In what started as a trailing-yet-attainable performance for the Lotte Giants became a blowout after the fifth-inning, which saw the Kia Tigers score seven runs.
Finishing as a 11-2 win for the Tigers, the team won again at home, at the Gwangju Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, Korea.
Teams Warm Up With Runs
The game was close for only one inning, as both teams drove in one run in the first inning. It started with the Giants, with Lee Dae-ho driving home Son Ah-seop with a hit.
The Tigers answered back, as Choi Hyung-woo drove home Kim Ho-ryeong.
Trouble For Sampson
Giants starter Adrian Sampson got himself in a jam in the second inning, as the bases were loaded with no outs. After getting a strikeout, a pitch hit the hand of Kim Sun-bin, forcing a run home. A double play, throwing to home then first allowed the Giants to escape the inning.
The play took a long time before it was ruled final though, as the Tigers challenged the throw to first base. After many minutes of review, the ruling was upheld.
Another run came an inning later, with Baek Yong-hwan batting in the third run for the Tigers.
Fifth Inning Blowout
A strong fifth inning from the Tigers, which saw seven runs and 11 at-bats, was what took their game from a small lead to a blowout performance.
The rally started against Giants pitcher Sampson, being pulled after Baek Yong-hwan batted in the first run of the inning.
Park Shi-young was then brought in, being able to attain the second out of the inning before giving up three more runs.
Ko Hyo-jun became the third pitcher of the inning, starting his stint by giving up a three-run home run from Preston Tucker. The shot was the seventh home run of the season for Tucker, who leads the club in the statistic.
Tucker, who was holding his left thigh while rounding the bases, was replaced by Choi Won-joon in the next inning.
Ko was able to finish the inning for the Giants, with the team trailing by nine runs in the end.
Starters Add To 2020 Records
The performance from Sampson, which ended in the fifth inning, gave him his second loss in two appearances. Allowing nine hits and six runs in his performance, Sampson’s ERA moved to an inflated 9.40 over two games.
The pitching from the Tigers was a significantly different story, with Yang Hyun-jong being given the win after allowing only two hits in six innings, along with four strikeouts.
Apart from the early run from the Giants, the only blunder from the Tigers bullpen came late, allowing a solo home run from Heo Il against closer Hong Gun-hee.
Tigers Stay Perfect Against Giants
Now down to an 11-14 record, the Giants have fallen to seventh place, tied with the KT Wiz, who they will play later in the week. The Tigers find themselves tied with the Kiwoom Heroes in fourth, identically holding 14-12 records.
With the win, the Tigers have moved to 5-0 against the Giants, being the only team they have remained undefeated against so far. Similarly, the Tigers are the only team the Giants have been unable to defeat this season.
Having played two games in the series now, the Tigers will host the Giants once more on Thursday, with the game starting at 6:30PM KST (5:30AM EDT).
Around The KBO
Allowing only two hits over seven innings, KT Wiz starter So Hyeong-jun was an essential part of the team’s 7-2 win against the Doosan Bears.
With runs coming in early for both teams, a lead for the Kiwoom Heroes was taken to the end against the Hanhwa Eagles, with a final score of 6-2.
Bouncing back from a previous loss, the NC Dinos held onto a lead, despite a late rally from the SK Wyverns. Staying atop the KBO standings, the Dinos won 8-6.
While the LG Twins had the lead early, it became all Samsung Lions starting in the fourth, finishing with a 12-6 win.
JackWannan.com 