'4:1 became 4:13' Samsung's great disaster! Won Tae-in shocked by 9 runs allowed and pulled from the mound → Lotte explodes for 10 runs in the 4th inning, putting even 2nd place on high alert

*This content was translated by AI.

A shocking result. The Lotte Giants toppled Samsung Lions' 'blue-blood ace' Won Tae-in (26), effectively scattering red pepper powder on the already hurried Samsung Lions.

On the 20th, Won Tae-in started against Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan during a regular-season game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. He lasted only 3⅓ innings, allowing 11 hits, walking 2 batters, striking out 2, and surrendering 9 earned runs before being replaced by Lee Seung-hyun without completing the 4th inning.

Lotte's lineup that day was: Hwang Sung-bin (center fielder), Na Seung-yeop (designated hitter), Victor Reyes (left fielder), Han Dong-hee (third baseman), Go Seung-min (first baseman), Jeon Min-jae (shortstop), Son Seong-bin (catcher), Jang Du-seong (right fielder), and Han Tae-yang (second baseman). The starting pitcher was rookie Kim Tae-gyun.

Samsung countered with Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman), Jeon Byeong-woo (third baseman), Koo Ja-wook (left fielder), Lewin Diaz (first baseman), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Park Seung-gyu (center fielder), Kim Sung-yoon (right fielder), Kim Do-hwan (catcher), and Sim Jae-hoon (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Won Tae-in.

Won Tae-in threw a total of 82 pitches, including 32 four-seam fastballs clocked up to 149 km/h, 23 changeups, 11 sliders, 8 two-seam fastballs, 7 cutters, and 1 curveball, but failed to dominate Lotte's lineup.

It was precarious from the start. In the bottom of the 1st with one out, he walked Na Seung-yeop and allowed a single to left field by Victor Reyes, then surrendered a run-scoring double to center field by Han Dong-hee. In the 2nd inning, he gave up consecutive hits to Jang Du-seong and Han Tae-yang, continuing an unstable trend. He managed to retire three batters in order at the start of the 3rd, and Samsung's lineup also found its rhythm. With Samsung leading 4-1, Won Tae-in seemed to regain his composure.

But everything collapsed in the bottom of the 4th. After retiring leadoff batter Jeon Min-jae on a center field fly ball, Son Seong-bin's slow grounder became an infield hit. Jang Du-seong singled to right field, and Han Tae-yang drew a straight walk, loading the bases. Then, Won Tae-in attempted to field an ambiguous grounder by Hwang Sung-bin but the ball deflected off his glove, and teammate Jeon Byeong-woo failed to make a throw, allowing one run.

That was not the end. Na Seung-yeop hit a run-scoring single to right field, and Reyes followed with a two-run double down the left-center gap, giving Lotte a 5-4 lead. With Han Dong-hee's single to left field loading the bases again, Go Seung-min launched a two-run double down the left-center gap, pulling Won Tae-in from the mound.

Relief pitcher Lee Seung-hyun could not extinguish the fire either. After walking Jeon Min-jae, he issued a bases-loaded walk to Son Seong-bin and another bases-loaded walk to Han Tae-yang, bringing home all of Won Tae-in's inherited runners. Then, Yang Chang-seop also fell victim to Hwang Sung-bin's two-run single to left field, as Samsung surrendered a staggering 10 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning alone.

The 4-1 lead was instantly flipped to 4-11. Later, in the bottom of the 5th with one out, Lotte added two more runs on Go Seung-min's walk and a two-run double down the left-field line by Son Seong-bin, followed by Jang Du-seong's two-run double down the left-center gap, making it 13-4.

At the same time, all competing teams in the standings were ahead, leaving Samsung even in danger of losing its 2nd-place position. At Jamsil Baseball Stadium, 3rd-place LG Twins led Hanwha Eagles 4-3 entering the top of the 7th inning, while at Suwon KT Wiz Park, 1st-place KT Wiz held a 9-0 lead over Doosan Bears in the top of the 7th.

Prior to the game, Samsung sat in 2nd place with 76 wins, 3 ties, and 51 losses, trailing 1st-place KT by 2.5 games and 3rd-place LG by 3 games. On the day Won Tae-in collapsed, Samsung found itself not only unable to chase the lead but also having to worry about maintaining its 2nd-place standing.

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*This content was translated by AI.