"He definitely carved out a clear path for the offense." The commanding officer behind the three-game winning streak named the MVP: Another rookie besides 4G's four consecutive six-inning quality starts was there again.

*This content was translated by AI.

SSG Landers manager Lee Seung-yong highlighted striker Choi Ji-hoon as another key figure behind the three-game winning streak.

On the 12th, SSG defeated Lotte 9-1 in a regular-season home game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in 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 broken, recorded 44 wins, 2 draws, and 56 losses.

With a clear advantage in the pitching duel, SSG's explosive lineup, out-hitting Lotte 14 to 4, overwhelmed Lotte's pitcher's mound. Jung Jun-jae went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored, while Park Sung-han also went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and one run scored, setting the table as the leadoff hitter. Choi Ji-hoon, batting sixth, delivered a clutch performance with 3 hits in 5 at-bats, one RBI, and three runs scored.

The first run also came from Choi Ji-hoon's bat. In the bottom of the second inning with one out and a runner on first base, Choi Ji-hoon hit a double down the left-field line. During that play, first baseman Oh Tae-gon crossed home plate, and Choi advanced to third base while the opposing defense hesitated. This allowed Jo Hyung-woo's subsequent shortstop grounder to score as well.

Choi Ji-hoon's speed shone again in the sixth inning. As the leadoff batter, he reached first base on a ground ball to the shortstop. He then scored on Blye Madris's line drive single to center field and Jung Jun-jae's single to left field.

In the bottom of the seventh with one out, after a hit to right-center field, Chae Hyun-woo's infield single and Jo Hyung-woo's fly ball to center field allowed another run to score, completing the formula for converting baserunners into runs.

The manager also praised this aspect. After the game, Lee Seung-yong stated, "After the heatwave break, both pitching and hitting achieved perfect harmony in two consecutive games. It is positive that the team has regained focus based on strong performances."

He continued, "In the lineup, Choi Ji-hoon delivered three hits including the go-ahead run and aggressively advanced runners to clear a path for the offense. Additionally, Park Sung-han played a crucial role in securing the lead by delivering key RBIs whenever additional runs were needed."

With 12,694 spectators in attendance, rookie Kim Min-jun pitched six innings, allowing three hits (one home run), issuing one walk, striking out three batters, and surrendering one earned run. This marked his fifth quality start of the season and secured his fifth win (with two losses).

His four consecutive quality starts 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 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.

Manager Lee Seung-yong said, "Starting pitcher Kim Min-jun has become a new source of vitality for our rotation following Avila yesterday (the 11th). He continues to show steady growth game by game, and we are already looking forward to his next appearance." He added, "We thank all the fans who provided enthusiastic support today (the 12th), and we will prepare well for tomorrow's game to maintain this positive momentum."

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*This content was translated by AI.