KT Wiz snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating the Kiwoom Heroes behind a strong pitching performance from starter Wes Benjamin.
KT won 4-2 away from home against Kiwoom in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Nov. 11.
With the win, eighth-ranked KT improved to 35 points (2-2-41) and closed the gap on seventh-ranked Kiwoom (38 points (2-44)). Kiwoom, on the other hand, fell to a fifth straight defeat.
KT starter Wes Benjamin picked up his ninth win of the season (3-3) with 11 strikeouts and two runs in 7⅔ innings. Kim Jae-yoon, who earned the save in the ninth inning, became the ninth pitcher in history to reach 150 career saves.
At the plate, Lee Ho-yeon, who hit a leadoff single in the seventh inning with the score tied 1-1, was the hero of the game.
Kiwoom couldn’t overcome the four runs allowed by starter Ahn Woo-jin, who went 6 1/3 innings with five hits and 11 strikeouts. Lee Jung-hoo, who had one hit, became the 40th player in history to reach 100 hits in seven consecutive seasons, but it was overshadowed by his team’s loss.
KT took the lead in the first inning. After leadoff hitter Kim Min-hyuk singled, Kim Sang-soo doubled to put runners on second and third and scored easily on Anthony Alford’s sacrifice fly.
Kiwoom fought back in the fourth inning. One out later, Kim Hye-sung led off with an infield single and Lee Jung-hoo drew a walk to put runners in scoring position. Lim Ji-yeol then tied the game with an RBI double.
The game continued to be a tight pitcher’s duel until the seventh inning, when the KT offense broke the balance. After a leadoff single by Park Byung-ho, Jang Sung-woo walked and Hwang Jae-gyun singled to put runners on first and second, and Lee Ho-yeon hit a 153-kilometer fastball from Ahn Woo-jin for an RBI single. 안전놀이터추천
Kiwoom then dropped Ahn and brought up Yang Hyun. Yang got his first batter, Moon Sang-chul, on an infield grounder, but then gave up a double to Choi Sung-ho with runners on second and third. Both runners came home to extend Ahn’s run total to four.
With the game tilted toward KT, Kiwoom pulled within one run in the bottom of the eighth on a double by Lee Hyung-jong and a single by Kim Hye-sung.
Lee Jung-hoo then singled and Lim Ji-yeol walked to load the bases, but pinch-hitter Kim Woong-bin struck out to end the threat.
With the game in hand, KT brought in Kim Jae-yoon to close out the ninth inning and retired the next three batters to secure the two-run victory.