Eagles snap losing streak with 7-3 drubbing of Tigers

The Hanwha Eagles defeated the Kia Tigers 7-3 in Gwangju on Wednesday behind seven strong innings from starter Owen White and a four-RBI performance by leadoff hitter Sim Woo-jun.

The Eagles ended a four-game losing streak, reclaiming sixth just one day after falling out of the spot. The team had struggled in the first five games of the second half of the KBO season with one draw and four losses.

The result also snapped the fourth-place Tigers' four-game winning streak.

The Eagles attacked Tigers starter Adam Oller, considered one of the best foreign pitchers in the league this season, from the start. In the top of the first inning, the Eagles created a two-out, first-and-second situation with a walk by Moon Hyun-bin and a single by Roh Si-hwan. Jonathan Peraza then hit a hard grounder that deflected off the first baseman’s glove and rolled into shallow right field, allowing Moon to score the first run.

In the second inning, Sim hit a three-run home run to left field, his fourth of the season, with one out and runners on first and second after consecutive walks for Lee Do-yun and Park Jung-hyun, giving Hanwha a 4-0 lead. The Tigers narrowed the gap to 4-1, but Sim delivered another RBI single with one out and a runner on second in the top of the sixth to extend the Eagles' lead.

Kia attempted a comeback with solo home runs from Park Sang-jun in the fifth inning, his third of the season, and Yoon Do-hyun in the eighth inning, his first of the season. However, Hanwha’s Heo In-seo sealed the victory in the top of the ninth with a two-run single to center field.

Hanwha starter White allowed one run on four hits, including one home run, with two walks over seven innings to earn his sixth win of the season. Sim led the offense with three hits and four RBIs, while Moon also contributed with three hits.

Tigers starter Oller struggled, allowing four runs on six hits, including one home run, over five innings, missing his chance to become the first pitcher this season to reach 10 wins. He now has seven losses and nine wins.

Meanwhile, in Busan, the SSG Landers defeated the Lotte Giants 7-3 behind the two-way performance of newly joined foreign player Bligh Madris. Madris, who joined the team as an injury replacement, had three hits, including a home run, with two RBIs and two runs scored. Starter Pedro Avila allowed three runs over six innings to earn a second win in as many KBO appearances.

The last-place Kiwoom Heroes defeated the league-leading Samsung Lions 3-1 in a home game. Heroes closer Yuto Kanakubo recorded his 10th save of the season, becoming the 24th player in KBO League history and the first foreign player to achieve 10 holds and 10 saves in a single season.

The game between the LG Twins and NC Dinos at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul was declared a rainout after heavy rain poured down in the bottom of the third with the score tied 0-0. Twins starter Anders Tolhurst, who pitched three scoreless innings, and Dinos starter Riley Thompson, who pitched two and one-third scoreless innings, both had their efforts wasted.

The game between the KT Wiz and Doosan Bears in Suwon was also canceled due to rain.

BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]