KIA Tigers pitcher Yang Hyun-jong (35) is one win away from setting a new record for the most starts in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Yang started the game against the visiting SSG Landers at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on Jan. 1 and pitched seven shutout innings, giving up just two hits and one walk.
He gave up an infield single to Choi Ji-hoon and a single to Guillermo Heredia in left field, but it was not a threat.
With a 6-0 lead in the eighth inning, Yang Hyun-jong handed the baton to Jeon Sang-hyun and walked off the mound.
Throwing 98 pitches, Yang struck out three and was one away from reaching triple-digit strikeouts for the ninth straight season.
If KIA wins without allowing the tying run to score, Yang will have 164 career wins as a starter, passing Song Jin-woo for the new top spot in the KBO.
Song Jin-woo, the all-time wins leader (210), has 163 starts and 47 relief wins. Yang Hyun-jong had all 163 of his 165 career wins, minus two relief wins, in starts.
The Kia bats helped Yang break the record with a scary two-out rally.
KIA had a scoring opportunity in the top of the third inning, 0-0, thanks to leadoff hitter Park Chan-ho, who singled to right with two outs and promptly stole second base.
No. 2 Kim Do-young followed with an RBI double to left-center field, and Na Sung-bum followed with a single to left field to bring home Kim.
In the fourth inning, leadoff hitter Socrates Brito hit a solo arch to right center to make it 3-0.
Park Chan-ho, who has completely opened his eyes to hitting this season, pulled a fastball from SSG starter Roenis Elias with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning for a two-run home run that went over the left field fence like a bullet.
KIA scored its sixth run in the seventh on Kim Do-young’s single up the middle, followed by a stolen base and Na Sung-bum’s RBI single to right. 토토사이트