A 20-year-old rookie shuts down an MLB 60-win pitcher! 'Moon Jung-bin's clutch 3-run homer' powers LG to a four-game winning streak, closing the gap on second-place Samsung by 4 games... NC suffers third straight loss [Changwon On-the-Ground Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins deployed 20-year-old rookie Park Si-won to halt the momentum of NC Dinos, who were racing toward the playoffs. NC's new foreign pitcher Mike Cleavinger (36) achieved only half-success in his KBO League debut.

On the 16th, LG defeated NC 9-2 in an away regular-season game against NC at Changwon NC Park as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League season.

With this victory, third-place LG, now on a four-game winning streak, improved to 72 wins, 1 tie, and 55 losses, closing the gap to second-place Samsung Lions (75 wins, 3 ties, 50 losses) by four games after they lost to Doosan Bears on the same day. Meanwhile, sixth-place NC fell into a three-game losing streak, dropping to 59 wins, 2 ties, and 63 losses, widening the gap to fifth-place Doosan (65 wins, 4 ties, 60 losses), who defeated Samsung, to 4.5 games.

While hit totals were similar—8 for LG and 7 for NC—their offensive execution diverged sharply. NC squandered multiple opportunities, including two double plays in the first three innings, failing to capitalize on scoring chances. In contrast, LG methodically built its lead with squeeze bunts and other steady hits, eventually scoring six runs against a shaky NC bullpen in the later innings to secure the win. Hong Chang-ki went 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored; Moon Jung-bin went 1-for-2 with one home run, five RBIs, two runs scored, and one walk; and Austin Dean went 0-for-1 but drew four walks and scored twice, making a notable impact.

For NC, Kim Hwi-jip went 2-for-3, and Park Geon-woo went 2-for-3 with one home run, two RBIs, and one run scored, but their efforts were overshadowed by the team's loss.

In the highly anticipated starting pitcher matchup, LG's Park Si-won earned the win after pitching four innings, allowing six hits (including one home run), issuing no walks, striking out four batters, and giving up two earned runs. Major League (ML) 60-win pitcher Cleavinger pitched three innings, allowing two hits, walking three batters, striking out one, and surrendering one earned run, suffering his first loss in a KBO League debut.

LG lined up with Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (designated hitter), Song Chan-ui (left fielder), Moon Jung-bin (first baseman), Gu Bon-hyeok (third baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Lee Ju-heon (catcher), and Hong Chang-ki (right fielder). Carlos KARA-sco started on the mound for LG.

NC countered with Park Min-woo (second baseman), Kwon Hee-dong (left fielder), Blaine Crim (first baseman), Kim Hwi-jip (third baseman), Park Geon-woo (right fielder), Lee Woo-seong (designated hitter), Cheon Jae-hwan (center fielder), Kim Hyung-jun (catcher), and Kim Han-byul (shortstop). Mike Cleavinger started for NC.

The visiting LG team took the early lead. In the bottom of the second inning with one out, Moon Jung-bin drew a walk after a full count, and Oh Ji-hwan hit an outfield single to left-center field, creating a scoring opportunity with runners on first and third and one out. Gu Bon-hyeok then successfully executed a squeeze bunt. Although Cleavinger fielded the ball himself, he threw to first base instead of attempting a play at home, allowing Moon Jung-bin from third base to score, giving LG a 1-0 lead.

NC immediately found its own opportunity. In the top of the second inning, Shin Min-jae failed to field Kim Hwi-jip's fly ball, and Park Geon-woo followed with a single to left field. However, when Lee Woo-seong hit a ground ball, Gu Bon-hyeok threw to second base for a force out on Park Geon-woo and then quickly tagged Kim Hwi-jip as he headed toward third base, defusing the threat. In the third inning, Kim Han-byul reached on an outfield single to left-center field, but Park Min-woo grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.

After Cleavinger was removed, NC turned the game around. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Kwon Hee-dong reached on an infield hit. Blaine Crim and Kim Hwi-jip followed with outs, leaving runners on first base with two outs. Park Geon-woo then connected with a high slider from Park Si-won, sending the ball over the center-field fence for his 19th home run of the season—a 130-meter blast.

The joy was short-lived. NC's bullpen faltered in the top of the fifth inning. Kim Jin-ho grounded Shin Min-jae to the second baseman, and Hong Chang-ki followed with an infield hit. After issuing consecutive walks to Park Hae-min and Austin Dean, the bases were loaded with one out, prompting NC to bring in Shin Young-woo.

However, Shin Young-woo hit Song Chan-ui with a pitch, tying the game 2-2 via an intentional walk. Moon Jung-bin then delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, giving LG a 3-2 lead. Oh Ji-hwan grounded out to left field, ending any chance for additional runs.

NC had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning against LG's John Kennedy. Crim drew a walk, and Kim Hwi-jip lined a first-pitch pitch into a double to left-center field with one out and runners on second and third—a critical chance to close the one-run deficit.

However, Park Geon-woo, who had just hit a home run in his previous at-bat, struck out swinging. The LG bench then made a strategic move by bringing in Go Woo-seok when Lee Woo-seong faced a 1-ball, 1-strike count. Go Woo-seok retired Lee Woo-seong on a ground ball to the third baseman with just one cutter pitch, extinguishing NC's momentum.

Having survived the crisis, LG extended its lead in the top of the seventh inning. Hong Chang-ki reached on an infield single to right field, and Park Hae-min successfully executed a sacrifice bunt toward first base. Although NC intentionally walked Austin Dean, Lee Yong-jun issued a walk to Song Chan-ui, loading the bases with one out. Moon Jung-bin's at-bat then saw Lee Yong-jun throw a wild pitch; Hong Chang-ki scored from third base, and Moon Jung-bin added an RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field, pushing LG ahead 5-2.

LG completed its four-game winning streak when Hong Chang-ki hit a large double over the left-field fence in the top of the eighth inning with one out and runners on third base, followed by Moon Jung-bin's three-run home run to left-center field in the top of the ninth inning with no outs and runners on first and second.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.