‘Turn this around? LG is scary’ ‘0:5→5:5→5:6→6:6→9:6’ Choi Won-tae ejected in the 1st inning→Forced bullpen day→Koo Bon-hyeok tied the game in the 9th inning→Park Hae-min hit the winning run in the 11th inning

The LG Twins showed a never-say-die attitude amid an unexpectedly forced “bullpen day,” pulling off a come-from-behind 11th-inning victory to win their first seven-game winning streak of the season.

The Twins were forced to utilize their bullpen in the first inning against the Lotte Giants at Sajik Stadium in Busan on Friday after starter Choi Won-tae was ejected for a head shot by Son Ho-young with just one out, but the Twins held the Lotte bats in check and kept pounding away, winning 9-6 on Koo Bon-hyeok’s tying RBI single in the bottom of the ninth and Park Hae-min’s game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the 11th.

LG, which won its seventh straight game for the first time this season, improved its record to 53-2-2 and stayed within striking distance of the first-place Kia Tigers.

Lotte jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning and extended it to 5-0, but failed to score any more runs and the bullpen couldn’t hold on to the lead as they lost their fourth straight game. With the loss, Lotte fell to 39-3-51, half a game behind the ninth-place Hanwha Eagles (40-2-53), who did not play on the day.

Lotte started with Hwang Sung-bin (center field), Yoon Dong-hee (right field), Na Seung-yup (first base), Reyes (left field), Son Ho-young (third base), Ko Seung-min (second base), Jeon Jun-woo (designated hitter), Park Seung-wook (shortstop), and Son Sung-bin (catcher), while LG started with Hong Chang-ki (right field), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Austin (first base), Moon Bo-kyung (third base), Park Dong-won (designated hitter), Kim Hyun-soo (left field), Park Hae-min (center field), Shin Min-jae (second base), and Kim Sung-woo (catcher).

In the bottom of the first inning, something unexpected happened. Choi Won-tae was ejected for throwing a head shot at No. 5 Son Ho-young.

After leading off the inning with a double to left by Hwang Sung-bin and a single to right-center by Yoon Dong-hee, Lotte put runners on first and second with a single to left by Reyes. Son Ho-young was hit in the helmet by Choi Won-tae’s 144-kilometer fastball on the third pitch of a 2S count. Luckily, it was a grazing hit and Son was able to continue playing without serious injury. Because the fastball was aimed at his head, he was automatically ejected.

LG sent Lee Ji-gang to the mound. After Park made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the first inning, Lotte scored two more runs on back-to-back singles by Jeon Jun-woo and Park Seung-wook to make it 4-0.

LG was on a bullpen day, but the bullpen was well-rested after not playing the day before due to ground conditions. While Lee Ji-gang was able to keep the game scoreless until the third inning, LG, who had been shut out in the first and second innings, started to take advantage of Lotte starter Kim Jin-wook in the top of the third. Park Hae-min singled and Hong Chang-ki walked to put runners on first and second, but Oh Ji-hwan fouled out to third. In the top of the fourth, Park Dong-won and Kim Hyun-soo singled to put runners on first and second, but Park Hae-min was thrown out at the plate.

In the bottom of the fourth, Lotte capitalized on an LG fielding error. After Hwang Sung-bin stole second, Yoon Dong-hee hit a routine grounder to third, but Moon Bo-kyung’s throw was one-bound, and first baseman Austin didn’t catch it properly, causing the ball to hit the mitt and bounce back. Hwang Sung-bin came home to make it 5-0.

LG got on the board in the top of the fifth inning. An infield single by Shin Min-jae and a double down the left field line by Hong Chang-ki put runners on second and third, and Austin hit a three-run shot over the left field fence. All of a sudden, 3-5, two runs.

Lotte starter Kim Jin-wook went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits (one home run) with one walk and six strikeouts.

LG loaded the bases in the top of the sixth against the second pitcher, Han Hyun-hee, with Kim Hyun-soo doubling and Park Hae-min singling, but Shin Min-jae hit a hard line drive in front of the shortstop for a double play.

In the top of the seventh inning, they struck again. After Kim Bum-seok, who replaced Kim Sung-woo, singled to left, manager Yoon Kyung-yup brought in Choi Seung-min with the bases loaded. Designated hitter Park Dong-won had to wear a catcher’s mask, but he would do whatever it took to win. Hong Chang-ki singled to center off the left-handed Jin Hae-soo to put runners on first and third with no outs, and Oh Ji-hwan followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-5, 1 run. With Austin on first and one out, Lotte brought up its fourth pitcher, Koo Seung-min. Austin hit a big foul ball over the left field fence on the first pitch, but was thrown out at second 메이저사이트 base for the second out. Moon Bo-kyung singled in the fourth to put runners on first and second again, but Park Dong-won grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Yoon Dong-hee led off with a single but was caught stealing second when Na Seung-yup grounded out, and then Reyes doubled to right to put runners on second and third, but Son Ho-young grounded out to shortstop.

In the top of the eighth, LG finally tied the game. After Kim Hyun-soo led off with a walk, pinch-hitter Choi Won-young came to the plate. Park Hae-min laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on first and second. Shin Min-jae singled to short center field, and Choi Won-young stole third. The ball was thrown home, but it was safe. The game was tied 5-5, and as the play was being relayed home, Shin Min-jae stole second base. Shin’s hand appeared to touch second base first, and the first call was safe. However, the video review overturned the call as an out. In the ninth, Ham Chang-gun singled for the first time in his career, but Hong Chang-ki flied out to left field.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, a ridiculous situation occurred. Bad luck for LG, good luck for Lotte. Substitute pitcher Kim Yoo-young caught pinch-hitter Jeong Hoon’s grounder and threw slowly to first base, but the throw was too high, allowing Jeong to reach second base with no outs. Jeon Jun-woo fouled out to right field to put runners on first and third, and Park Seung-wook’s sacrifice fly to center field made it 6-5.

However, LG would not go down without a fight. They tied the game again against Lotte closer Kim Won-joong. In the bottom of the first, Austin and Moon Bo-kyung drew back-to-back walks to put runners on first and second. Park Dong-won struck out to end the inning with two outs, but pinch-hitter Koo Bon-hyuk hit a single to center field to tie the game at 6-6. Kim Won-joong was in trouble for the third straight game after giving up a run.

Lotte had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the ninth when Choi Hang-hang singled to center. But Yoon Dong-hee struck out swinging on two consecutive bunt fouls. Na Seung-yup then struck out, and Reyes’ well-hit ball was caught on a line drive to first base to send the game into extra innings.

In the top of the 10th inning, Park struck out to end the inning. Jang Doo-seong singled to left off LG Jung Woo-young and stole second to put runners on first and second. However, Jeon Jun-woo grounded out to the shortstop to put runners at second and third. Park Seung-wook drew a walk to put runners on first and second, but pinch-hitter Lee Jung-hoon grounded out to shortstop.

LG wrapped up the game in the 11th, scoring the game-winning run two batters later. Austin drew a walk, Park Dong-won singled to center field to put runners on second and third, and ninth inning hero Koo Bon-hyuk drew a walk. Hae-min Park hit a pitch over the center field fence for a three-run double to make it 9-6 and seal the game.

Baek Seung-hyun came in and pitched a scoreless bottom of the 11th inning to earn the save and close out the deceiving game.

After Choi Won-tae was charged with four runs in ⅓ inning, LG used Lee Ji-gang (2⅔ scoreless innings), Kim Young-joon (1⅓ scoreless innings), Lim Joon-hyung (1⅔ scoreless innings), Kim Dae-hyun (1 scoreless inning), Kim Yu-young (1 scoreless inning), and Yoo Young-chan (1 inning scoreless), Jeong Woo-young (1 inning scoreless), Baek Seung-hyun (1 inning scoreless), and eight other bullpen pitchers shut down Lotte’s offense to pull off a dramatic come-from-behind victory, similar to Game 2 of last year’s Korean Series.