‘장군멍군’ 0.5경기차 1위 삼성·2위 KT 나란히 승리…롯데·한화는 연패 수렁

Today, Samsung Lionz and KT (Korea Telecom) raised an intense battle in the standings, as both teams won their respective matches by a narrow margin. In the 2026 KBO League home game at Samsung Lionz Park, Samsung Lionz defeated Lotte Giants with a score of 8-5, achieving their seventh consecutive win. On the other hand, Lotte Giants fell into a six-game losing streak.

Samsung Lionz starter, Choi Won-tae, pitched 6 innings, allowing only 4 hits (2 home runs), striking out 10 and gave 2 unearned runs. It had been two and a half years since Choi Won-tae recorded two or more strikeouts in a single game, following his 2024 April performance against Enky (NC) Dinosaurs. In the crucial sixth inning, Samsung Lionz scored five runs, quickly turning the tide.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Kim Jinchan came to bat, hitting a two-out, three-run single to left field, turning the tide of the game.

Lotte Giants tried to chase down Samsung Lionz in both the eighth and ninth innings, taking 2 and 1 runs respectively, but it was not enough to overcome their early deficit. Lotte Giants pitcher Go Seung-min contributed four hits, three runs scored, and two RBIs, but it was not enough to secure the win for his team. Lotte Giants finished the game with a 8-5 loss, falling to the seventh position in the standings.

Second-placed KT (Korea Telecom) also maintained their lead with a 9-6 victory over Hanwha Eagles in their home game. Meanwhile, Hanwha Eagles, now in their eighth losing streak, fell short against newly crowned star team, EsseS Gaming (SSG) Renderz, ending their season with a ninth-place finish. Hanwha Eagles have struggled with only one win in their last 15 games, marking the worst slump in their history.

KT's Kim Min-hyuk led the charge with a 5-hit, 3-run performance, including a game-winning two-out, three-run single to left field. EsseS Gaming's Huh Kyung-min also contributed significantly with a 4-for-4 performance. However, Hanwha Eagles' starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin struggled, giving up 10 runs over 10 innings and marking his fourth consecutive season with 30 or more strikeouts.