*This content was translated by AI.
SSG Landers' smart player Jung Jun-jae (23) sealed the victory against the LG Twins with his signature speed and clever decision-making.
On the 14th, SSG defeated LG 5-3 in a regular-season away game at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. With this win, the ninth-place SSG improved to 42 wins, 4 draws, and 61 losses, closing the gap to eighth-place Lotte Giants (45-2-57) by 3.5 games.
The turning point came in the top of the 9th inning when SSG led 4-2. The bottom of the 9th LG lineup featured a clean-up trio: Austin Dean, Moon Jeong-bin, and Moon Bo-kyung. Both Austin and Moon Jeong-bin are capable of hitting home runs at any moment, making even a single run critical.
At that crucial moment, SSG's leadoff hitter Jung Jun-jae made his move. Stepping into the batter's box with one out in the top of the 9th, Jung drew seven pitches from Bae Jae-jun to reach base via a walk. His performance began there. On the second pitch of Oh Tae-gon's at-bat, Jung stole second base. He then quickly advanced to third on Oh Tae-gon's fly ball to center field.
He ultimately scored alone without any help. During Park Sung-han's at-bat, Bae Jae-jun's first-pitch forkball drifted wide. Without hesitation, Jung sprinted all the way home. LG catcher Park Dong-won tried to catch and throw the ball while being aware of Jung, but failed to secure it cleanly, leaving him stunned as he watched helplessly.
It was truly a one-man show. However, after the game, when asked about his performance, Jung shook his head. He explained, "I knew the opposing pitcher (Bae Jae-jun) would throw a forkball. Since forkballs are difficult to block and can slip away at any time, I always prepared for such situations."
His strong trust in base-running coach Jo Dong-hwa also contributed to his ability to score even after a slightly late start. Jung remarked, "Coach Jo Dong-hwa gives great advice in moments like this. Actually, I hesitated at first because senior Park Dong-won initially caught the forkball."
He continued, "I saw the ball slip again, and Coach Jo Dong-hwa shouted 'Go!' from the side, so I took off. Since I always prepare to run whenever a forkball slips, I was able to accelerate quickly."
Jung Jun-jae was also selected for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games alongside teammates Jo Hyung-woo (24) and Jo Byung-hyun (23). His agile performance on this day proved to be one of the essential weapons needed in a lineup dominated by power hitters like Ryu Ji-hyun.
Still finding his way in his third full season, Jung has boosted his batting average to 0.346 (9 hits in 26 at-bats) over seven games since August. After the game, SSG General Manager Lee Seung-yong specifically praised Jung, saying, "Jung Jun-jae created a crucial run with his speed."
Jung added, "It was extremely hot last week, and getting some rest helped me recover my stamina. I'm glad I got a hit as the Asian Games approach. I'll do my best to maintain this momentum through the tournament."
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*This content was translated by AI.
