'Choi Hyung-woo and Kim Young-ung hit back-to-back grand slams!' Samsung delivers a 12-2 rout over Kiwoom, maintaining a 0.5-game gap behind KT → Choi Won-tae earns 5th win [Gocheok Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

With two consecutive grand slams, Samsung Lions defeated Kiwoom Heroes, completely erasing the disappointment from their previous day (25th) 3-3 tie.

On the 26th, Samsung secured a decisive 12-2 victory in an away game against Kiwoom at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, as part of the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.' They took an early lead by scoring five runs in the first inning alone.

With this win, Samsung surged to a three-game winning streak, maintaining a 0.5-game gap behind KT, which also defeated Doosan on this day. Meanwhile, Kiwoom failed to achieve a three-game winning streak.

Samsung's starting lineup for the day was: Park Seung-kyu (center fielder), Kim Sung-yoon (right fielder), Koo Ja-wook (left fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Lewin Diaz (first baseman), Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman), Kim Young-ung (third baseman), Lee Jae-hyun (shortstop), and Park Se-hyeok (catcher). Starting pitcher was Choi Won-tae.

Kiwoom countered with the following batting order: Seo Geon-chang (second baseman), Kim Woong-bin (third baseman), Davison (first baseman), Hyu-ra (designated hitter), Kim Geon-hee (catcher), Park Chan-hyeok (right fielder), Won Seong-jun (left fielder), Kwon Hyeong-bin (shortstop), and Park Chae-wool (center fielder). Starting pitcher was Park Jun-hyun.

Samsung's offense exploded from the top of the first inning. After leadoff batter Park Seung-kyu hit a ground ball single to right field, followed by consecutive walks from Kim Sung-yoon and Koo Ja-wook, Samsung secured a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. Choi Hyung-woo then connected with the first pitch from Park Jun-hyun, launching a 130-meter grand slam to center field, instantly taking a 4-0 lead. Samsung's offensive pressure did not cease. After one out, Ryu Ji-hyuk reached base with a single to left field, followed by a stolen base at second and advancing to third on an opposing catcher's wild pitch. With two outs and runners on first and third following Lee Jae-hyun's walk, Park Se-hyeok hit a sacrifice fly to right field, extending the lead to 5-0.

Kiwoom immediately counterattacked in the bottom of the first. Consecutive singles from leadoff batter Seo Geon-chang and Kim Woong-bin created a bases-loaded opportunity with no outs. Although Davison was retired on a fly ball to left field, an error by Kim Sung-yoon's throw during Hyu-ra's fly ball to right field allowed runner Seo Geon-chang to advance to third base. With two outs and runners on first and third, Kim Geon-hee targeted the first pitch from Choi Won-tae, hitting a two-run double down the left-center gap, scoring two runs to narrow the deficit.

Samsung built a big inning in the top of the fifth to seal the game. After consecutive singles from leadoff batters Choi Hyung-woo and Diaz, followed by Ryu Ji-hyuk's sacrifice bunt that resulted in an opposing pitcher's throwing error, Samsung filled the bases with no outs. Entering the batter's box, Kim Young-ung hit a 124 km/h slider on the sixth pitch from Kiwoom's second pitcher Jung Hyun-woo, launching a 135-meter grand slam over the left-center field wall.

Even while leading 9-2, Samsung continued to create opportunities with Lee Jae-hyun being hit by a pitch, Park Seung-kyu's infield single, and an opposing error, maintaining a bases-loaded situation with one out. Kim Sung-yoon then recorded a sacrifice fly to left field, extending the score to 10-2. In the top of the ninth, additional RBI hits from Kim Sung-yoon and Kim Ji-chan sealed the game at 12-2.

On this day, Samsung set a franchise record for the fourth time in history with two grand slams in a single game by Choi Hyung-woo and Kim Young-ung. Previously, Samsung recorded two grand slams in one game on May 4, 1997, against LG at Daegu Citizens Stadium (with Jung Kyung-bae hitting consecutive bases-loaded home runs), on March 27, 2019, against Lotte at Sajik Stadium (Kim Heon-kon and Park Han-i), and on September 12, 2023, against KIA at Daegu (Oh Jae-il and Kim Hyun-jun).

Samsung's starting pitcher Choi Won-tae delivered a strong performance over six innings, allowing five hits, striking out six batters, and surrendering two earned runs to earn his fifth win of the season (with seven losses). Relief pitchers Yang Chang-seop, Satoshi, and Bae Chan-seung all prevented any further scoring, securing the bullpen. In the lineup, Park Seung-kyu and Kim Sung-yoon both recorded hits, while Choi Hyung-woo and Kim Young-ung each hit a grand slam. Kiwoom's starting pitcher Park Jun-hyun took the loss after pitching two innings, allowing four hits (including one home run), issuing five walks, striking out one batter, and surrendering five earned runs.

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*This content was translated by AI.