The Lotte Giants took a 7-3 win on Saturday over the Kia Tigers, continuing to score after the teams traded runs early on. The game tied up the Giants home series being played at the Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, South Korea.
The win was the first for the Giants since the KBO started to allow live crowds last Sunday.
Giants and Tigers Take Turns
The Giants and Tigers traded blows in the early innings, going tit-for-tat in the opening two innings.
Both teams scored runs in the first inning. First was the away Tigers who scored after Preston Tucker drove home a run off of a hit. Leadoff batter Jung Hoon tied the game back up, hitting a solo home run to start the bottom of the first.
The Twins got ahead again in the second after a hit from Na Joo-hwan drove home a run. Persisting to keep the game close, a sacrifice fly from Giants player Shin Bon-gi tied the game up again later in the inning.
Giants Pull Ahead
A ball hit by Jeon Jun-woo bounced off the top of first-baseman Yoo Min-sang’s glove, going into right field. Ruled as a hit, the play drove home two runs for the Giants and made the game 4-2. The Tigers had trouble in the inning after as well, loading up the bases before ending the frame with a double play.
Another run was tallied for the Giants in the fifth after a throw over the glove of a first baseman allowed Jeon Jun-woo to get around to home.
Tigers starter Im Ki-young finished play after five innings, being given the loss for the runs that he gave up.
The first reliever to come in for the Tigers continued their troubles, as Moon Kyung-chan gave up a two-run home run from Son Ah-seop before getting the third out.
Giants Pitchers Given Decision
Pitching six innings, Giants starter Park Se-woong was given the win for the game. The decision moved Park to an even 5-5 2020 record, also balancing his ERA at 5.00.
A closing performance from Kim Won-joong earned him his 12th save of the season. The closer sits third in the KBO for most 2020 saves.
Game Causes Movement In Standings
Following their win on Saturday, the Giants moved up to seventh in the KBO. With a 34-35 record, the team surpassed the 35-37 Samsung Lions who lost their respective game on Saturday. The Tigers fell to fifth in the KBO, being overtaken by the LG Twins.
The Giants will host the Tigers one last time this week, with Sunday’s game starting at 5:00PM KST (4:00AM EDT).
Around The KBO
The KT Wiz won a shutout 11-0 game on Saturday against the SK Wyverns. The game gave So Hyeong-jun his first win in just under two months after being given four losses in his last six appearances.
A 8-8 game between the Doosan Bears and the NC Dinos went into extra innings, finishing with a 12-10 score in favour of the Bears. The Bears scored four at the top of the 10th, holding onto their lead despite giving up two runs after.
Finishing their game with a 15-run lead, the Kiwoom Heroes defeated the Samsung Lions 22-7. The Heroes will look for their sixth-consecutive win on Sunday in a streak which has shot them into second in the KBO.
The LG Twins got ahead early, scoring six runs in the first inning against Hanhwa Eagles starter Warwick Saupold. The Twins won the game 9-6 in the end.
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