The NC Dinos won in walk-off fashion on Friday, as a hit from Na Sung-bum took home a runner and gave the team a 6-5 win over the Lotte Giants. The win opened a three-game series hosted by the Dinos at the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea.

The winning hit was scored against reliever Kim Geon-guk, giving the Giants player his second loss of the season through 29 appearances.

The game-deciding play came an inning after Yang Eui-ji tied the game up for the Dinos with a two-run home run.

Giants and Dinos Take Turns With Lead Throughout Game

There was numerous lead changes throughout the game.

The Giants were the first to take a lead, as solo home runs from Jeon Jun-woo and Kim Joon-tae put the team up 2-0. The runs came against Drew Rucinski, who pitched six innings in total.

The Dinos made a comeback and took the lead later in the game as hits from Na Sung-bum, Kwon Hee-dong and Park Min-woo scored a run each to make the score 3-2.

Giants starter Lee Seung-heon was pulled out of the game after giving up runs in the fifth inning.

Before the Dinos made a game-winning comeback in the eighth and ninth inning, the Giants got ahead with a score of 5-3. After a hit from Lee Dae-ho took home two runners on a bases loaded play, a hit from Lee Byung-kyu scored another runner.

Odds Remain Slim For Giants To Make Playoffs

Another loss for the Giants only further slims their chances of making the playoffs. Currently in seventh place, it is still mathematically possible for the team to make it up to fifth. With 12 more games to play, the team is six games behind the wild card spot.

The Dinos will host two more games against the Giants this weekend. Saturday’s game has a scheduled start time of 5:00PM KST (4:00AM EDT).

Around The KBO

The LG Twins won a one-sided game on Friday, defeating the Kia Tigers 9-0. The team had a hot start, scoring five runs in the first inning.

The Kiwoom Heroes took the lead in the seventh inning, putting down six runs to give them a 7-4 lead against the Doosan Bears.

While the KT Wiz evaded a shutout loss by scoring one run in the ninth inning, the team dropped a 7-1 game to the SK Wyverns.

Lead by a seven-inning stint from David Buchanan, the Samsung Lions defeated the Hanhwa Eagles 6-2.

While the NC Dinos were able to battle back from a deficit late on Wednesday, the Lotte Giants were able to win 7-5 after a three-run hit from Kim Joon-tae in the 10th inning.

The win tied up a two-game series between the teams that was hosted at the home ballpark for the Dinos, the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea.

The Giants picked up a lead early, putting down four runs in the opening innings. The runs gave the team a lead that they held onto until the ninth inning, where the Dinos were able to tie up the game and force extra innings.

Giants Score Four In The First

After the bases were loaded by starting pitcher Mike Wright, Giants player Lee Dae-ho drove home two runners off of a hit.

A ground ball from Dixon Machado and a hit from An Chi-hong later in the inning both scored runs, making the game 4-0 for the Busan squad.

Dinos Start Scoring

The Dinos started to answer back in the fifth, as a solo home run from Na Sung-bum shortened the Giants lead to three runs.

The fifth was the final inning for Giants starter Noh Kyung-eun. Although the five-inning appearance was not a win for Noh, it was a good rebound following two consecutive losses that saw him give up numerous runs.

The Dinos picked up their second run in the eighth inning, as a hit from No Jin-hyuk drove home a runner. The run came against reliever Koo Seung-min.

Game Gets Tied Late

The Dinos were able to string together runs late in the game to stay alive.

Controversy emerged early in the bottom of the ninth inning, as a call at second base against runner Park Min-woo had to be reviewed. Although some camera angles indicated there were points when Park was off the base while shortstop Machado tagged him, the umpires ruled Park as safe on the play. The Giants, who challenged the initial call, protested it for a short period of time afterwards as well.

The large amount of attention devoted to second base overshadowed the fact that it was also a scoring play that took a runner home, moving the game to 4-3.

Later in the inning a hit from Yang Eui-ji scored a run, tying the game up at 4-4.

10th Inning Pitcher Won Given Loss

The deciding runs batted in by Kim in the 10th upped his 2020 tally of runs to 28. The play took home three runners, two of which were walked.

The loss for the game was given to reliever Won Jong-hyun, who allowed the three runs in the 10th inning. He had played the full ninth inning before entering in extra innings.

The loss, his fourth of the year, makes his 2020 record a negative 3-4.

Kim Stays Through 10th For Win

Despite allowing runs in the ninth inning, Giants closer Kim Won-joong returned in the 10th to finish the game. While he did finish the game, he allowed another run off of a ground ball from Kwon Hee-dong. Kim earned his fourth win of the season for his two-inning outing.

A Return To Busan To Face Lions

Having finished their two games against the Dinos, the Giants will now head back home for a two-game series against the Samsung Lions. The team currently has a 50-48-1 record and sits seventh in the KBO, three games behind the sixth-place Kia Tigers.

Around The KBO

The Hanhwa Eagles earned a win and a tie on Wednesday in a two-game series against the Samsung Lions. After tying their afternoon game 4-4, the Eagles won a shutout 7-0 evening matchup.

A high-scoring win for the Kiwoom Heroes saw them defeat the SK Wyverns 13-4.

Giving the KT Wiz a lead in the 11th inning, Mel Rojas Jr. hit a two-run home run to put the team up 4-2 over the Doosan Bears. The Wiz were able to hold onto their lead to get the win.

A game between the LG Twins and the hosting Kia Tigers was rained out.

The NC Dinos picked up a blowout victory on Tuesday, defeating the Lotte Giants 14-2 in an effort that saw the team pick up 10 runs in the first inning. The win, which came at the home ballpark for the Dinos, the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea, broke a losing streak for the currently top-ranked KBO team.

Dinos Put Down 10 Runs

The game went out of reach for the Giants quickly after a disastrous first inning.

The first inning saw Song Seung-jun face six batters before being taken out of play. He allowed three runs in his stint after hits from Lee Myun-gi and Park Suk-min both earned runs.

Kim Dae-woo came in next, allowing six more runs after hits from No Jin-hyuk, Kwon Hee-dong, Park Min-woo, Na Sung-num and Yang Eu-ji all earned RBIs. The first in the rally against Kim, a two-run hit from No, was scored against the first pitcher, Song.

The short yet damaging stunt from Song gave him the loss for the game. Being played as a starter for the first time in 2020, Song was given a loss to even his 2020 record at 2-2.

Four More For The Dinos

Another rally for the Dinos came in the third inning, allowing the team to rack up 14 runs in total. Na and Yang, tho batters who scored in the first inning, both scored runs in a rally that also saw hits from Park Suk-min and Kang Jin-sung drive home runners.

The four runs were scored against Jang Won-sam, a pitcher who had the longest stint out of all Giants on Tuesday, playing through the second to fourth innings.

Giants Show Life, Just Not Enough

The sole scoring from the Giants came in the fourth when the team put down two runs. The team was able to score runs off of hits from Lee Dae-ho and Lee Byung-kyu.

The runs came against starter Song Myung-gi, who played another full inning before being taken out of the game. Only playing as a starter for the fourth time in 2020, Song was given a win for the game, making his 2020 record 3-1.

Dinos Look To Retain First

After a previous week that saw them pick up numerous losses, the Dinos now sit only one-and-a-half games ahead of the second-place Kiwoom Heroes.

The Dinos are set to host the Giants again on Wednesday, with the first pitch set for 6:30PM KST (5:30AM EDT).

Around The KBO

A 8-0 shutout win for the Doosan Bears against the KT Wiz was lead by starting pitcher Raul Alcantara, who pitched six innings for the team.

Tied 2-2, the Hanhwa Eagles took a two-run lead over the Samsung Lions in the 10th inning after a hit from Noh Si-hwan scored two runs.

After trailing since the first inning, the Kia Tigers took a 3-2 lead over the LG Twins due to a hit from Preston Tucker in the seventh that drove home two runs.

Climbing back in a high-scoring game, the Kiwoom Heroes scored five runs in the eighth inning to defeat the SK Wyverns 16-15.

A back-and-forth game went to the NC Dinos on Thursday, winning a 9-7 match over the Lotte Giants at the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea.

The game saw big innings from both teams, with the Giants even holding the lead at one point following a five-run inning.

Early Runs For Dinos

The Dinos took a two-run lead in the fourth inning after star batter Aaron Altherr hit his 14th home run of the season. Tied with teammate Na Sung-bum, Altherr sits second in the KBO for most home runs.

Taking the game to a 1-2 score, Giants player Son Ah-seop batted in a run in the fifth inning.

Giants starter Dan Straily was taken out after allowing two more runs in the fifth inning. The game became 4-1 after Altherr drove home two runs off of a hit. Oh Hyun-taek finished the inning on the mound, but not before a wild pitch brought in one more run.

Giants Score Five Runs

The Giants were able to battle back and even take the lead in the sixth after a long rally of hits. It started with a two-run home run from Han Dong-hee. After that, Dinos starter Lee Jae-hak was taken out of play. Hits from Jung Hoon and Son Ah-seop brought in three more runs, moving the game to 6-5 in favour of the Giants.

Dinos Retake Lead For Win

A two-inning push from the Dinos saw them retake the lead for the rest of the game. In the sixth, a hit from pinch hitter Yang Eui-ji scored two runs over reliever Jin Myung-ho. Jin was given the loss for the game, his first of the season.

Hits from Kwon Hee-dong and No Jin-hyuk in the seventh made the game 9-6. The hits came against Lee In-bok.

While the Giants weren’t able to take the lead, they scored one last run in the eighth off of a ground ball.

The win went to Dinos reliever Park Jin-woo, who played through five outs from innings five to seven. Taking over after him was Won Jong-hyun, who finished the game and earned his 13th save of the season.

NEXT: Dinos Head To Break Streak As Giants Aim To Retain

Winning their Wednesday and Thursday games, the Dinos won their series over the Giants two-games-to-one. The team will host a three-game series over the Kia Tigers starting Friday. The Tigers are the only team that has remained undefeated over the Dinos this season, going 2-0 in their first meeting.

The Giants head back home for their weekend series, as the team hosts a trio of games against the SK Wyverns. The Giants won two-games-to-none over the Wyverns in their first 2020 meeting.

All of Friday’s games are set to start at 6:30PM KST (5:30AM EDT). Both the Giants and Dinos’ games have a potential to be affected by rain.

Around The KBO

The Samsung Lions got their third-straight win over the SK Wyverns on Thursday, earning the sweep after a 6-2 victory.

A rough start for Hanhwa Eagles pitcher Warwick Saupold gave the Kia Tigers the lead early, eventually finishing with a 7-1 win.

In extra innings, a hit from Jang Sung-woo drove home the deciding run to give the KT Wiz a win over the LG Twins 4-3.

A seventh-inning rally put the Kiwoom Heroes ahead by three, defeating the Doosan Bears 10-7.

 

A Wednesday game went the way of the NC Dinos over the Lotte Giants with a score of 6-2. The game saw the Dinos pick up five runs on returning Giants starter Jang Won-sam, at their home park, the Changwon NC Park in Changwon, South Korea.

The win saw the team tie up the series between the two teams as the Giants took an extra-innings victory on Tuesday. The series is the first between the two teams this season.

Early Power From Na

The game saw the teams exchange solo home runs early. It started in the first inning with a solo home run from Na Sung-bum, the 14th of the year for the right fielder. The hit made Na the Dinos leader for home runs, overtaking Aaron Altherr.

Tying the game up in the second was Jung Hoon, who hit a home run of his own.

Na, who got an RBI in the first inning, batted in another in the fourth to give the Dinos a lead. In the next at bat, Yang Eui-ji hit a two-run home run to make the game 4-1.

Lee Moves RBI Streak To Trio

Moving the game to 4-2, an outfield hit by Lee Dae-ho drove home a run. Lee was absent from the game’s starting lineup, being brought in as a pinch hitter in the seventh.

The play moved Lee’s streak of RBIs to three games, as well as his hitting streak to seven-in-a-row. Leading the club in RBIs, Lee sits sixth in the KBO overall.

Koo Remains Perfect As Jang Struggles In Return

Dinos starter Koo Chang-mo was pulled from the game after the seventh inning. Being awarded his seventh win of the season, Koo is tied in the KBO for most wins. Unlike the others with seven wins, Koo is the only one who has zero losses on his record.

The Dinos were able to score a run in the seventh off of an error. A throw to first by catcher Kim Joon-tae missed first base and went into right field, buying runner Park Suk-min enough time to go from first base around to home.

Giants starter Jang Won-sam was taken out of the game after the fifth run scored. The game was only his second appearance of 2020, having last played for the team in May against the Doosan Bears. Being given the loss for the game, the veteran pitcher’s 2020 record moved to 0-2.

With bases loaded, a run came in the seventh off the bat of No Jin-hyuk against reliever Park Shi-young.

Rubber Match Set For Thursday

Now tied at a game each in the series, the Dinos and Giants will play their final game on Thursday. First pitch for Thursday’s game is set for 6:30PM KST (5:30AM EDT).

Around The KBO

Playing the entire game, Samsung Lions starting pitcher David Buchanan allowed only four hits and one run, helping the team win 7-1 over the SK Wyverns.

A late rally of four runs from the LG Twins was not enough, dropping a game 11-5 to the KT Wiz.

Getting ahead early with 10 runs in two innings, the Doosan Bears defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 14-5.

A late ninth-inning push from the Kia Tigers gave them a walk-off victory over the Hanhwa Eagles, winning the game 4-3. Scoring three runs in the last inning, the deciding run was driven home by Na Ji-wan.

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.