An interference call completely changed the course of the game. It was a lucky break for the Lotte Giants, who had a long road trip ahead of them, but a chilling moment for their opponents.
Lotte won 2-1 against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on March 23. The Giants were down 0-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, but scored a run in the eighth on an infield single and then won the game in the ninth on Park Seung-wook’s grand slam to end a three-game losing streak. LG, on the other hand, missed a chance to win three straight.
Jamsil Stadium was packed with 21,089 fans on a weekday evening. The game started with a tense pitching battle. LG’s Casey 메이저놀이터 Kelly and Lotte’s Park Se-woong were both solid on the mound. Kelly shut down the Lotte offense for eight innings, throwing 108 pitches and allowing one run (unearned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Park countered with eight innings of three-hit ball, striking out five and walking one. Both pitched well enough to earn the win, but it was Park who got the nod. It was his fourth win of the season (2-0).
In a game that was 0-0 until the sixth inning, it was LG who took the lead. In the top of the seventh, Hong Chang-ki led off with a single to right field. Park Hae-min followed with a strikeout, but the center fielder hit a single up the middle to put runners on first and third, and Austin Dean’s grounder to second scored a run. Lotte second baseman Ahn Chi-hong threw the ball to second for the first out, but Austin’s feet were faster at first base. A video review requested by Lotte upheld the out.
However, LG’s lead was short-lived. Lotte scored a run in the eighth inning. However, the process was a bit messy. Leadoff hitter Yoo Kang-nam led off with a single to left and pinch hitter Hwang Sung-bin walked. Kim Min-seok then laid down a sacrifice bunt in front of the first baseman to put runners on first and second. As Hwang rounded second base, he collided with LG shortstop Oh Ji-hwan. As he turned, he was hit and fell to the ground.
Lotte manager Larry Sutton appealed the call, which was upheld by the four umpires. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yup then came off the bench to protest, but it didn’t change the outcome.
With runners on first and third, Lotte scored a run on a sacrifice fly to center field by Ko Seung-min. In the ninth inning, with runners on first and third, Park Seung-wook hit a two-run double down the left-field line off Ko Woo-seok to give Lotte a 2-1 lead.
With the lead in hand, Lotte brought in Kim Won-joong to close out the ninth and pitched a scoreless inning to preserve the 2-1 victory.
Meanwhile, the same day in Incheon, the lone SSG Landers defeated the Samsung Lions 6-0 to extend their winning streak to four games.
In Gwangju, the KT Wiz defeated the KIA Tigers 10-3 to extend their winning streak to four games. In Changwon, the Hanwha Eagles defeated the NC Dinos 6-2. It was their third straight win.