The kt wiz pounded out 18 team hits to rout the defending champion LG Twins in the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League opening game at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Tuesday.
kt defeated LG 11-7 on the road.
Every starter in the kt lineup recorded at least one hit. kt's franchise hitter Ahn Hyun-min led the offense by reaching base five times, going 1-for-2 with four walks and three runs scored. Rookie Lee Kang-min delivered an RBI single in his debut at-bat and finished the day 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Lee became only the second high-school-drafted rookie in KBO history to collect three or more hits in a season opener, following Jang Sung-ho on April 13, 1996. New foreign hitter Sam Hilliard drove in three runs on a 3-for-4 night that included a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, also scoring twice.
In the top of the first inning with two outs, Ahn Hyun-min drew a walk, and Hilliard, Ryu Hyun-in, Lee Jung-hoon, Heo Kyung-min, Han Seung-taek, and Lee Kang-min ripped six consecutive hits to push across six runs. kt's starting pitcher Matt Sauer gave up two runs through the third inning, but Lee Jung-hoon laced an RBI single to right field with two outs and a runner on second in the top of the fourth to make it 7-2.
Leading 8-3 in the top of the seventh, kt added to its lead. Leadoff man Lee Kang-min singled to center, and a wild pitch by LG's sixth pitcher Baek Seung-hyun advanced him to second with one out. Kim Hyun-soo, who left LG for kt over the winter, then lined an RBI single to right to stretch the lead to 9-3. With two outs and a runner on second, Hilliard launched a two-run homer to put the game away. In the bottom of the eighth with kt ahead 11-5, Asian quota pitcher Sugimoto Koki faltered. kt allowed a walk to Ku Bon-hyuk and singles by Park Hae-min and Hong Chang-gi to load the bases with nobody out, then gave up two runs on an RBI single by Shin Min-jae and a sacrifice fly by Moon Bo-kyung.
kt starter Sauer earned the win in his KBO debut despite allowing five hits, five walks, one strikeout, and three earned runs over five innings, backed by the team's explosive offense. Kim Hyun-soo went 1-for-5 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored, tying the all-time record for most career hits in season openers at 20. kt also became the sixth team in KBO history to have every starter record a hit in a season opener.
LG catcher Park Dong-won went 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs, including a solo home run in the fifth inning, but his effort was overshadowed by the team's defeat. LG starting pitcher Chirinos took the loss after surrendering six hits, one walk, and six runs in just one inning of work.