▲ KT's Hilliard rounds the bases after hitting a home run (File Photo)
The KT Wiz extended their winning streak to seven games, maintaining sole possession of first place.
In an away game against the Hanwha Eagles in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League held at Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon today (the 15th), KT secured a dominant 13-3 victory, backed by solid pitching from starter Ko Young-pyo and a barrage of four home runs.
Maintaining a two-game lead over the second-place Samsung Lions, KT boosted their chances of advancing directly to the Korean Series.
KT first scored two runs in the top of the first inning through timely hits by Kim Hyun-soo and Huh Kyung-min while Hanwha starting pitcher Wang Yancheng struggled with his control.
In the third, Ahn Hyun-min hit a solo home run, followed by a two-run double from Han Seung-taek, extending the lead to 5-0.
After Huh Kyung-min hit a two-run homer in the fifth, Sam Hilliard added four runs in the top of the sixth, including a two-run shot to right field, widening the gap to 11-0.
In the top of the eighth, Hilliard put the game out of reach with a solo home run over the center-field fence.
Hitting his 35th and 36th homers of the season back-to-back, Hilliard closed in on the category leaders Kim Do-young (40 homers, KIA Tigers) and Austin Dean (39 homers, LG Twins).
Ko Young-pyo pitched six scoreless innings, striking out eight batters and allowing just four hits to pick up his 12th win (6 losses) of the season.
Hanwha's Wang Yancheng, scheduled to play for the Taiwanese national team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, was replaced after allowing five runs on six hits and five walks over four innings as a starter.
Hanwha found some consolation in the bottom of the ninth when Kang Baek-ho hit a two-run homer and Han Ji-yoon added a solo shot.
Elsewhere, the Samsung Lions bounced back from a two-game skid by defeating the Lotte Giants 7-3 in a comeback win at their home stadium in Daejeon.
Samsung opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI single by Choi Hyoung-u.
In the third, Ryu Ji-hyuk added a run with a single to center, stretching the lead to 2-0.
Trailing behind, the Lotte Giants tied the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth with a bases-loaded single to right by Na Seung-yup, and Victor Reyes pulled ahead 3-2 with a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the seventh.
However, Samsung's offense exploded in the bottom of the eighth, plating a massive five runs.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Lewin Díaz singled to right to reclaim a 4-3 lead, followed by an RBI single from Ryu Ji-hyuk and a two-run double by Lee Chang-yong to tack on three more runs and seal the victory.
In Changwon, the LG Twins defeated the NC Dinos 3-2 to claim their third consecutive win.
LG drew first blood in the top of the third when Hong Chang-ki opened with a double to center, and Park Hae-min followed with an RBI double down the right-field line.
In the fourth, Song Chan-eui hit a solo home run to left, putting LG up 2-0.
In the top of the eighth, Park Hae-min drew a walk, stole second and third bases, and scored on a subsequent groundout to extend LG's lead to 3-0.
After the side changed, NC's Blaine Crim hit a two-run homer to center, cutting the deficit to one run.
NC created a chance with one out and runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, but Shin Jae-in grounded into a double play.
LG starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco earned the win after tossing 5 and 2/3 scoreless innings while giving up only two hits.
In Incheon, the SSG Landers mounted a comeback victory over the KIA Tigers, winning 6-3 powered by Ko Myung-jun's three-run home run.
KIA took the lead in the top of the second when Ha Joo-suk drove in Kim Sun-bin, who had hit a double, with a single to right.
In the third, two more runs were added via a double by Harold Castro and a wild pitch, making it 3-0.
SSG clawed a run back in the bottom of the third amid two errors at third base by KIA.
In the bottom of the fifth, with the bases loaded and no outs, Guillermo Heredia delivered a two-run single to tie the game 3-3, and after two outs, Ko Myung-jun blasted a three-run home run over the left-field wall to turn the tide 6-3.
SSG starter Kim Min-jun earned the win, pitching six innings with eight strikeouts and three runs allowed on five hits, while Kim Min, Jeon Young-jun, and Moon Seung-won each pitched an inning to preserve the victory.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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