"He delivered whenever we needed RBIs." Lee Kang-cheol singled out and praised 'clutch hitter' Choi Won-jun for exploding with 4 hits and 4 RBIs! [Suwon Field]

*This content was translated by AI.

KT Wiz washed away the shock of the previous day's 11-run defeat just one day later. KT manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) first praised Choi Won-jun (29), who played a crucial role whenever needed, even amidst an explosive 15-run outburst.

On the 19th, KT defeated Doosan Bears 15-3 in a regular-season home game at Suwon KT Wiz Park as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League.

After losing to LG Twins 1-12 the day before and ending their seven-game winning streak, KT immediately turned the tide and maintained sole first place with a record of 77 wins, 4 draws, and 47 losses. On the same day, second-place Samsung Lions lost to Lotte Giants, widening the gap to 2.5 games.

The early momentum was not easy. Starting pitcher Daniel Davis suffered bad luck from the first inning, including two times being hit by his own glove and a deflected batted ball, conceding two runs early. Meanwhile, KT's lineup struggled with two double plays in the early innings.

However, they responded immediately after each run was allowed. Han Seung-taek (32) tied the score with an RBI single to center field in the bottom of the second inning. In the bottom of the fifth, trailing 1-3, Choi Won-jun hit a season-high ninth two-run home run covering a distance of 126.7 meters over the gap between left and center field, tying the game at 3-3.

The balance broke in the sixth inning. Following consecutive hits by Ahn Hyun-min (23) and Sam Hilliard (32), Kim Hyun-soo (38) led the comeback with an RBI single down the right-field line. Then, Heo Kyung-min's (36) two-RBI single, Choi Won-jun's additional RBI single, and a defensive error by the opponent combined to score five runs in one inning.

KT poured out another five runs in the seventh inning. Heo Kyung-min's bases-loaded walk, Kwon Dong-jin's (28) three-RBI double that swept all bases, and Choi Won-jun's RBI double came consecutively, completely collapsing Doosan's pitching mound.

Choi Won-jun went 4-for-4 with one home run, one walk, four RBIs, and one run scored on the day, never making an out once. From tying the game with a home run to adding RBIs during big innings, he appeared whenever the game flow required it.

After the match, manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "The lineup showed great focus in scoring opportunities. Han Seung-taek's one-RBI chase after conceding a run and Choi Won-jun's tying home run shifted the momentum of the game." He added, "Later, veteran Kim Hyun-soo's go-ahead RBI, along with additional RBIs from Heo Kyung-min and Choi Won-jun, helped build big innings and secure the lead." He specifically mentioned Choi Won-jun by name, saying, "I want to praise Choi Won-jun for stepping up whenever we needed RBIs."

On the mound, Daniel Davis earned his third win (two losses) of the season with six innings pitched, allowing six hits, three walks/strikeouts combined, five strikeouts, and three runs allowed (one earned). Manager Lee stated, "Daniel Davis demonstrated excellent crisis management skills and fulfilled his role. Kim Jeong-won (22) also showed great pitching ability and contributed to the victory."

Hilliard also hit hard, going 4-for-5 with one home run, one RBI, and four runs scored, reaching the milestone of 100 runs and 100 RBIs for the season. This is the 45th such record in KBO history. Manager Lee said, "I congratulate Hilliard on achieving 100 runs and 100 RBIs."

Suwon KT Wiz Park was completely sold out with 18,700 seats today, marking KT's 24th sellout of the season. Manager Lee said, "The players worked hard, and I thank the fans who filled the stadium day after day and cheered enthusiastically."

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*This content was translated by AI.