The final games of the KBO League's first half provided spectacular entertainment for fans with a home run festival. KT Wiz's Rojas and Ahn Hyeon-min particularly stood out, combining for 4 home runs and 8 RBIs to showcase explosive offensive power.
Rojas and Ahn Hyeon-min's Back-to-Back Home Run Show
At the KT Wiz Park in Suwon on July 10th, during the match between KT Wiz and SSG Landers, Rojas and Ahn Hyeon-min hit consecutive home runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning, electrifying the stadium. First, Rojas launched a cool arcing shot against the SSG starting pitcher, followed immediately by Ahn Hyeon-min at the next at-bat, completing a back-to-back home run sequence.
Ahn Hyeon-min's home run was particularly impressive with overwhelming power, earning cheers from the crowd. The scene of a fan cleanly catching the ball also became a talking point, once again proving the prowess of the player known as "Muscle Man."
KT Wiz fans enthusiastically cheered for the two players' consecutive home runs, greatly helping pitcher So Hyeong-jun secure his 7th win of the first half. With this victory, KT ended their losing streak and moved one step closer to a 5th place finish.
Home Run Rally Decorating the First Half Finale
KT's home run show didn't end there. Beyond Rojas and Ahn Hyeon-min, other batters recorded additional home runs, completing a spectacular offensive stat line of 4 home runs and 8 RBIs total. This provided great satisfaction for fans as the team approached the final game of the first half.
Particularly, Ahn Hyeon-min has been successfully adjusting his condition recently, showing explosive batting sense and raising expectations for the second half. Rojas has also been fulfilling his role as the team's core batter, recording an OPS of 1.215 in July.
An episode was shared about teammates suggesting hamburgers to Ahn Hyeon-min, indicating the team atmosphere is in very good condition.
Lotte's Dramatic Comeback Victory and Lee Ho-jun's Performance
On the same day at another stadium, Lotte Giants secured a dramatic comeback victory against Doosan Bears, confirming their 3rd place finish in the first half. Captain Lee Ho-jun particularly delivered an unforgettable moment to fans by hitting a walk-off home run in his first career extra-inning opportunity.
Lee Ho-jun created joy by receiving cheers from teammates after hitting the walk-off home run in the 11th inning. With this victory, Lotte avenged their earlier loss to Doosan and was able to finish the first half on a positive note.
Lotte fans expressed joy that they could sleep well thanks to Lee Ho-jun's dramatic performance, and expectations for the second half also rose significantly.
Hanwha's Disappointing First Half Conclusion
On the other hand, Hanwha Eagles showed a disappointing performance even in their final game of the first half. Eom Sang-baek, who received a 7.8 billion won investment, recorded 1 win and 6 losses with 16 earned runs in his last 4 games, causing concern among fans.
However, Choi Jae-hun hit a sharp walk-off three-run home run, igniting hope for the team. Chae Eun-seong also contributed to the team's comeback with a 2-RBI timely hit, but ultimately suffered a disappointing defeat.
Hanwha appears to need Eom Sang-baek's recovery and overall pitching-batting balance improvement in the second half.
Overseas Korean Players' Performance Updates
Korean players active in Major League Baseball also brought good news. San Francisco Giants' Lee Jung-hoo has been showing remarkable performance in scoring situations since July, drawing attention.
Lee Jung-hoo recorded a multi-hit game after 6 days, signaling his condition recovery, and has been sending positive signals with a .320 batting average in July. His batting in scoring situations has particularly improved significantly, playing an important role within the team.
San Diego Padres' Kim Ha-seong also returned after 4 games, overcoming a calf injury to record a 171km fastball hit. Milwaukee's Bae Ji-hwan has shown activity approaching cycling hits with doubles, triples, and home runs, continuing a 4-game hitting streak.
First Half Summary and Second Half Outlook
The 2025 KBO League first half is evaluated as a season where each team's strengths and weaknesses were clearly divided. KIA Tigers maintained their upper ranks showing the power of defending champions, while Lotte Giants finished the first half in 3rd place, increasing their playoff possibilities.
KT Wiz is aiming for a second-half leap based on the explosive offensive power of Rojas and Ahn Hyeon-min, while Samsung Lions and LG Twins are each expecting reinforcement effects.
Experts predict that teams with good pitching-batting balance will be advantageous in the final standings in the second half. Particularly, condition management and injury management after the All-Star Game are expected to determine success in the latter half of the season.
Fans' Enthusiastic Interest and Expectations
The KBO League continues to show high fan attendance this year following last year, proving national interest in professional baseball. The spectacular home run shows and dramatic games in the final games of the first half provided great entertainment for fans.
With even more intense ranking competition expected in the second half, the harmony between each team's rookie players and veterans appears to be a key viewing point. Particularly, the growth of young players and the performance of foreign players are expected to greatly impact team results.
Second Half Key Points to Watch
- Continued performance of explosive batters like Rojas and Ahn Hyeon-min
- Recovery of struggling foreign players like Eom Sang-baek
- Korean players' activities in Major League Baseball
- Intense playoff race among mid-tier teams
- Impact of rookie player development on team performance
With the KBO League entering the second half through the All-Star Game, fan expectations are higher than ever.
Original article: https://trendy.storydot.kr/sports/kbo-first-half-finale-homerun-festival-2025/
0 Comments