"Rayes needs to hit four tomorrow, right?" First career five-hit game saves LG on the brink! Moon Jung-bin now cheers only for "Lotte" [On-site in Busan]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Moon Jung-bin (23), who barely kept LG Twins' hopes for third place alive, will become a passionate supporter of the Lotte Giants for one day tomorrow (the 11th). In particular, he placed his expectations on the bat of Victor Reyes (32), who set a new KBO League single-season record for most hits.

In the away game against Lotte held at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 10th in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season, Moon Jung-bin started as the fourth batter and first baseman, recording five hits in five at-bats, two RBIs, and one run scored to lead LG to a 4-3 victory in the 10th inning of extra innings.

It was his first career single-game performance with five hits. Not a single hit was meaningless. As the leadoff hitter in the second inning, he hit a double into left-center field to set up the opening run, and in the third inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, he drew a right-side RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. In the fifth inning, he hit an RBI double that struck the right-field fence directly, extending the lead to 3-1.

The most valuable hit came last. It was immediately after LG conceded two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, allowing a 3-3 tie. It was a situation where they could easily lose a game they absolutely had to win. However, with one out in the top of the 10th inning of extra innings, Moon Jung-bin hit the ball deep into shortstop territory for an infield hit. Pinch runner Choi Won-young entered the game, and subsequently, thanks to an hit by Moon Bo-kyung and a grounder by Song Chan-ui, they scored the winning run.

Recalling the dugout atmosphere during the ninth-inning tie, Moon Jung-bin said, "It wasn't good. But since the game wasn't over yet, the mood was 'let's do it all together.'" He added, "I think I'm a bit lucky that I managed to stay alive again."

He actually took an aggressive approach in his at-bat in the 10th inning of extra innings as well. Moon Jung-bin explained, "Austin got out quickly before me, so I thought the opposing pitcher might come at me aggressively. So I tried to hit even more aggressively, and it turned out well."

Up until this game, he had recorded five RBIs in a single game twice, but five hits was a first for him. When asked which was better, he didn't hesitate for a moment. Moon Jung-bin smiled and said, "I think five hits is better. My batting average has been dragged down quite a bit recently. With five hits today, I feel like I've recovered a little."

In fact, Moon Jung-bin earned his first consistent starting opportunity in the first division this season. He had appeared in only 21 first-division games through last year, but this year he has hit 18 home runs in 89 games, establishing himself as a new power hitter for LG's lineup.

His batting average against Lotte reached .531 (17 hits in 32 at-bats). In particular, including his five-for-five performance today, he is hitting .583 (14 hits in 24 at-bats) in just eight games at Busan Sajik Baseball Stadium this season, approaching a .600 average. Moon Jung-bin also said, "I know I've had good results at Sajik, so even if my timing isn't great, I feel a bit more confident." He added, "I think I step into the batter's box feeling psychologically comfortable."

Most importantly, with today's win, LG's hopes for third place survived. As a result, fourth-place LG (78 wins, 1 draw, 64 losses) narrowed the gap to third-place KIA (77 wins, 2 draws, 62 losses), who have not yet started their games, to 0.5 games. If KIA wins both its game against SSG on the 10th and against Lotte on the 11th, it will record 79 wins, 2 draws, and 63 losses with a winning percentage of .556 even if it loses in the final regular-season matchup against LG on the 12th. Even if LG beats Lotte today and defeats KIA on the 12th, the highest winning percentage they can achieve is 79 wins, 1 draw, and 64 losses, or .552.

However, with LG's win today, the spark for the third-place race has been kept alive for now. Depending on the results of KIA's game against SSG on the 10th and against Lotte on the 11th, the final regular-season game between LG and KIA to be held in Gwangju on the 12th could become a decisive match determining who gets third place and a direct ticket to the playoffs.

Moon Jung-bin emphasized, "We will probably watch KIA's game together on the bus heading back to our hotel after the game. First of all, winning is our top priority. Since we only have one game left against KIA, we must win no matter what."

On the 11th, he will cheer for Lotte. The tenacious display by Lotte, which pushed LG to the brink of defeat until the moment the game ended, feels reassuring. Moreover, Lotte has Reyes, who set a new KBO single-season record with 205 hits today. When reporters asked, "How many hits would you like Reyes to get tomorrow?" Moon Jung-bin smiled brightly and said, "I think he'll hit them all. He should hit at least four, right?"

In any case, Moon Jung-bin's first postseason appearance is confirmed. While his peers have experienced winning the Korea Series, Moon Jung-bin finished his military service and only played his first full season this year.

Moon Jung-bin said, "I haven't played in the postseason yet, but when I listen to (Lee) Ju-hun or (Choi) Won-young talk about it, they say the fans' cheering is even more fun and the game feels more intense when you're out there. I want to play soon too." He added emphatically, "Also, since Jamsil Baseball Stadium will be my last [as a player], and this is the first year I've played a lot, I want to play as much as possible."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original