Samsung Lions pitcher Won Tae-in threw his first career complete game to lead the team to victory against SSG Landers in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, South Korea, on Sunday. Won struck out six in nine innings of work, holding the opposing offense to three runs on five hits.
Samsung fell behind 0-3 early in the game, but rallied for a dramatic 4-3 victory in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was Won’s first complete game in 152 games since joining the organization in 2019.
SSG started the game with two outs in the top of the first inning when Choi Jung walked and Guillermo Heredia singled to right to put runners on first and second. Han Yoo-seom then took a slider on a 3-ball-1 pitch from Won Tae-in for a three-run home run over the center field fence.
However, Won Tae-in continued his steady pitching, shutting down the SSG bats without allowing another run. Samsung got a run back in the bottom of the sixth on a double by Kang Min-ho, and in the bottom of the eighth, pinch-hitter Yoon Jung-bin 안전놀이터 hit a solo home run to cut the deficit to 2-3.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Lee Sung-gyu tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run off SSG closer Cho Byung-hyun. In the next at-bat, Kim Young-woong reached on an error by the second baseman, prompting the SSG bench to replace the pitcher with Lee I-roon.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Kim Ji-chan walked on a wild pitch and Yoon Jung-bin drew a straight bunt to load the bases. Lee Jae-hyun was hit by a pitch and SSG’s Lee committed a wild pitch to end the game in dramatic fashion.
Won Tae-in was in danger of suffering his first complete game loss, but a thrilling comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning gave him his first complete game victory. SSG starter Roenis Elias pitched six innings of one-run ball with five hits, but the bullpen came through to seal the win.