The Samsung Lions gave up five runs in the seventh inning to end their losing streak. The faith of the bench didn’t work and the shaky infield defense provided an excuse for errors.

Samsung lost 5-6 against KT Wiz in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on Sunday. The loss, their fifth straight, dropped Samsung’s season record to 25-36 (.410).

After giving up a lead in the first inning, Samsung bounced back with three runs in the fifth inning, including an RBI single by Kim Young-woong. This took some pressure off starting pitcher Baek Jung-hyun, who hadn’t allowed a run since the second inning.스포츠토토

However, Samsung’s collapse came in the top of the seventh inning with seven outs. After back-to-back singles by Hwang Jae-gyun and Kang Hyun-woo put runners on second and third, Samsung’s bench avoided a direct confrontation by sending pinch-hitter Jang Sung-woo out on an automatic walk. The calculation was to face Ahn Chi-young with the bases loaded.

KT didn’t sit idly by and used the pinch-hitter card. The player who stepped into the batter’s box in place of Ahn Chi-young was Choi Byeong-dae. After Jang Jang-woo, the Samsung bench didn’t activate the bullpen, leaving Baek Jung-hyun on the mound. Whereas the previous day they had timed their substitutions early, in this game they kept their starter in the game.

As it turned out, this choice proved costly. After a six-pitch battle, Baek gave up a pushing double to Choi Jae-dae, and the next batter, Jang Jun-won, hit a three-run double to turn the game on its head. The Samsung bench then pulled Baek Jung-hyun from the mound and called up Kim Dae-woo, who was warming up in the bullpen.

With two outs, Dae-woo induced a grounder to Anthony Alford, and shortstop Lee Jae-hyun, who caught the ball, threw to first base to end the inning.

However, Jae-hyun’s throw went behind the first baseman, allowing second baseman Jang Jun-won to run home without stopping at third base and give KT an extra run. The gap between the two teams widened to three runs.

The late-starting Samsung pulled to within one run in the ninth thanks to RBI singles by Jose Pirela and Kim Tae-gun, but that was as close as they would get. Kim Ho-jae hit a grounder to shortstop with runners on second and third, and the game was over.

After failing to defend a five-run lead the day before, Samsung suffered another blowout loss. The team’s mood is bound to sink. On the 16th, closer Oh Seung-hwan showed his anger by throwing the ball into the stands and throwing away his glove in the dugout as he came off the mound, but the next day, Samsung accepted the same result.

At this rate, it’s hard to see Samsung maintaining its 4 percent winning percentage.

With the team now worried about falling to the bottom of the standings, let alone playing fall baseball, can they find a breakthrough? Choi Chae-heung’s shoulders are heavier than ever when he takes the mound against Uhm Sang-baek on the 18th.