(LEAD) LG Twins take 1st game of KBO double header over SK Wyverns

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By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, June 11 (Yonhap) -- Rookie right-hander Lee Min-ho tossed seven strong innings, and slugger Robert Ramos blasted a tie-breaking two-run home run in the seventh, as the LG Twins defeated the SK Wyverns 3-1 to take the first game of their double header in Seoul on Thursday.

Lee, an 18-year-old out of high school, struck out a career-high seven batters in seven frames at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, while limiting the Wyverns to one run on six hits. He didn't walk anybody in his third career Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) start. Lee improved to 2-1 for the season, with a 1.16 ERA. In those three starts, Lee has yet to allow more than two earned runs.

Ramos broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh with a two-run shot off reliever Seo Jin-yong, for his league-leading 13th home run of 2020.

The Wyverns went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning, with Jamie Romak's RBI single off Lee cashing in Choi Ji-hoon, who'd reached on a bloop double to shallow center.

The Twins wasted early chances against SK starter Ricardo Pinto. In the bottom second, Jung Ju-hyeon grounded out to end a two-on, two-out rally. Lee Chun-woong led off the bottom third with a single, but was erased in a double play two batters later.

The Twins tied things up at 1-1 in the bottom fourth, courtesy of Oh Ji-hwan's sacrifice fly. The inning began on a promising note, with a single and a double putting runners at second and third with nobody out. But Oh's sac fly was sandwiched by a pop out and a groundout.

The Twins had the bases loaded with a single and two hit-by-pitches in the bottom sixth, only to see pinch hitter Hong Chang-ki strike out swinging against Pinto.

The Twins broke through with Pinto out of the game in the seventh, Seo got two quick outs before walking Chae Eun-seong. Ramos then battled Seo to seven pitches before driving a hanging splitter over the right field wall for a 3-1 LG lead.

Ramos, in his first KBO season, has 13 home runs to lead all players, and he's tied for fourth in RBI with 29.

The Twins' bullpen then took over from Lee to begin the top eighth, with Jin Hae-soo and Jung Woo-young combining for two shutout innings.

Lee threw 112 pitches, also a career high, and 75 were strikes.

These two teams played a double header Thursday after their scheduled game on Wednesday was rained out. This is the second double header of the season, and the Twins have been in both.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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