'Choi Won-jun and Hilaryard combine for 8 hits and 2 home runs' — KT is crazy! Gap with Samsung widens to 2.5 games again... Back-to-back 5-run innings in the 6th and 7th → 15-3 rout over Doosan [Suwon Field Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

It took just two innings to break the 3-3 tie. KT Wiz exploded with back-to-back 5-run innings in the 6th and 7th, erasing the shock of a 1-12 blowout loss the previous day (the 18th) and reclaiming first place.

KT defeated Doosan 15-3 in a regular-season home game at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 18th as part of the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League season.

With this win, KT immediately bounced back from the previous day's (the 18th) defeat to secure sole first place with a record of 77 wins, 4 ties, and 47 losses. On the same day, second-place Samsung Lions (76-3-51) lost to Lotte Giants, widening the gap to 2.5 games. Meanwhile, Doosan, which had been on a two-game winning streak, collapsed with a loss, finishing at 65-5-61 and failing to close in on fourth place.

The turning point came in the bottom of the 6th when both teams were tied 3-3. Leadoff hitter Ahn Hyun-min opened the scoring with a massive double down the left-field line. Hilaryard singled through the middle, and Kim Hyun-soo hit a sacrifice fly to right field that drove in Yoon Tae-ho, forcing him off the mound.

Relief pitcher Park Chi-guk also struggled against KT's lineup. After hitting Kim Sang-su, he allowed a two-run RBI double through the middle to Heo Kyung-min. He retired Han Seung-taek on a foul pop-up to third base and struck out Ahn Chi-young, but ultimately gave up another RBI single to center-left field off Choi Won-jun before being replaced by Lee Byung-hun.

Lee Byung-hun, who entered with one out and runners on first and third, also struggled with control. During Kim Min-hyeok's at-bat, he attempted a pickoff throw to first base on runner Choi Won-jun, but the throw from first baseman Yang Seok-hwan veered wildly toward second base. Choi Won-jun advanced to second, and Heo Kyung-min scored from third, extending KT's lead to 8-3. Doosan could not overcome this deficit, ending their winning streak.

Both pitching and hitting favored KT. Starting pitcher Daniel Davis of KT pitched six innings, allowing six hits, three walks (two free passes, one hit-by-pitch), striking out five batters, and giving up three runs (one earned) to earn his third win of the season (with two losses). This marked his fourth quality start of the season (six or more innings with three or fewer earned runs). Doosan's starter Choi Seung-yong pitched 4⅔ innings, allowing four hits (including one home run), walking three batters, striking out four, and giving up three runs to take his thirteenth loss of the season (with three wins).

In KT's lineup, leadoff hitter Choi Won-jun went 4-for-4 with a home run, a walk, four RBIs, and one run scored. Hilaryard was equally impressive, going 5-for-4 with a home run, one RBI, and four runs scored. Kim Hyun-soo contributed with two hits in four at-bats, one RBI, and two runs scored. Heo Kyung-min also added value with one hit in two at-bats, three RBIs, three runs scored, and two walks. For Doosan, Park Chan-ho, who holds the KBO record for most consecutive seasons (eight) with 130 games played by an infielder, went 2-for-4 with one run scored in a valiant effort.

KT's lineup today was: center fielder Choi Won-jun, designated hitter Kim Min-hyeok, right fielder Ahn Hyun-min, left fielder Sam Hilaryard, first baseman Kim Hyun-soo, second baseman Kim Sang-su, third baseman Heo Kyung-min, catcher Han Seung-taek, and shortstop Jang Jun-won. Starting pitcher was Daniel Davis.

Doosan countered with the following lineup: shortstop Park Chan-ho, third baseman Ahn Jae-seok, left fielder Kim Min-seok, designated hitter Yunion Severino, first baseman Yang Seok-hwan, second baseman Kang Seung-ho, center fielder Jung Soobin, right fielder Kim Daehun, and catcher Kim Ki-yeon. Starting pitcher was Choi Seung-yong.

From the start, Daniel Davis faced repeated bad luck. In the top of the first inning, Park Chan-ho's leadoff hit struck Davis's glove and trickled behind him for a base hit. Even after infielder Kim Sang-su fielded Ahn Jae-seok's ground ball cleanly, he failed to make a quick throw to first base, allowing the runner to reach safely.

Davis handled Kim Min-seok's ground ball well at first base, but Severino's next hit struck Davis again and deflected for a two-run double. What Davis tried to catch actually backfired. Second baseman Kim Sang-su also made an error, allowing extra-base hits. Following Kang Seung-ho's walk and Jung Soobin's hit-by-pitch that drove in a run with the bases loaded, Doosan took a 2-0 lead.

The same frustrating pattern continued into the second inning. In the bottom of the second, leadoff hitter Hilaryard singled through the middle, advanced to third on an opposing wild pitch and Kim Hyun-soo's ground ball to second base. After Kim Sang-su drew a walk, Han Seung-taek hit a sacrifice fly through the middle to score one run, cutting the deficit.

In the top of the third, Doosan loaded the bases with two outs after Kang Seung-ho's infield single and Jung Soobin's double down the left-field line. Hilaryard failed to catch Jung Soobin's hit on the first try, allowing it to fall for an extra-base hit. Later, during Kim Daehun's at-bat, shortstop Jang Jun-won failed to field Hilaryard's throw in time, allowing Kang Seung-ho to score again.

KT had been stuck in a frustrating cycle of two double plays in the previous two chances, but finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Leadoff hitter Heo Kyung-min drew a walk, and Han Seung-taek and Jang Jun-won made routine outs. However, Choi Won-jun crushed Choi Seung-yong's fourth slider over the center-left field fence for a home run, tying the game at 3-3. This was his ninth home run of the season, traveling 126.7 meters.

After successfully scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth, KT repeated the feat in the seventh. Leadoff hitters Hilaryard and Kim Hyun-soo reached base with consecutive hits, and Kim Sang-su drew a walk to load the bases. Heo Kyung-min then drew a bases-loaded walk, and Kwon Dong-jin hit a double down the right-field line, driving in all runners to score. Choi Won-jun then lined a one-run RBI double through center-left field on the first pitch, extending the lead to 13-3. In the bottom of the eighth, Hilaryard added a solo home run over the fence, and Kang Hyun-woo contributed with an RBI single to center-left field, sealing a decisive 15-3 victory for KT.

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*This content was translated by AI.