young (third baseman), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), and Son Seong-bin (catcher). Kim Han-gyeol was the starting pitcher.

The home team took the lead first. In the bottom of the second inning with one out, Oh Tae-gon reached base on a walk, and Choi Ji-hoon hit a double down the left-field line to score the first run. While second baseman Go Seung-min hesitated on the throw to home plate, Choi Ji-hoon advanced to third base. Kim Han-gyeol also walked Bryce Mardis, and when Jo Hyung-woo grounded out, Choi Ji-hoon scored at home plate. SSG led 2-0.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Jo Hyung-woo singled up the middle, An Sang-hyun drew a walk, and Jung Jun-jae hit a single to left field, loading the bases with one out. Park Sung-han then drove in two runs with a double to center field off reliever Lee Young-jae, extending the lead to 4-0.

Lotte managed to score one run in the top of the sixth inning when Na Seung-yeop hit a solo home run over the fence, but that was all they could manage. In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs and runners on first and second following consecutive hits by Choi Ji-hoon and Mardis, Jung Jun-jae singled to left field to drive in one run, and Park Sung-han doubled to center field to drive in another, pushing the score to 6-0.

In the bottom of the seventh inning with one out and runners on first and third, Jo Hyung-woo hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score one run. In the bottom of the eighth, consecutive hits by Jung Jun-jae and Park Sung-han set up a scoring opportunity. Substitute batter Han Yu-seom singled to center field to drive in one run, and Jeon Ui-san hit a double to left-center field to drive in another, bringing the score to 9-1.

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*This content was translated by AI.