Gwangju Sung Young-tak's new history → KIA's 5th consecutive win → 5th place alone...KT's first sweep of the season

Jun 19, 2025

KIA Tigers second-hand rookie Sung Young-tak set a new club record with 14 consecutive scoreless innings. Yonhap News

KIA Tigers Patrick Wisdom hit a home run that sealed the victory. Yonhap News

He's very strong. The KIA Tigers have won five consecutive games. He achieved his first series sweep this season against KT Wiz.

KIA won 5-0 in the 12th game of the season between KT and the team in the '2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League' held at Gwangju Kia Champions Field on the 19th. KIA quickly increased its winning margin to +4 by recording 37 wins, 33 losses and 1 draw in the season, rising to fifth place alone. KT fell to sixth place with only 36 wins, 34 losses and three draws in the season after losing three consecutive games.

KIA achieved a sweep against KT for the first time this season. KT's opponent sweep was last achieved in three consecutive away games in Suwon from June 14 to 16 last year. KIA completely overpowered KT at home this time after a year.

KIA made the starting lineup with Lee Chang-jin (left fielder), Park Chan-ho (striker), Patrick Wisdom (third baseman), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Oh Sun-woo (first baseman), Choi Won-joon (right wing), Kim Ho-ryeong (middle fielder), Kim Tae-gun (possession), and Kim Kyu-sung (second baseman). The starting pitcher is Adam Oler.

KT faced off with Kim Min-hyuk (left fielder), Lee Ho-yeon (first baseman), Ahn Hyun-min (middle fielder), Kim Junghoon Lee (designated hitter), Mel Rojas Jr. (right fielder), Jang Sung-woo (catcher), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Kwon Dong-jin (striker), and Kim Sang-soo (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Bae Je-sung, who returned after being discharged from military service in Sangmu.

Oller earned his seventh win (three losses) of the season by pitching 102 pitches, 6 four out, 10 strikeouts and no runs in 6 innings. His 10 strikeouts are the most in a single game this season. The previous record was nine strikeouts against the Hanwha Eagles in Gwangju on the 7th. Oler did his best to reach a maximum fastball speed of 157 kilometers. The average speed was 151 km. He mixed sweeper (13), change-up (13), slider (11), curve (9) and two-seam fastball (six) as he threatened with fastball (50).

From the seventh inning, Jeon Sang-hyun (1 inning) and Sung Young-tak (2 innings) continued to throw to keep the victory. Sung Young-tak set a new record for the longest consecutive innings since his debut in the Tigers' history with 15 ⅔ scoreless innings. The previous record was held by Cho Gye-hyun during the Haitai period. From the match against the Mudeung Binggrae Eagles on April 9, 1989, to the match against the Sajik Lotte Giants on April 22, 1989, he recorded 13 scoreless innings. Sung Young-tak broke his senior record for the first time in 36 years.

KIA Tigers Adam Oler. Yonhap News

KIA Tigers Choi Hyung-woo, who hit his 12th home run of the season. Yonhap News

In the bottom of the second inning, Choi Hyung-woo opened with a home run. He hit his 12th shot of the season over the right fence as the leadoff hitter. He hit an exclusion slider at the ball count 1-1.

He scored an additional point in the bottom of the fourth inning with a 1-0 lead. Leadoff hitter Wisdom hit a left-center double. After one out, KT lowered its exclusion and raised Choi Yong-joon, and Oh Sun-woo hit a timely hit to the right-center to run 2-0.

KIA ran away one more point in the bottom of the sixth inning. Leading hitter Choi Hyung-woo got a walk, and Oh Sun-woo hit a left-center double, leading to a great opportunity for the second and third bases with no outs. When Choi Won-joon got on base with a ground ball to shortstop, third baseman Choi Hyung-woo scored to make it 3-0.

Wisdom hit a wedge in the bottom of the seventh inning. After one out, Lee Chang-jin got on base with a hit in right-center, and took advantage of the opponent's center fielder Ahn Hyun-min's catch error to go to third base. Park Chan-ho swallowed the disappointment as he stepped down with a grounder to the pitcher, but Wisdom hit a two-run shot to left to seal the 5-0 victory. 13th shot of the season.

Sung Young-tak took the mound in the top of the eighth inning and continued to score no runs in consecutive innings since his debut. After dealing with Ahn Hyun-min and Kim Junghoon Lee with outfield flies in succession, Rojas struck out swinging, continuing his scoreless streak in 14 ⅔. Sung Young-tak also took the mound in the top of the ninth inning. He struck out leadoff hitter Jang Sung-woo with a swing and miss, and dealt with Heo Kyung-min with a pitcher ground ball. Moon Sang-cheol then hit a ground ball to the second base, recording 15 scoreless innings in ⅔.

Meanwhile, KT Bae Je-sung lost in his return match by allowing two runs with two hits (one homer) with 52 pitches in three ⅓ innings, one strikeout and four strikeouts.