The SSG Landers fell to the Hanwha Eagles, plunging into a 10-game losing streak. They are now just one loss away from matching the franchise record for consecutive defeats, which includes their time as the SK Wyverns.
On May 29, SSG lost 4-3 in an away game at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon. Following a previous loss, this marks SSG's longest losing streak since adopting the SSG name, reaching nine games. With this latest defeat, they now face the prospect of a double-digit losing streak.
It has been nearly five years and eight months since SSG last experienced a 10-game losing streak, which occurred in September 2020 during their SK Wyverns era. The franchise's all-time longest losing streak is 11 games, recorded twice in 2000 and 2020. If SSG loses again to Hanwha on May 30, they will tie that record, and a loss on May 31 would set a new franchise record.
In contrast, Hanwha secured the victory with two home runs from Heo In-seo and Kang Baek-ho. With this win, Hanwha improved to a .500 record of 25 wins and 25 losses, maintaining their fifth-place standing.
The game began as a tight pitching duel. Hanwha's starter Owen White and SSG's starter Choi Min-jun held each other scoreless through the first four innings.
Hanwha broke the deadlock in the fifth inning. Lead-off hitter Noh Si-hwan reached base with a hit, and Heo In-seo followed with a two-run homer over the left field wall. This marked Heo's 10th home run of the season, achieving double digits for the first time in his career.
SSG quickly responded in the sixth inning. After Park Seong-han hit a double, Jeong Jun-jae drove him in with a single, narrowing the gap to 4-1. However, Hanwha extended their lead later in the inning when Kang Baek-ho hit a two-run homer off reliever Lee Ro-un after a walk to Moon Hyun-bin.
SSG mounted another comeback in the seventh inning. With two outs, Choi Ji-hoon hit a triple, and Oh Tae-gon followed with a two-run homer to bring the score to 4-3. However, they could not complete the comeback.
Hanwha's Park Sang-won pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and closer Lee Min-woo faced a two-out, two-on situation in the ninth but secured the win by forcing Oh Tae-gon into a groundout to shortstop. This marked Lee's third save of the season.
Hanwha's starter White earned his second win of the season, pitching seven innings with four hits, two walks, and three earned runs. SSG's starter Choi Min-jun lasted five innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out five, but he received no run support, suffering his fourth loss of the season.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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