Kiwoom Heroes’ Lim Ji-yeol snapped his team’s four-game losing streak with a dramatic come-from-behind walk-off single in the eighth inning. The Lotte Giants, who were aiming for a three-game weekend sweep against the Kiwoom, had to settle for a winless series.

Kiwoom came from behind to win 7-5 at home against Lotte in the 2023 KBO League at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on 28 April. Trailing 3-5 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Lim Ji-yeol took a fastball from Lotte’s Yoon Myung-joon and blasted a 125-metre home run over the middle of the plate. It was Lim’s third home run of the season and his first career grand slam.

With the home run, Kiwoom avoided a three-game weekend sweep and snapped a four-game losing streak. Lotte, on the other hand, tried to overtake second-placed SSG Landers, who did not play due to rain on the day, but fell short as they allowed a late comeback.스포츠토토

The game started with Lotte taking the lead. In the top of the second inning, Ahn Chi-hong singled up the middle, Yoo Kang-nam hit a ball to the body, and Noh Jin-hyuk singled to left-centre to load the bases with no outs. In the top of the third, with two outs and no one on base, Jeon Jun-woo tripled and Ahn Chi-hong singled to left field to bring him home.

Kiwoom had the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning but could only score one run on a double by Addison Russell and a groundout by Lim Byung-wook. Lotte made it 5-1 in the top of the fifth inning when Jeon Jun-woo singled and Ahn Chi-hong doubled with runners on first and second and third. Kiwoom could only manage one run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Kim Hwijip doubled, Lee Hyung-jong singled and pinch-hitter Lim Ji-yeol walked to load the bases.

With the Kiwoom batting line-up silent, the game seemed to be over. However, in the eighth inning, Kiwoom took advantage of a shaky Lotte bullpen to score one run, followed by a walk-off home run by Lim Ji-yeol to complete a dramatic comeback win.

In Gwangju, the leaders LG Twins thrashed the KIA Tigers 7-1, while in Daegu, the Samsung Lions snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the KT Wiz. The Jamsil match between Doosan Bears and SSG and the Changwon match between NC Dinos and Hanwha Eagles were cancelled due to rain.