Chae Eun-seong of the Hanwha Eagles celebrates after hitting an RBI triple against the Kiwoom Heroes during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on May 9, 2025. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time in the 21st century, the Hanwha Eagles have won 10 straight games in South Korean baseball.
The Eagles defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 7-5 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul for their 10th consecutive win in the Korea Baseball Organization after rallying from a 4-1 deficit.
The Eagles broke the 4-4 deadlock by scoring three runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, a rally that began with a solo shot by Moon Hyun-bin. Chae Eun-seong followed up with an RBI triple and Lee Sang-hyuck delivered a run-scoring double to provide insurance for the winning side.
The Eagles had previously won 10 games in a row in October 1999. They went on to take the Korean Series title that same year.
The first-place Eagles improved to 25-13-0 (wins-losses-ties) and increased their lead over the idle LG Twins to 1.5 games. The Heroes remained in last place at 13-28-0.
The Heroes scored all five of their runs via solo home runs.
Leadoff man Song Sung-mun homered on the very first pitch of the game against starter Um Sang-back to set the early tone for the Heroes. Two batters later, Lee Ju-hyoung followed suit with his own solo home run for a 2-0 Heroes lead.
The Eagles cut the deficit in half in the top of the third thanks to three straight singles off starter Ha Yeong-min, the third being an RBI knock by Moon.
Their big mashers failed to keep the line moving, though, as both Roh Si-hwan and Chae Eun-seong struck out against Ha.
The Heroes launched two more home runs in the bottom fourth. Kim Tae-jin led off the frame with a solo shot to right field and then Yasiel Puig drilled a solo homer to left field to put the Heroes up 4-1.
Estevan Florial’s solo shot off Ha in the top fifth brought the Eagles back within two runs. Then with Ha out of the game, the Eagles pulled into a tie with two runs in the top seventh.
New pitcher Oh Seok-joo gave up two straight pinch-hit singles that put runners at the corners for Hwang Young-mook, who cashed in a run with an infield single. The hit knocked Oh out of the game, after the right-hander failed to retire a batter.
Facing Yoon Hyun with men at first and second, Florial flied out to deep center field that allowed both runners to advance. Then Moon Hyun-bin hit a sacrifice fly to left to tie the score at 4-4.
Both teams wasted a chance to pull ahead — the Heroes in the bottom seventh and the Eagles in the top eighth — before Moon gave the Eagles their first lead of the game with one swing.
With two outs, Moon jumped on the first-pitch forkball from Ju Seung-woo and put it in the seats in right field for his seventh home run of the season — and his third in May.
After Roh Si-hwan singled and stole second, Chae cashed him in with a triple. Lee Sang-hyuck then picked up his first career RBI with a double for a 7-4 lead.
Lee Ju-hyoung hit his second solo homer of the game in the bottom ninth for the Heroes, though it was way too little, too late.
(Yonhap)
