The Hanwha Eagles snapped a six-game losing streak with a strong performance from their bats.
Hanwha, led by Choi Won-ho, snapped a six-game losing streak and improved to 12-17 on the season with a 10-5 victory in Game 5 of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League against the Doosan Bears at the Daejeon Hanwha Life Eagles Park on Sunday. Doosan, which failed in its bid for a third straight win, fell to 14-17.
Starter Ricardo Sanchez fell short of expectations, allowing five runs on 10 hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, but reliever Si-hwan Jang picked up his second win of the season with 1 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief. The centerfield trio of Jonathan Peraza, Noh Siwan, and Chae Eun-sung combined for nine RBIs to lead the team to victory.
Doosan's Park Jung-soo, who was assigned to start in relief, took the loss after giving up six runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout in two innings. Doosan had to take solace in the fact that hitters Kang Seung-ho, Henry Ramos, Kim Ki-yeon, and Park Jun-young from the sixth through ninth spots all coordinated their bats with multi-hit performances.
Doosan, who started Park Jung-soo, lined up as follows: Jung Soo-bin (center fielder)-Heo Kyung-min (third baseman)-Yang Ji-jee (designated hitter)-Kim Jae-hwan (left fielder)-Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman)-Kang Seung-ho (second baseman)-Ramos (right fielder)-Kim Ki-yeon (catcher)-Park Jun-young (shortstop).
For the home team, Hanwha lined up in the following order: Choi In-ho (left fielder), Hwang Young-mook (shortstop), Peraza (right fielder), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-sung (designated hitter), Ahn Chi-hong (first baseman), Lim Jong-chan (center fielder), Lee Jae-won (catcher), Jeong Won Jung (second baseman). Sanchez was the starting pitcher.
Hanwha made a change to its hitting coach ahead of the game. Jeong Hyun-seok, who was previously the first team hitting coach, was moved to the Futures hitting coach 안전놀이터 position, and Futures hitting coach Kang Dong-woo was promoted to the first team. Hanwha, which is ranked last in the league in batting average, hoped to turn things around with the coaching staff change.
The effect was felt in the bottom of the first inning. Choi In-ho singled and Hwang Myung-mook walked to load the bases, and after a strikeout by Peraza, Noh Si-hwan singled to load the bases. Chae Eun-sung then hit a double to center field to drive in both runners. The next batter, Ahn Chi-hong, followed with an RBI single. The score was 4-0.
After the big first inning, Hanwha continued to focus in the second inning. In the second inning, Choi In-ho, Hwang Young-mook, and Peraza reached on a walk, hit by pitch, and hit by pitch before Noh Si-hwan singled up the middle to bring home Choi In-ho from third and Hwang Young-mook from second, making it 6-0.
Doosan didn't stand still. After back-to-back singles by Ramos and Kim Ki-yeon in the top of the third, Park Joon-young led off with an RBI single. After a walk to Jung Soo-bin and a hit by pitch to Heo Kyung-min, Yang Yang-ji, who had the bases loaded, doubled to left-center field. Kim Ki-yeon added an RBI single in the top of the fourth to make it 4-6.
Needing more runs, Hanwha added two in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third, Peraza hit an RBI single and Roh Si-hwan followed with an RBI single to make it 8-4.
Doosan rallied in the top of the fifth with an RBI double by Kim Jae-hwan, but in the bottom of the sixth, Peraza hit a two-run shot over the center field wall with Park Chi-guk on first base to end the threat. From the top of the seventh through the top of the ninth innings, Lee Min-woo, Park Sang-won, and Joo Hyun-sang pitched scoreless innings in relief to close out the game.
Doosan and Hanwha will play the final game of their three-game series on the 28th. Both teams will start Choi Jun-ho and Moon Dong-joo, respectively.
Overall pitching stats for both teams.
-Doosan: Park Jung-soo 2 innings, 6 hits, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, 6 runs-Kim Min-kyu 1⅓ innings, no hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, 1 run-Kim Myung-shin 1⅔ innings, 4 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 1 run-Park Chi-guk 1 inning, 2 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, 2 runs-Young-ha 2 innings, no hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, no runs
Sanchez 4⅓ innings, 10 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 5 runs - Jang Si-hwan 1⅔ innings, 2 hits, no walks, no runs - Lee Min-woo 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, no runs - Park Sang-won 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, no runs - Joo Hyun-sang 1 inning, 1 hit, no walk, no runs
