How Kiwoom Maintained Focus to Secure a 6-5 Win Against Lotte: Key Moments Revealed

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[Sports Seoul | Sajik = Kang Yoon-sik] “The players never lost their focus.”

Kiwoom held off Lotte in a tense game that stretched into the 11th inning, taking a crucial 6-5 victory that increased their gap over 10th-place Lotte. Manager Seol Jong-jin praised his club’s composure down the stretch.

Kiwoom defeated Lotte 6-5 on the 29th at Busan’s Sajik Stadium in a 2026 KBO regular-season matchup. The win avenged the previous day’s loss and pushed Kiwoom two games ahead of 10th-place Lotte.

The decisive run came in the bottom of the 11th. Kiwoom survived a no-out, first-and-second threat in the frame and held on. After the game, Seol applauded the players’ focus in the tight extra-innings battle.

The offense delivered when it mattered most. Oh Sun-jin’s squeeze bunt in the bottom of the 11th provided the game-winner, a play Seol singled out for praise.

“In the final at-bat, Choi Joo-hwan reached on a double, and Im Byung-wook laid down a sacrifice bunt to keep the chance alive,” Seol said. “Oh Sun-jin calmly executed the squeeze bunt to secure the win. He contributed on both offense and defense.”

The bullpen also answered the call. Seol noted that reliever Won Jong-hyun, who came in as the second pitcher, delivered a big, momentum-stopping outing. Park Jin-hyung worked two scoreless innings, and Yuto navigated a late jam to close out the win.

Seol also thanked the fans who stayed until the end. “We appreciate the supporters who cheered throughout this long extra-innings game, and we’ll prepare well for tomorrow’s match,” he said. skywalker@sportsseoul.com