'Closer 46 pitch→bases-loaded walk horror show' Bench didn't move, NC's '9th inning catastrophe' that threw away '90% win probability'

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He blocked the crisis well in the 8th inning, but his control wavered entering the 9th. Allowing 5 walks and giving up 3 runs on bases-loaded walks alone, he allowed a tie. Despite multiple opportunities to change pitchers, the NC Dinos bench remained unmoved, and ultimately had to settle for a draw that felt like a loss.

NC drew 5-5 after extra innings in an away game against SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers field on the 26th in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League.

NC, which had to rush desperately to advance to fall baseball, fell into a two-game losing streak and desperately needed a win, but lost the victory in the final moment due to poor control and an even more painful judgment error.

Riley Thompson, boasting a 100% winning percentage this season, pitched 6 innings with 11 strikeouts and allowed 1 run, pitching well, and the batting lineup also helped by scoring 5 runs.

In the 8th inning while leading 5-2, Jeon Sa-min took the mound and wavered. He allowed Kim Jae-hwan a walk and struck out Jeon Ui-san, but then allowed Choi Ji-hoon a walk. With 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd, closer Lim Ji-min entered. He caught Han Yu-seom on a fly ball to left field and committed a wild pitch, moving runners to 2nd and 3rd, then induced a bases-loaded walk with a fastball to Cho Hyung-woo, but threw 4 consecutive sliders against Ahn Sang-hyun and struck him out swinging.

He blocked it well, but it was a scene showing signs of a major disaster. His fastball control against Cho Hyung-woo wasn't working, and since he couldn't allow another walk, it appeared he decided to battle Ahn Sang-hyun with sliders only.

Against the first batter Jung Jun-jae in the 9th inning, both the 1st and 2nd pitches were outside the zone. After that, he pushed in the 3rd and 4th pitches, creating a 2-2 count with strikes and foul inducement, then chose a forkball on the 5th pitch to get 1 out on a ground ball to first base.

He gave up a hit to Lee Ji-young and threw 4 consecutive fastballs against Blay Madris, but control wasn't easy. When Madris kept swinging and the count became favorable at 1-2, he tried to entice Madris with a breaking ball but allowed another walk.

Lim Ji-min, who battled Kim Jae-hwan with breaking pitches and got a fly ball to left field, gave a walk to Jeon Ui-san and fell into a bases-loaded crisis. With only one more out needed and being the closer, he could have been given another chance.

However, against Choi Ji-hoon, he struggled to attack the strike zone and allowed a walk, giving up 1 run on a bases-loaded walk. The score was still 2 points apart, still 2 outs with bases loaded. Here, Manager Lee Ho-jun went to the mound directly. There was no intention to make a change. It was to encourage Lim Ji-min.

Nevertheless, Lim Ji-min couldn't regain his 8th inning form. Han Yu-seom resisted a fastball with poor control. The breaking ball also didn't listen well, and once again a bases-loaded walk.

Inexperienced Hong Dae-in stepped up to the plate, and the NC bench seemed to think they could handle it this time, pushing forward with Lim Ji-min. However, a fastball at the batter's eye level came from the first pitch. It was the moment they confirmed the control wasn't working at all, but they let it continue. All 3 fastballs were high, and the slider meant to induce a swing was too low. Ultimately, another walk was allowed, making it 5-5 tied.

The NC bench finally changed pitchers to Son Ju-hwan. Coincidentally, Son Ju-hwan struck out Ahn Sang-hyun swinging. Son Ju-hwan also pitched cleanly without allowing runs in the 10th inning, and Shin Young-woo, who took the mound in the 11th, also pitched perfectly with 2 strikeouts. It was a result that could only leave regret.

No matter how dominant the closer is among relief pitchers, control wasn't working and pitches were piling up. Proactive response might be difficult, but after the first two bases-loaded walks, the pitcher could have been changed. With 2 outs and bases loaded before Choi Ji-hoon's at-bat after the first walk allowed, NC's win probability reached 90.3%. Moreover, before even facing Choi Ji-hoon, the pitch count had already reached 31.

Even after allowing 1 run, the win probability was still an overwhelming 81.4% for NC. Even after allowing a walk to Han Yu-seom, there was a 70.8% chance to turn the situation around, but ultimately no change was made, and the result was a draw that was no different from a loss, or perhaps would cause even greater aftershocks.

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