Seoul: Starter Anders Tolhurst bounced back from a rough outing to twirl six shutout innings, and shortstop Oh Ji-hwan drove in four runs to tie his season high, as the LG Twins pounded the Kia Tigers 14-0 at home Sunday to end their two-game losing streak in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Twins, playing before a sellout crowd of 23,750 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, became the first team to win 80 games this season. With a record of 80-50-3 (wins-losses-ties), they continue to lead the KBO regular-season standings with 11 games left. History favors their strong position, as on 20 previous occasions, teams that reached 80 wins first have gone on to win the regular-season crown 19 times and captured the Korean Series title 15 times.
The Tigers, who are striving to reach the postseason in their title defense season, fell to 61-66-4. They began the day two games shy of the fifth and final postseason berth. The Twins capitalized on early struggles by Tigers starter Yang Hyeon-jong, who issued two walks and loaded the bases in the first inning. Moon Bo-gyeong’s double play brought in the first run for the Twins, and Kim Hyun-soo’s single extended the lead to 2-0.
Yang’s difficulties continued in the third inning, allowing the bases to load again through two walks and a single. Oh Ji-hwan delivered a two-run single, increasing the Twins’ advantage to 4-0, which also ended Yang’s time on the mound. Hong Chang-ki, as a pinch hitter, added a sacrifice fly off reliever Kim Ki-hoon, taking the score to 5-0. Oh later collected his third RBI with a double in the fifth inning.
Tolhurst, with ample run support, allowed only two hits and struck out five, demonstrating a strong performance following a previous challenging game. He has recorded four scoreless outings in his six appearances since August, having replaced Elieser Hernandez. Five days earlier, he had given up five runs on seven hits in four innings against the Kiwoom Heroes, after a stretch where he allowed only one earned run over 25 innings in August.
The Twins widened the gap significantly in the eighth inning, scoring eight runs on eight hits and a hit-by-pitch. Oh added to his RBI tally with a groundout. The Tigers’ pitching woes were highlighted by Yang’s season-high five walks in two innings, with the bullpen adding four more walks.