"We were able to win thanks to the many spectators." KT breaks four-game losing streak against KIA in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,700; Coach Lee Kang-cheol smiles broadly [Suwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Kang-cheol (60), manager of KT Wiz, credited the players and home fans for breaking the four-game losing streak against KIA Tigers.

On the 12th, KT defeated KIA 6-2 in a regular-season home game at Suwon KT Wiz Park as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

About an hour before the game started, all 18,700 seats at Wiz Park were sold out. This marked KT's 21st sellout of the season. In front of a packed house of home fans celebrating the weekend, KT extended its winning streak to five games, improving its record to 74 wins, 3 draws, and 46 losses, securing sole possession of first place. The gap between them and second-place Samsung Lions, who lost to LG Twins on the same day, widened to one game.

Most importantly, breaking the losing streak against KIA was a welcome relief. KT snapped its four-game losing streak against KIA that had begun on June 21. They extended their home winning streak in Suwon to seven games and reclaimed the upper hand in season head-to-head records with 7 wins and 6 losses.

At the heart of the victory was starting pitcher Daniel Davis. Although Davis allowed one run in the first inning, he quickly regained control. He threw a total of 102 pitches over six innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out nine batters, giving up only one earned run to secure his second win of the season. He also set a new personal record for strikeouts in a single game, raising it from seven to nine.

Following Davis, Jeon Yong-ju pitched 1⅓ innings allowing one hit and two strikeouts without conceding any runs; Sugimoto Kouki threw ⅔ innings allowing two hits and one strikeout while giving up one run; and Park Young-hyun pitched one inning with one strikeout and no runs allowed. None of the relievers issued a walk or hit batter, preserving the lead throughout.

After the game, Manager Lee commented, "Starting pitcher Davis gave up an early run but demonstrated excellent crisis management skills that created the turning point for victory. The relievers who followed also held strong."

The lineup's focus was equally impressive. KT immediately tied the game in the bottom of the first inning when Kim Hyun-soo hit a sacrifice fly with one out while trailing 0-1. In the second inning, Choi Won-jun delivered a go-ahead RBI single to take the lead. In the fifth inning, Ahn Hyeon-min added another RBI hit. In the seventh inning, Jang Jin-hyuk drew a bases-loaded walk and Ryu Hyun-in followed with an RBI single, adding three more runs to seal the victory.

Manager Lee explained, "The lineup showed great focus in clutch situations. Kim Hyun-soo's tying hit immediately after conceding a run and Choi Won-jun's go-ahead hit shifted the momentum of the game. Later, additional RBIs from Ahn Hyeon-min, Jang Jin-hyuk, and Ryu Hyun-in allowed us to secure the win."

Finally, he did not forget to express gratitude to the sold-out crowd. Manager Lee sincerely conveyed, "The players worked hard, and thanks to the many fans who came out this weekend, we were able to achieve victory."

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*This content was translated by AI.