Eagles lead KBO at halfway mark for first time in 33 years

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Eagles lead KBO at halfway mark for first time in 33 years

Published: 07 Jul. 2025, 15:22 Updated: 07 Jul. 2025, 19:10

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Ryan Weiss plays in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on July 6. [HANWHA EAGLES]

The Hanwha Eagles have climbed to the top of the KBO standings in the first half of the regular season for the first time since 1992.

The club completed a dominant three-game sweep over the Kiwoom Heroes with a 10-1 away win at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on Sunday. With the victory, the Eagles improved their winning percentage to .598 with 49 wins, two draws and 33 losses, securing the top spot regardless of the outcome of their remaining three games against the Kia Tigers in Daejeon from Tuesday to Thursday.

It is the first time the Eagles have led the league at the All-Star break since 1992, when they were known as the Binggrae Eagles.

That year, the Eagles posted a .644 winning percentage with 38 wins, one draw and 21 losses in the first half and held a slim half-game lead over the Haitai Tigers — now the Kia Tigers — who had a .638 winning percentage with 37 wins and 21 losses.

The Eagles went on to finish the season in first place with a .651 winning percentage with 81 wins, two draws and 43 losses, advancing directly to the Korean Series.

The Eagles also topped the Magic League in the first half of the 1999 season with a .554 winning percentage, but trailed the Dream League-leading Lotte Giants at .591 in the overall standings.

Eagles starting pitcher Ryan Weiss struck out 11 in six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks to earn his 10th win of the season with three losses.

He became the fourth pitcher in the KBO to reach double-digit wins this year, following teammate Cody Ponce, who is 11 and 0 and recorded his 10th win against the Heroes on June 22.

It is the first time in franchise history that both foreign pitchers have recorded at least 10 wins in the first half. Including full seasons, it is only the second time ever, after Warwick Saupold, with 12 wins, and Chad Bell, with 11 wins, achieved the feat in 2019.

Chae Eun-seong plays in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on July 6. [HANWHA EAGLES]

At the plate, the Eagles exploded with home runs.

Captain Chae Eun-seong opened the scoring in the second inning with a two-run blast to left field off a two-seam fastball from starter Park Joo-sung. It marked his 14th homer of the season and his second in as many games. He has hit four home runs in his last 10 games.

Later that inning, Lee Jae-won added a run with a groundout following back-to-back hits by Kim Tae-yeon and Lee Do-yoon. In the seventh, Luis Liberato — who had hit a game-winning double the night before — launched a three-run homer to right, his second of the season.

Liberato, signed as a six-week injury replacement for Estevan Florial, has been red-hot, batting .420 in 12 games with a .667 batting average with runners in scoring position and a staggering 2.025 OPS.

Roh Si-hwan, the 2023 home run leader, added a solo shot to left in the seventh, his 17th of the season, while Lee Won-seok capped the scoring with a solo homer to left-center in the ninth, his fourth.

Luis Liberato plays in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on July 6. [HANWHA EAGLES]

“Ryan did a fantastic job on the mound today, fulfilling his role perfectly. Congratulations to him on reaching 10 wins,” Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon said after the game. “The hitters really stepped up, and I think that helped the game flow in our favor. I want to praise all our players for their focus and effort.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]