“Cho Young-gun threw with a fighting spirit right after he was hit by the ball. This image reminded the entire squad of their commitment to victory.”
Kiwoom Heroes head coach Hong Won-ki, who won three consecutive games with a thrilling walk-off victory, applauded Cho Young-gun.
Kiwoom, led by head coach Hong, defeated manager Yeom Kyung-yeop’s LG Twins 2-1 in the home game of the 2025 professional baseball KBO League at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul on the 6th. Kiwoom, which won three consecutive games, recorded 19 wins, 1 draw, and 45 losses.
The result was victory, but the process was not easy. Kiwoom was dragged 0-1 by LG until the top of the eighth inning.
But I didn’t lose my concentration. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Lee Ju-hyung scored a superior tying solo shot (season No. 7) with a distance of 120m.
Kiwoom, who entered the extension afterwards, faced bad news in the top of the 10th inning. Right-hander Cho Young-gun, who was on the mound, was hit in the ankle by Austin Dean’s training ball. In this situation, Cho Young-gun showed his fighting spirit. I came out with a pressure bandage and blocked the inning scoreless.
Was it because of Cho Young-gun’s fighting spirit. Kiwoom was able to face a precious victory in the bottom of the 10th inning with Song Sung-moon’s 130-meter superior driving distance solo arch (season No. 10).
Kiwoom starter Kenny Rosenberg couldn’t throw many balls because he felt uncomfortable with his left hip joint, but he stopped five innings with three hits, three strikeouts, and one run. Lee Joon-woo (1 scoreless inning), Lee Kang-joon (1 scoreless inning), Joo Seung-woo (1 scoreless inning), Won Jong-hyun (1 scoreless inning), and Cho Young-gun (win, 1 scoreless inning) kept the mound, and the victory went to Cho Young-gun. It is his first win of the season (three losses). Song Sung-moon (2 hits in 4 at-bats, one home run and one RBI), the main character of the winning shot, shone in the lineup. In addition, Lee Ju-hyung (1 hit, 1 home run, and 1 RBI in 2 at-bats) who fired an equalizer also supported him firmly.
After the game, head coach Hong Won-ki said, “Rosenberg came down from the mound early due to pelvic discomfort, but he pitched perfectly until the fifth inning,” adding, “All the bullpen that followed were responsible for their innings with all their might.” In particular, Cho Young-gun threw with a fighting spirit immediately after being hit by the ball. This image reminded the entire team of their will to win again,” he said with a thumbs-up.
Coach Hong said, “Lee Joo-hyung’s tie home run served as an opportunity for the team to unite without giving up until the end. He then left the ground saying, “Song Sung-moon’s come-from-behind home run allowed me to win a valuable victory.”
Meanwhile, Kiwoom, which is trying to secure four consecutive wins and three consecutive winning series through the game on the 7th, will have right-hander Raul Alcantara (1 win, ERA 0.00) as the starting pitcher. In response, LG predicted right-hander Lim Chan-kyu (8-1, 2.63 ERA).
[Kochuk (Seoul) = Lee Han-joo, MK Sports Reporter]
