Translation result.
A home run swung the momentum. The Hanwha Eagles relied on two two-run homers to knock off first-place KT Wiz and extend their winning run.
Hanwha defeated KT 5-3 on the 15th at Suwon KT Wiz Park in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League. The Eagles wiped away the sting of being swept by KT at home last month and notched their first win of the season against them.
Riding a stretch that included three straight winning series, Hanwha improved to 19-21. First-place KT slipped to 24 wins with one tie and 15 losses and dropped into a two-game skid, increasing pressure from the chasing pack.
Starter Wang Yencheng gave Hanwha a strong start, going five innings, allowing five hits, striking out eight and yielding two runs to earn his fourth win of the season. Yun San-heum, Lee Min-woo and Lee Sang-gyu followed with scoreless relief, and Jack Cushing closed in the ninth, allowing one run while recording his fourth save of the year. The save carried extra significance as it came in his final appearance under a six-week contract with Hanwha.
The turning points were the homers. Trailing 1-1 in the top of the fourth with one out and a runner on first, Moon Hyun-bin turned on a two-seam fastball from KT starter Ko Young-pyo and sent it over the right-field wall. It was his eighth homer of the season and a two-run shot that flipped the game.
KT answered quickly. Rookie Lee Kang-min, who opened the scoring in the second, added an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to knot the game at 2-2. KT later loaded the bases but failed to capitalize, and momentum swung back to Hanwha.
Hanwha reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth. After Heo In-seo’s hit and Kim Tae-yeon’s sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position, Shim Woo-jun delivered an RBI single to make it 3-2.
The game was put away in the top of the eighth. With two outs and a runner at third following a Shim Woo-jun walk and a wild pitch, Yonathan Peraza drove a fastball from Han Seung-hyuk over the deep right-center wall for a two-run homer. It was his seventh homer of the season and the dagger that sealed the win.
KT trimmed the deficit to one in the bottom of the ninth on Kim Hyun-soo’s RBI single but could not complete the rally. Ko Young-pyo pitched seven strong innings, giving up five hits, striking out 10 and allowing three runs, but he took the loss after his offense couldn’t provide support.
Meanwhile, Kang Baek-ho made his first trip to Suwon KT Wiz Park since joining Hanwha and faced his former team’s fans. He acknowledged the crowd before his first plate appearance and received applause, but he finished 0-for-3 and left the game wanting more.
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