An 11th inning home run from Lee Dae-ho helped the Lotte Giants pull off a 10-8 win over the NC Dinos on Tuesday. The win, which came from the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea was the first game between the two teams this season.
The high scoring game saw the teams take turns with the lead. The win is an upset, as the Giants sit six places below the first-place Dinos on the KBO rankings.
Early Runs
The Giants used 11 pitchers in the game, as their entire game relied on their relievers. Kim Dae-woo was pulled in the third inning after facing two batters.
The Dinos got ahead in the third with a rally of hits. Against pitcher Jin Myung-ho, a hit from Na Sung-bum scored two runs.
Taking the game to within a run, the Giants responded in the fourth, as a hit from An Chi-hong drove home a run.
Trading Shots
Innings six to eight were hectic as both teams scored numerous runs.
The sixth inning saw the Giants retake the lead after a two-run home run from An, who had already earned an RBI earlier on. The home run was his third of the year.
Only half an inning later, Aaron Altherr hit a two-run shot to made the game 3-4 Dinos.
Three Run Shot Puts Giants Ahead
Dinos starter Mike Wright was taken out after the sixth inning. He allowed nine hits and three runs in his outing. The team struggled in the seventh inning against Giants batting, bringing in three pitchers in the frame.
When the third pitcher, Bae Jae-hwan was brought in, he gave up a three-run home run to Lee Dae-ho.
Dinos Battle Back
Through the seventh and eighth, the Dinos scored a series of runs that tied the game up and sent it into extra innings. Bringing the game to within a run again, Kwon Hee-dong hit a home run in the seventh.
Giving the Dinos more to climb back out of, the Giants scored two more runs in the eighth inning. Hits from Son Ah-seop and Jung Hoon both scored runs against Im Chang-min, who pitched the entire inning.
The game got tied up 8-8 in the eighth after two more runs were scored by the Dinos. First was a huge home run from Park Suk-min. Near the end of the inning, a fly ball from Kang Jin-sung took a runner home from third.
Giants Earn Win Late
Lee’s home run in the 11th inning came against Kang Yoon-gu, giving the reliever his first loss of the season through 15 appearances.
Kang Dong-ho, who had already entered the game in the eighth, finished the game for the Giants, giving him a win. The game was only Kang’s third 2020 appearance and his first decision.
The Dinos are scheduled to host two more games against the Giants this week. Wednesday’s game has a start time of 6:30PM KST (5:30AM EDT).
Around The KBO
A low scoring game saw the Samsung Lions move their one-run lead up to three late, defeating the SK Wyverns 4-1.
Numerous high-scoring innings including a six-run rally in the seventh gave the Kiwoom Heroes a comfortable 11-2 win over the Doosan Bears.
A walk-off home run from Hong Chang-gi gave the LG Twins a 4-3 win over the KT Wiz in the 11th inning.
A game between the Hanhwa Eagles and the hosting Kia Tigers was rained out in Gwangju, South Korea.
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