The Samsung Lions went on a five-game winning streak. After winning all 5 games since the match against the Doosan Bears in Daegu on the 26th, they overcame the sluggishness in the beginning and ended April with a 50% win rate (12 wins, 12 losses).
In the match against KT Wiz in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 30th, Samsung won 1-0 after 10 overtime matches, ending April with 5 consecutive wins.
It was Oh Jae-il’s bat that ended the 0-0 tight pitching battle. Oh Jae-il, who entered the plate after one out in the top of the 10th inning, hit opponent pitcher Kim Jae-yoon’s high 146km/h fastball in a 2-2 ball count and connected it to a home run that went over the right wall of Suwon Stadium. It was Oh Jae-il’s third gun of the season that broke the balance of 0메이저놀이터, and it was the final home run of the game that day.
Samsung, who made it 1-0 with Oh Jae-il’s home run, kept the rest of the 10th inning well. Kim Tae-hoon, a transfer student, climbed the mound and gave up a hit and a walk to the third baseman, and was in danger of a 1-out 1st and 2nd base, but after that, he struck out the two batters and caught the 3rd baseman grounder, keeping the victory by 1 point.
5-game winning streak. They won all 5 matches and maintained a 1-point lead. A 1-0 win against Doosan on the 26th, a 7-6 win against Doosan on the 27th, a 10-9 win against KT on the 28th, a 3-2 win against KT on the 29th, and a 1-0 win against KT on the 30th were all victories by 1 point. There were several crises allowing a last-minute tie, but each time Samsung showed their backs and secured victory.
It was also meaningful because it was a record made by young players. With the finisher changed to Lee Seung-hyun, a left-hander in his third year as a professional, Samsung traded veteran infielder Lee Won-seok on the 27th along with the rookie nomination. The age of the infield has drastically decreased, and in the game on the 30th, Kim Ji-chan was injured and rested, so the game was played with three players, Kim Jae-sang, Lee Jae-hyun, and Kim Young-woong, who were in their 1st and 2nd years as pros. However, Samsung snatched a victory with them. Left-hander Lee Seung-hyun posted three saves during the winning streak, and Lee Jae-hyun hit the winning run on the 28th.
Although the game on the 30th was won by Oh Jae-il’s final shot, it was significant that the young players kept the victory by one point. ‘Chief’ Oh Jae-il is also happy with this victory even though it is difficult.
In an interview after the game, Oh Jae-il was delighted, saying, “It seems that our team is growing little by little as we win this difficult game.” He said, “Won’t the pitcher and young players gain a little bit of confidence while overcoming the tight game?”