'KIA Wins Again': Manager Lee Beom-ho Names 'Four' Immediately After Victory, Reflecting on a "Tough Game"... The Final Name He Recalled [Daejeon On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.

KIA Tigers' winning manager Lee Beom-ho, who secured the team's third consecutive victory, shared his thoughts on the win.

On the 18th, KIA defeated Hanwha Eagles 4-3 in a single-point margin during their away game against Hanwha at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season.

With this victory, KIA extended its winning streak to three games, improving its record to 57 wins, 48 losses, and 2 ties. KIA maintained sole possession of fourth place in the league. Meanwhile, Hanwha fell into a four-game losing streak, recording 48 wins, 54 losses, and 3 ties. Hanwha retained sole sixth place in the standings, widening the gap to seven games behind fifth-place Doosan Bears.

KIA's starting pitcher Neil delivered a strong performance over six innings (90 pitches total), allowing five hits, two walks, two hit-by-pitches, and striking out three batters while surrendering only two earned runs. This marked his ninth win of the season.

Following Neil, Jeong Sang-hyun (one inning, one run allowed), Jo Sang-woo (two-thirds of an inning), and Lee Ui-ri (one and one-third innings) came in succession to secure the team's victory.

In KIA's lineup, which recorded 13 hits total, Park Jae-hyun, Castro, Kim Ho-ryung, and Ha Joo-seok all delivered multi-hit performances. Except for Kim Sun-bin, all starting batters recorded hits, showcasing strong offensive play.

In the bottom of the first inning, KIA allowed a solo home run to leadoff hitter Choi In-ho. However, in the fourth inning, KIA scored three runs to turn the tide. With no outs and runners on first and second bases following consecutive hits by leadoff hitter Castro and Na Sung-beom, Kim Ho-ryung hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Later, with two outs and runners on first and third, Yoon Do-hyun hit a sacrifice fly to left field, and Park Jae-hyun hit a sacrifice fly to center field, taking a 3-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth inning, Hanwha's Kang Baek-ho hit a solo home run as the leadoff hitter, narrowing the gap to 3-2. In response, in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs and no runners on base, Kim Do-young hit a solo home run over the left-field fence, extending KIA's lead to 4-2. This was Kim Do-young's 36th home run of the season. Hanwha attempted another comeback in the bottom of the seventh when Peraza hit a sacrifice fly to center-left field, reducing the deficit to one run, but that was as far as they got. Lee Ui-ri, who has recently transitioned into a closer role, entered the game with two outs in the eighth inning and pitched one and one-third scoreless innings, recording two strikeouts and securing his third save of the season.

After the game, "winning manager" Lee Beom-ho mentioned four names. The manager stated, "It was a tough game. In critical moments, Lee Ui-ri held strong for one and one-third innings, ultimately allowing us to secure the victory. With Lee Ui-ri joining the bullpen, our relief corps has become more solid. Neil also fulfilled his role as a starting pitcher by pitching six innings. I congratulate Jeong Sang-hyun on achieving 10 holds for five consecutive years."

He continued, "In the fourth inning, the batters showed great focus and succeeded in scoring multiple runs, shifting the momentum. Kim Do-young's home run in a close situation also greatly contributed to the team's victory," giving a thumbs-up. Finally, he recalled KIA fans. The manager added, "I thank the away fans who supported us, and we will do our best in tomorrow's game on the 19th."

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*This content was translated by AI.