The Hanwha Eagles shook off a slow start to the 2025 KBO season and climbed to second place on the 10-team table by riding a seven-game winning streak that continued Sunday with a 7-1 victory over the NC Dinos at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon.

The Eagles' recent run contrasts with their performance earlier this season, when the club shared the last place on the table with the Kiwoom Heroes until the start of this month.

The Daejeon club has flipped the script since April 13, sweeping back-to-back series against SSG Landers and NC to improve their record to 14-11 (winning percentage .560). They now trail league leaders LG Twins by five games.

The Eagles started the streak with a win over the Heroes on April 13 and dominated a midweek three-game series against the SSG Landers before sweeping the Dinos over the weekend.

The result marks the Eagles' first sweep of the Dinos in nearly six years.

Fans have responded to the Eagles' notable run, with all three weekend games last week being sold out, bringing the total number of sellouts at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark to eight out of 12 home games this season.


Right-hander Cody Ponce led the charge on Sunday. The 31-year-old threw 101 pitches over seven innings, surrendering just one hit and striking out 13 batters.

He recorded double-digit strikeouts in consecutive starts and extended his league-leading total to 56.

Ponce also helped Hanwha reach another milestone — seven straight wins by starting pitchers.

The streak began with Moon Dong-ju and continued through Ponce, Ryan Weiss, Ryu Hyun-jin, Eom Sang-baek, Moon again and back to Ponce. The Eagles last accomplished this feat in April 2001.

One more win by a starting pitcher would mark an all-time record for the Eagles.

Ponce said after Sunday's game that he still had the energy to pitch another inning and called the seven-game streak by the rotation “amazing.” He emphasized his commitment to helping the team maintain its momentum.

Slugger Noh Si-hwan celebrated the team's seven-game winning streak with his 100th career home run, a solo shot off the Dinos' Lee Yong-chan in the second inning.

The 2023 home run leader now has eight for the season, tying Kia Tigers’ Patrick Wisdom for the league lead. Noh reached the milestone in his 711th game, having hit his first professional homer on April 5, 2019.

Manager Kim Kyung-moon credited Ponce for anchoring the team’s performance.

“Ponce executed his role as starter perfectly,” Kim said. “That focus carried over to our fielders. We’ve exceeded expectations with this streak, and we want to keep it going for our fans.”

In other KBO action, KT Wiz’s Ko Young-pyo pitched a complete-game shutout against the Heroes, allowing three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in a 5-0 win. It was the 141st no-walk shutout in league history and Ko’s third.

The Landers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over the LG Twins in Incheon.

The Lotte Giants edged out the Samsung Lions 4-3 to take sole possession of fourth place, while the Tigers came from behind to beat the Doosan Bears 6-4.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.