(LEAD) Kiwoom Heroes beat LG Twins to snap 4-game losing streak

All News 17:25 May 17, 2020

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By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, May 17 (Yonhap) -- The Kiwoom Heroes defeated the LG Twins 9-4 to halt their four-game losing skid in the young Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season on Sunday.

The top two hitters in the Heroes' lineup, Seo Geon-chang and Kim Ha-seong, combined to go 6-for-10 with six RBIs and three runs scored for the Heroes, who pounded out three solo home runs among 17 hits at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul to end their losing streak at four games.

Kiwoom starter Eric Jokisch tossed six scoreless innings for his second win of the season, helping the Heroes snap the Twins' winning streak at six games.

Kim Ha-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes (L) celebrates his two-run double against the LG Twins during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on May 17, 2020. (Yonhap)

Park Dong-won opened the top of the second inning with a solo home run off LG starter Cha Woo-chan, giving the Heroes a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning with runners at the corners, Kim Ha-seong drove in the team's second run with a sharp single to center.

Kim, who had been batting just .143 with two RBIs before Sunday, came through with a two-run double in the top fourth, as the Heroes opened up a 4-0 lead.

Lee Jung-hoo followed up with a double of his own, with Kim scoring to make it a 5-0 Kiwoom advantage.

The Heroes picked up two more runs in the top sixth, courtesy of solo home runs by Seo Geon-chang and Lee Jung-hoo off reliever Yeo Geon-wook.

Members of the Kiwoom Heroes celebrate a solo home run by Park Dong-won (C, in helmet) during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on May 17, 2020. (Yonhap)

The Heroes piled on with two more runs, as Seo delivered a two-run single for a 9-0 lead.

That was more than enough for Jokisch, who tossed six shutout innings and extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings. He limited the Twins to just two singles and struck out three. Jokisch has given up just one earned run in 17 innings this season.

The Heroes had lost both games of a doubleheader on Saturday but came out swinging early and often in this one.

"This was going to be a tough game after losing two games yesterday, but our players maintained their focus," Kiwoom manager Son Hyuk said. "Our hitters were aggressive from the beginning, and it gave us some early momentum. Jokisch pitched a great game, too."

The Twins rallied late against the Heroes' bullpen, scoring once in the seventh and twice in the eighth. Then in the bottom ninth, they cut it to 9-4 on Park Jae-wook's single, but that was the last bit of offense they managed.