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Lee Sung-yong's 'Chok' SSG escapes 2nd straight defeat against Lotte
SSG Landers celebrate their veterans' record with a win. Despite losing their starting dugger, they came from behind to win the series.
The SSG Landers came from behind to win the first game of their midweek series against the Lotte Giants 12-7 in the top of the seventh inning at Busan's Sajik Stadium on Thursday, thanks to a game-winning hit by Go Myung-joon.
Although it was an away game for SSG, the team celebrated the victory on a day when its legendary players set a record that will go down in KBO history.
SSG celebrated Choo Shin-soo's 2,000th career hit in Korea and Choi Jung-jeong's 468th career home run (No. 1 all-time in the KBO, No. 2 Lee Seung-yeop's 467), and Choi Jung-jeong's 468th career home run was a moment of honor as he surpassed Lee Seung-yeop (467) to become the KBO's all-time leader in individual home runs. Before the game, manager Lee Sung-yong said, “We have a good chemistry, but I think Choi Jung will hit a home run and Choo Shin-soo will hit 2,000 hits today,” and he was right.
It was also his 19th consecutive season with double-digit home runs. This is also the first record in KBO history. The second place on the all-time list is Kia's Choi Hyung-woo (16 seasons). At the historic moment, not only SSG but also Lotte fans congratulated the legend with a standing ovation.
It was not a smooth start. Duggar was knocked around for seven runs in just 2⅔ innings.
In the bottom of the first inning, Yoon Dong-hee Hwang Sung-bin singled, an error by the second baseman, a sacrifice fly by Reyes, and an RBI single by Jeon Jun-woo.
SSG answered back with four runs in the top of the second inning against Lotte starter Lee In-bok. Heredia singled, Park Sung-hwan doubled, and one out later, Lee Ji-young, Park Ji-hwan, Choi Ji-hoon, and Choo Shin-soo hit four consecutive singles.
Shin-soo Choo's hit was the 2,000th hit of his career. Shin-soo Choo has 1,671 hits in American professional baseball and 329 hits in the Korean professional baseball to complete the 2,000-hit milestone.
However, SSG came back in the bottom of the third inning to cut the deficit to 4-7 after Hwang Sung-bin singled, Reyes and Jeon Jun-woo doubled, Son Ho-young tripled, and Han Dong-hee singled.
The comeback started with Choi Jung, the centerpiece of the home run army. In the top of the fifth inning, Choi and Han Yoo-seom drew a back-to-back arch to cut the lead to one.
The top of the seventh inning also started with a bunt single by Choi. Back-to-back singles by Hanyusum Eredia and Park Sung-han tied the game at 7-7, and Ko Myung-joon followed with a two-run double over the center field fence. A wild pitch by reliever Choi Jun-yong allowed the runners to cross the plate for the 10th run.
SSG added two more runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI triple by Choi Ji-hoon and a sacrifice fly by Choo Shin-soo.