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KBO-leading Twins rout Tigers to snap 2-game slide

Published: 15 Sep. 2025, 10:52

LG Twins starter Anders Tolhurst pitches against the Kia Tigers during the clubs' KBO regular-season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Sept. 14, in this photo provided by the Twins. [YONHAP]

Starter Anders Tolhurst bounced back from a rough outing to twirl six shutout innings, and shortstop Oh Ji-hwan drove in four runs to tie his season high, as the LG Twins pounded the Kia Tigers 14-0 at home Sunday to end their two-game losing streak in the KBO.

Before a sellout crowd of 23,750 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, the Twins also became the first team to win 80 games this season. At 80-50-3 (wins-losses-ties), they continue to lead the KBO regular-season standings with 11 games left.

On the 20 previous occasions, teams that reached 80 wins first have gone on to win the regular-season crown 19 times and captured the Korean Series title 15 times.

The Tigers, trying desperately to make it to October in their title defense season, dropped to 61-66-4. They started the day just two games out of the fifth and final postseason berth.

The Twins took full advantage of some shaky command early on by the Tigers starter Yang Hyeon-jong, who walked two of the first three batters he faced while loading the bases with no out in the bottom of the first.

Moon Bo-gyeong's double play ball plated the Twins' first run, before Kim Hyun-soo's single made it a 2-0 game.

Yang loaded the bases again in the bottom third on two walks and a single, and Oh made him pay with a two-run single to give the Twins a 4-0 lead.

The hit knocked Yang out of the game, and pinch hitter Hong Chang-ki hit a sacrifice fly off reliever Kim Ki-hoon to push his team's lead to 5-0.

Oh picked up his third RBI of the game with a two-out double in the fifth inning.

That was more than enough run support for Tolhurst, who was barely touched during his latest gem. The right-hander allowed just two hits and struck out five. He has now had four scoreless outings out of six so far in the KBO after replacing Elieser Hernandez in August.

Oh Ji-hwan of the LG Twins celebrates after hitting an RBI single against the Kia Tigers during the clubs' Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on Sept. 14, in this photo provided by the Twins. [YONHAP]

Just five days earlier, Tolhurst had been rocked to the tune of five runs on seven hits in just four innings against the Kiwoom Heroes — this after he'd allowed only one earned run in 25 innings over four starts in August.

Tolhurst said after the game he tried to go back to trusting his stuff after last week's adventures.

"I fixed some stuff mechanically, and I think the biggest thing overall is just staying on the attack, trusting my stuff, and being able to go out there and compete," he said. "I was able to attack the zone, keep the hitters on their toes and mix up the pitches."

The Twins blew the game wide open by tacking on eight runs on eight hits and a hit-by-pitch in the bottom eighth. Their first eight batters of the inning reached safely, with Oh padding his RBI total with a groundout.

For the Tigers, Yang walked a season-high five batters in only two innings, and the bullpen issued four more free passes.

Yonhap