Na Gyun-ahn suffers 6th loss of season despite 7th inning 2-run comeback
KT extends winning streak to 3 games, ‘1 run in 8 innings’ Cuevas wins 8th straight
Reporter Lee Sang-cheol = Baseball’s seventh-ranked Lotte Giants fell into a seven-game losing streak as they were swept in a three-game series against the KT Wiz.
Lotte went 1-2 against KT in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Sajik Stadium in Busan on Sunday.
With the loss, Lotte has now dropped seven games in a row dating back to the 18th against the Gocheok Kiwoom Heroes, and nine in a row against KT, including the sweep in the three-game series at Sajik. The season series against KT is a lopsided 3-12.
With 50 wins and 58 losses with 36 games remaining, Lotte’s chances of playing fall baseball are looking increasingly slim.
On the other hand, second-place KT kept the pressure on the first-place LG Twins with its 62nd win of the season (2 ties, 47 losses).
Lotte lost the lead in the top of the third inning when starter Na Gyun-an gave up back-to-back singles to Ahn Chi-young and Hwang Jae-gyun.
The Twins responded in the bottom of the inning, and Park Seung-wook singled and stole second base to put runners on first and second with no outs. However, they were unable to tie the game due to the silence of the next batter.
After the opportunity came the crisis. Lotte added another run in the top of the fourth inning. Na Kyun-an singled to center field, followed by Oh Yoon-seok’s sacrifice fly to right field to make it 0-2.
LOTTE broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Jeong Hoon doubled to drive in Park Seung-wook from first base. KT’s right fielder Ahn Chi-young tried to make a diving catch, but couldn’t hold on and the ball rolled behind him.메이저놀이터
However, Lotte was unable to tie the game. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Lee Jung-hoon was thrown out at second base on a grounder to the first baseman. In the bottom of the seventh, Yoon Dong-hee doubled, but Yoo Kang-nam grounded into an infield single.
Na Gyun-an pitched seven innings of six-hit ball, striking out nine and giving up two runs, but was unable to get any support from his offense and took the loss. Na Gyun-ahn, who lost his fifth straight start, fell to 6-6 on the season.
KT starter William Cuevas pitched eight innings, allowing one run on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts to earn his eighth win of the season. KT closer Kim Jae-yoon, who pitched one scoreless inning in the bottom of the ninth, earned his 24th save of the season.