‘Gulbiz→Oh Jae-il 4-homer, 8-RBI collaboration’ Lion’s fireworks show thrilled 24,000 fans…Lotte snaps 3-game losing streak
A stifled lion’s roar shook the giant mound. It was an onslaught of 14 hits, including four arches.
The Samsung Lions won their fifth game of the season against the Lotte Giants 9-7 on Tuesday at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, South Korea, led by Gulbiz (Kim Ji-chan, Kim Hyun-joon, Lee Jae-hyun) and Oh Jae-il.
Samsung’s Suarez failed to get a quality start (six or more innings and no more than three earned runs) after giving up three runs on nine hits in 5⅔ innings and throwing 116 pitches, but the team’s bats helped him earn his second win of the season.
Samsung opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on an error. Leadoff hitter Kim Ji-chan led off with a single, stole second, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kim Hyun-jun. From there, Pirela’s grounder in front of the pitcher was misplayed by first baseman Jung Hoon Han for the first run of the game 안전놀이터.
Of the nine runs scored on the day, Gulbiz and Oh Jae-il were the only ones not recorded as hits. However, it was Kim Ji-chan who scored the run, and it wasn’t as if it was irrelevant, as he had a stolen base and a bunt. Samsung took a 2-0 lead when Oh Jae-il hit a two-run double down the right field line.
Lotte, which had snapped a three-game losing streak the day before with Na Kyun-ahn, fought back. In the top of the second inning, Park Seung-wook, Yoo Kang-nam, and Kim Min-soo hit three consecutive singles to pull within one run. However, Samsung regained control of the game in the bottom of the second inning when “big shortstop” Lee Jae-hyun hit a solo shot over the left field fence.
Commentators Ryu Ji-hyun and Kim Tae-gyun said, “Lee Jae-hyun showed a perfect swing. Look at the way his back is turning” and “Lee Jae-hyun’s advantage is that he is a ‘big shortstop’. You don’t use the word ‘big’ for just anyone,” and “His advantage is that he is a ‘big shortstop.
Samsung squandered a two-out opportunity in the bottom of the fourth inning and gave up a run in Lotte’s top of the fifth. Lotte put runners on first and second with no outs when Ahn Chi-hong, who had two hits on the day, laid down a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Yoon Dong-hee.
In the bottom of the fifth, however, Samsung extended its lead to 5-2 when Oh Jae-il launched a solo shot over the right field fence off Han Hyun-hee and scored on an infield single by Lee Jae-hyun and an error by the third baseman to put runners on first and second. In the bottom of the sixth, Oh Jae-il hit back-to-back home runs. He took a 151-kilometer fastball from Jung Seong-jong and smashed a line drive over the left field fence.
In the bottom of the seventh, Samsung put runners on first and second with two outs after Lee Jae-hyun singled and Kim Ji-chan walked, and Kim Hyun-joon hit a three-run home run over the right field fence to put the game out of reach. Suarez was followed by Woo Gyu-min (left) and Lee Seung-hyun (right), who kept Lotte’s offense in check until the eighth inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Kim Tae-hoon faltered. He gave up a double to LOTTE’s leadoff hitter, a walk to Kim Min-soo, and a single to Rex to cut the deficit to one run.
After Kim gave up a walk to Lee Hak-joo, the Samsung bench made a decision. With the bases loaded, closer Oh Seung-hwan took the mound.
It was not easy to extinguish Lotte’s flames. Yoon Dong-hee’s infield single scored a run, followed by RBI singles from Ko Seung-min and Jeon Jun-woo. However, Oh Seung-hwan struck out Park Seung-wook to end the game.