The SSG Landers have lost four straight games. The mound collapsed.
SSG lost 6-8 in the 13th game of the season against the KIA Tigers of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Wednesday.안전놀이터
SSG’s batting order was Choo Shin-soo (designated hitter), Kim Kang-min (center field), Kang Jin-sung (left field), Choi Jung (third base), Park Sung-sung (shortstop), Kim Sung-hyun (second base), Ha Jae-hoon (right field), Oh Tae-gon (first base), and Cho Hyung-woo (catcher).
Oh Won-seok gave up two runs in the first inning. However, Choo Shin-soo hit a solo shot in the bottom of the first, and after Oh Won-seok scored two more runs in the top of the second, Cho Hyung-woo hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the second.
In the batting order, they tried to support the offense against KIA starter Lee Yi-ri. However, the mound couldn’t hold up in the end. In the bottom of the fifth, Oh Won-seok gave up a double to Park Chan-ho and a single to Kim Do-young in right field.
Choi Jeong-jeong’s two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth gave SSG a hard-earned lead. SSG left Oh Won-seok in for the sixth inning and turned to the bullpen in the seventh. Oh struggled with five runs in six innings, but got the win.
However, the bullpen collapsed. In the top of the eighth, Ko Hyo-joon gave up a single to Kim Sun-bin. The team then brought in closer Seo Jin-yong early. Seo gave up two runs. In the top of the ninth inning, Lee Roon gave up a solo home run to Kim Do-young.
SSG lost all three games at home in Incheon. Against KIA, the mound gave up 30 runs. Both the starters and the bullpen have been shaky. The team ERA is 4.37, second only to the Samsung Lions (4.60).
On the first day of the three-game series at home, starter Roenis Elias took the loss with five runs in five innings, followed by Lee Kun-wook with two runs in two innings, rookie Song Young-jin with three runs in one inning, and Jung Sung-gon with one run in one inning.
In game two, starter Moon Seung-won gave up four runs in 5⅔ innings, followed by Ko Hyo-joon with three runs in one inning, Lee Kun-wook with one run in one inning, Jung Sung-gon with one run in ⅓ inning, and Kim Joo-han with three runs without recording a single out.
The bullpen had the best ERA in the first half of the season and was a ‘must-win group’, but it hasn’t been as strong in the second half. SSG made a coaching staff change with three games in hand. It will be interesting to see if the mood can change next week.