Ponce again? Kim Kang-min's retirement ceremony also roars for one run in seven innings → 1st place in multiple wins...Liberato Final Three-Point Hanwha Secured No. 1 by Holding SSG

Jun 28, 2025

photo courtesy of Hanwha Eagles

The two foreigners collaborated to win. Hanwha Eagles overcame the shock of the previous day's upset loss. New foreign hitter Liberato's come-from-behind shot was added to ace Ponce's strong pitching.

Hanwha won the second game of the weekend series against SSG 5-2 at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 28th.

With the victory, Hanwha recorded its 45th win (one draw and 31 losses) and maintained the first place regardless of whether the LG Twins, who tied for first, won or lost. Ponce re-emerged as the leader in the multi-win category with 11 wins.

On the other hand, SSG is competing fiercely with the KIA Tigers, KT Wiz, and Samsung Lions inside one game. Even though ace Anderson took the mound, he lost to Hanwha and recorded his 36th loss (38 wins and 3 draws).

On this day, Hanwha played in the lineup of Lee Jin-young (right wing), Liberato (center fielder), Moon Hyun-bin (designated hitter), Noh Si-hwan (third base), Choi In-ho (left wing), Kim Tae-yeon (first base), Lee Do-yoon (second base), Choi Jae-hoon (catcher), and Shim Woo-jun (striker). The first choice is Ponce.

photo courtesy of Hanwha Eagles

SSG faced off with a lineup of Kim Kang-min (center fielder), Eredia (left wing), Choi Jung (designated hitter), Han Yu-sum (right wing), Ko Myung-jun (first base), Park Sung-han (striker), Ahn Sang-hyun (third base), Jung Joon-jae (second base), and Cho Hyung-woo (catcher). The first choice is Anderson. However, Kim Kang-min, who will hold the retirement ceremony on this day, joined the first team as a special entry and was replaced by Jihoon Choi with the referee's declaration of the play ball.

Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon, who met before the game, said, "It was very difficult to start the season, but our players did a great job overcoming the situation."," he smiled. Then "Honestly, our ranking is higher than I think right now. Perhaps the players feel a lot of pressure, too. In the future, we have to fight against such pressure. I will focus on one game and one game from now on."

SSG coach Lee Soo-yong said of Kim Kang-min, who will hold his retirement ceremony, `He is a superstar player. Looking at the qualities, he is a player who would have been left with 20 (homer)-20 (stealing), but his record is a little disappointing compared to his talent." Head coach Kim Kyung-moon is also remembered as a `What a cheeky player' when he was a coach of another team. It means that he's that good."

photo courtesy of SSG Landers

When it comes to Kim Kang-min, he is famous for being a strong player in big games. In particular, in 2018, when SK succeeded in a historic upset against Doosan, which won the regular season by 14 and a half games, Kim Kang-min fired a tying solo shot in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 5 of the playoffs against the Kiwoom Heroes. The MVP of the understanding playoffs is Kim Kang-min.

In addition, in the 2022 Korean Series against Kiwoom, where SSG won the Wire to Wire, he hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 5 of the Korean Series, trailing 2-4, making him a batter who hit his fourth walk-off home run in the history of the Korean Series. The MVP of the Korean Series was also his charge. It was also the oldest home run in the Korean Series before KIA Tigers' Choi Hyung-woo broke it last year.

On this day, SSG changed its ERA from 2.05 to 1.94 as Anderson's one run was corrected against KIA in Incheon on the 22nd. As a result, Anderson became the No. 1 ERA.

photo courtesy of SSG Landers

At the time, Anderson pitched six innings, six hits, four walks, one run, and 9K. However, he allowed a turnaround at the end of the game and lost to KIA 4-5. However, in the process of '1 Run', an objection to KIA Park Chan-ho's hit record was accepted. As a result of the deliberation, the KBO Record Committee changed the decision to a third baseman's error, not a hit. The correction of the record was officially notified to the club from the KBO on the 28th.

As the two teams' aces, full of confidence and ball power, faced off, the fast progress was outstanding, with three-way withdrawal.

The first point was made by SSG. In the bottom of the third inning, Ahn Sang-hyun hit Ponce's 152km high ball and crossed the left fence. SSG gained momentum in the top of the fourth inning when Anderson struck out three consecutive batters. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Han Yu-sum's hit and Ko Myung-joon's walk gave him a chance to get first and second bases with two outs, but he failed to score due to a failed follow-up hit.

photo courtesy of Hanwha Eagles

The tide turned in the sixth inning. The point was that leadoff hitter Choi Jae-hoon got on base with a hit, and Shim Woo-joon's catcher ground ball changed the runner. Shim Woo-joon instantly made a one-out third base with a stolen base and wild pitch, followed by Lee Jin-young's walk.

Here, Liberato hit Anderson's 152km fastball with a ball count of 0B1S and connected it with a three-point come-from-behind ball over the right fence. For Liberato, it was his first taste in five games since his debut in Korean baseball. Hanwha's Moon Hyun-bin, who got on base with a walk, also took third base with a steal and foil, and added one more point with Choi In-ho's timely hit with two outs and a third base. In the end, Anderson was replaced by Choi Min-joon without completing the sixth inning.

Hanwha Ponce also faced a crisis with two outs and runners on first and second base after two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but he handled Ko Myung-joon with a catcher ground ball. In the bottom of the seventh inning, SSG leadoff hitter Park Sung-han got on base with a hit, but after Ahn Sang-hyun's strikeout, Jung Joon-jae hit a 463 double play. Ponce touched the hearts of Hanwha fans with a hot roar.

photo courtesy of Hanwha Eagles

Hanwha had a bases-loaded chance with three consecutive hits by Lee Jin-young, Liberato and Moon Hyun-bin against SSG's third pitcher Park Si-hoo in the top of the eighth inning. Noh Si-hwan struck out, but Choi In-ho's sacrifice fly drove away one more point.

SSG is also Hanwha's No. 2 in the bottom of the 8th inning? Cho Hyung-woo followed up with a solo shot against the pitcher's main phenomenon. But that was it.

Hanwha put Kim Seo-hyun in the bottom of the ninth inning. Han Yu-sum's hit and Park Sung-han's walk led to a bases-loaded crisis with one out, but he ended the game without a run due to a strikeout and a groundout to third base. Kim Seo-hyun, who made his 20th save, rose to third place alone in the relief category.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.