The Samsung Lions wrapped up July by fending off a late push from the Lotte Giants to maintain their position at the top of the league.

Samsung secured a 9-7 victory against Lotte in their regular-season away matchup at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan today.

Snap-ping a two-game skid and improving to 59 wins, 37 losses, and 2 draws, Samsung maintained first place with a half-game lead over the second-place KT Wiz, who hold 57 wins, 36 losses, and 2 draws.

Samsung manager Park Jin-man claimed the 21st managerial win milestone in KBO League history.

Trailing Lotte starter Kim Jin-wook while giving up just one run through five innings, Samsung turned the game around by scoring a massive six runs in the top of the sixth after Kim left the mound.

Lewin Diaz and Jeon Byeong-woo hit consecutive run-scoring singles off relief pitcher Shota Iimura to tie the game, followed by RBI singles from Kang Min-ho and pinch hitter Ryu Ji-hyuk to pull ahead 5-3.

The rally continued with a two-run double by Koo Ja-wook, giving Samsung six runs in the top of the sixth alone.

After adding two more runs in the top of the seventh, Samsung was pressured in the bottom of the seventh as Lotte delivered four consecutive run-scoring hits to narrow the gap to 9-7.

However, Lee Seung-min, who took the mound with two outs in the eighth, pitched a scoreless remainder through the ninth to seal Samsung's victory.

Lee earned the first save of his career.

In Suwon, the second-place KT Wiz closely pursued league-leader Samsung with a four-game winning streak.

KT earned a 5-3 comeback victory in their home game against the Hanwha Eagles, continuing their strong momentum of 10 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in the second half of the season.

KT celebrated a victory by breaking down Hanwha's formidable starting pitcher, Ryu Hyun-jin.

After giving up a leadoff three-run homer to Shim Woo-jun in the top of the second, KT scored a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth when Huh Kyung-min was hit by a pitch with one out and the bases loaded.

With one out and the bases loaded, the KT bench sent in pinch hitter Oh Yoon-seok for Cho Dae-hyun, and Oh met expectations with a sacrifice fly to center field.

KT finally turned the game around in the bottom of the sixth.

With one out and a runner on second, Kim Sang-su delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 3-3 and chase Ryu Hyun-jin from the mound, while Huh Kyung-min extended the opportunity to second and third with a double.

Han Seung-taek, who took over behind the plate starting from the fifth inning after Oh Yoon-seok entered as a pinch hitter, hit a go-ahead, two-run single to right-center against Lee Hyung-bum.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who had failed to secure a win in five consecutive starts since earning a victory against the KIA Tigers on June 11, suffered his third loss of the season (8 wins).

While Joo Kwon earned a relief win after taking the mound in the sixth, KT's Park Young-hyun secured a save in the ninth to reach 20 saves for the third consecutive season.

In Jamsil, the Doosan Bears defeated their rivals, the LG Twins, 4-2, propelled by long-time prospect Kim Dae-han's first career multi-home run game (two or more home runs in a single game).

Snap-ping a three-game losing streak against LG, Doosan extended its winning streak to two games.

The star of the day was Kim Dae-han, who donned a Doosan uniform as a first-round draft pick in 2019.

Evaluated as possessing generational talent during his days at Whimoon High School, Kim had consistently received opportunities but struggled to break out in the first team.

Starting as the eighth batter and right fielder, he launched a tying solo home run off Song Seung-ki with two outs in the bottom of the second while trailing 0-1, tasting his first home run of the year.

Doosan took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth on Park Jun-soon's 15th home run of the season, before LG pulled within one in the top of the sixth to create a tight one-run contest.

It was Kim Dae-han's extra-base hit that widened the gap once again.

Stepping up as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the seventh, Kim pulled a high pitch from Lee Woo-chan, sending the ball flying to the upper left stands of Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

In Changwon, the NC Dinos secured a comprehensive 10-4 victory over the KIA Tigers, led by Kwon Hee-dong's grand slam, to snap a five-game losing streak.

Trailing 0-1 in the bottom of the second, NC capitalized on shaky control from opposing starter Yang Hyun-jong to tie the game 1-1 via a bases-loaded walk.

Stepping to the plate next, Kwon Hee-dong hit a grand slam over the left-field fence off Yang Hyun-jong, marking the fourth grand slam of his career.

NC seized control early by scoring seven runs in the second inning alone to knock out Yang Hyun-jong.

For KIA, league home run leader Kim Do-yung hit his 33rd solo shot of the season in the first inning and Na Sung-bum hit a 22nd solo home run in the fourth, but they could not prevent the defeat.

In Gocheok, the Kiwoom Heroes racked up 14 hits to defeat the SSG Landers 12-7.

The last-place Kiwoom narrowed the gap with ninth-place SSG to 1.5 games by winning the direct matchup.

Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third, Kiwoom sent 14 batters to the plate, recording seven hits and three walks to score eight runs.

Kiwoom table-setters Seo Geun-chang and Ahn Chi-hong led the offense by hitting two hits each in that inning.

When Kiwoom starter Park Jun-hyun failed to escape a two-out jam in the fifth, relief pitcher Jung Hyun-woo pitched 1.1 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season.

(Photo: Yonhap News)