# Choi Hyung-woo, the oldest man-ruffo in the history of Korean hitters, separated from KIA by 4.5 games

Down 5-2, the bases are loaded in the top of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 9th, KIA's No. 4 hitter Choi Hyung-woo (40) stepped up to the plate. Seeing it as a game-winner, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yup intentionally walked Kim Do-young on the first two outs and brought up left-hander Lee Sang-young as the third pitcher to face Choi Hyung-woo, a left-handed hitter. But the trick didn't work in front of Choi Hyung-woo, who is a master at the plate.

Choi took a 2-2 pitch, a slider from Lee Sang-young, right on the plate. The KIA fans erupted in cheers before the ball even cleared the right-field fence. The 110.8-meter shot, his 17th of the season, made the score 9-2. Choi Hyung-woo rode the momentum of becoming the oldest MVP in history at the All-Star Game on June 6 to become the oldest hitter in Korean history (40 years, 6 months, 23 days). The previous record holder was Lee Dae-ho (40 years, 2 months, 30 days) in 2022, while the oldest foreign player was Felix Jose (41 years, 3 months, 29 days) in 2006

Choi Hyung-woo went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, including his ninth career grand slam, to lead the team to its first win of the second half and fourth straight win of the season. With the 11-4 win, KIA [먹튀검증](https://www.outlookindia.com/plugin-play/2023년-한국을-대표하는-카지노-사이트-best-10-news-326663) extended its lead over second-place LG-Dusan to 4.5 games. It's the largest margin between 1-2 this season. On April 25, KIA took a four-game lead over then-No. 2 NC.

This year, KIA has been called the 'second place killer'. They have maintained their dominance against the second-place team even when their lineup has been shaky at times. NC, Doosan, Samsung, and others were pressuring and catching up with 0.5 to 1 game difference, but they were blocked by KIA's wall. As a result, they suffered from the aftereffects of their head-to-head efforts and were pushed to the middle of the pack.

Last-place Kiwoom came from behind to beat No. 9 Hanwha 5-3 at the Gocheok Dome. The two teams are now down to 0.5 games apiece. Trailing 2-3 in the eighth inning against Hanwha's third pitcher Han Seung-hyuk, Kiwoom drew three consecutive walks to load the bases before capitalizing on a passed ball, an infield single by pinch-hitter Ko Young-woo, and an error to score three runs and turn the game around. Kiwoom ended the [game](https://blogshoki.wordpress.com) in the top of the ninth inning with runners on first and second, when first baseman Choi Joo-hwan made a leaping catch of a foul ball hit by Hanwha's Lee Do-yoon that sailed to the side of the infield, leaving the runner at first base.

In Incheon, SSG won 7-4 to send Lotte to its third straight loss. With the score tied 4-4 in the eighth inning, SSG scored three runs on three hits and an unfortunate error.