Lotte Giants Pull Off Miracle Ninth-Inning Rally for Dramatic Victory Over Kiwoom Heroes

The Lotte Giants delivered a drama-filled ninth-inning comeback to claim a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on August 2, in the 2025 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League.

Trailing 2-1 with two outs in the top of the ninth, Lotte launched a daring strategy by sending in consecutive pinch hitters—and it paid off spectacularly. The home team, Kiwoom, had taken the early lead in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to a two-run double by Lee Ju-hyeong. Lotte narrowed the gap in the top of the sixth when Park Seung-wook smashed a double to drive in a run.

With the game on a knife edge, it all came down to two outs in the ninth with runners on first and second. Pinch hitter Jeon Jun-woo stepped up and drilled a single to center field, tying the game. Another pinch hitter, Kim Min-sung, followed, lofting a hit over the first baseman’s head to bring in the go-ahead run, completely turning the tide in Lotte’s favor at 3-2.

Thanks to this extraordinary finish, the Giants avenged their previous day’s defeat while maintaining their four-game gap behind the second-place LG Twins and securely holding onto third place in the standings.

For Kiwoom, the shocking loss was made even more painful by starter Kim Yoon-ha’s continued misfortune. Despite throwing five innings and allowing just two hits and one earned run, Kim remained unable to secure his first win of the season as the bullpen faltered in the final frame. Kim’s winless streak has now stretched to 16 consecutive games, extending the KBO League’s record for the most consecutive starts without a victory since his last win on August 7 of the previous year against SSG Landers.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

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