Kiwoom Heroes extend their winning streak to four games behind the backs of Choi Won-tae and long balls from Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Hye-sung.

Kiwoom defeated the KIA Tigers 2-1 in their home game of the KBO Baseball 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul today (14 April).

Kiwoom was out-hit 5 to 9, but scored more runs with crucial long balls from Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Hye-sung.

Starting pitcher Choi Won-tae cooked the KIA bats with his changeup to help secure the one-run victory.

He faced eight hits in seven innings and gave up just one run with a precision pitch that didn’t walk a single batter.

He struck out three.

It was KIA who took the early lead.

In the top of the third, Kim Kyu-sung singled down the right field line and came home on a sacrifice bunt by Ryu Ji-hyuk, a single by Choi Won-joon, and a grounder by Socrates.

Kiwoom tied the game in the top of the fourth on a triple by Lee Jung-hoo and an RBI single by Addison Russell. 안전놀이터

With one out, Lee’s pitch was hit cleanly to left-centre, and she watched the trajectory of the ball and didn’t slow down to reach third base.

And Russell, the team’s leading on-base percentage (.441), took advantage of the opportunity and lined a single up the middle.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, tied at 1-1, Kim Hye-sung hit a triple to right-centre to get into scoring position once and for all, and she crossed home plate on Lee Jung-hoo’s sacrifice fly to right field.

KIA had six scoring chances on the day, but could only manage one run.

This is the seventh ‘one-run loss’ game KIA has suffered this month.