INCHEON, South Korea (Interstat) — Veteran left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin turned back the clock with a dominant 10-strikeout performance, and the Hanwha Eagles capitalized on early control issues by Shinsegae Landers starter Takeda Shota to secure a 6-2 victory on Tuesday evening at Munhak Baseball Stadium.

The game’s decisive moment came not with a single swing, but with a patient, relentless approach by the Eagles’ lineup in the top of the third inning. Already leading 1-0, Hanwha broke the game open against a struggling Takeda. Oh Jae-won led off with a walk, Yonathan Perlaza followed with another, and Moon Hyun-bin loaded the bases with a third consecutive free pass. Roh Si-hwan then worked a fourth walk to force in a run. After a flyout, Chae Eun-seong fouled out, but Ha Ju-suk delivered the critical blow, a two-run single to center-right field that scored Perlaza and Moon. The inning transformed a narrow lead into a commanding 4-0 advantage, chasing Takeda and setting the tone for the remainder of the contest.

Ryu Hyun-jin, making his second start of the season, was the story for Hanwha. The crafty left-hander expertly worked with the early lead, mixing speeds and locations to keep the Landers’ potent bats in check. Over six strong innings, he allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out 10, earning his first win of the season. His only blemish came in the bottom of the first inning when Choi Jeong connected for a two-run homer to left field following a walk to Park Seong-han, briefly cutting the Eagles’ lead to 4-2.

From that point forward, Ryu was nearly untouchable. He stranded a runner in scoring position in the fourth and worked around a leadoff double in the fifth. He punctuated his outing by striking out the side in order in the sixth, fanning Choi Jeong, Kim Jae-hwan, and Ko Myeong-jun to extinguish any lingering hope of a Shinsegae rally.

The Hanwha bullpen sealed the victory with three perfect innings of relief. Kim Seo-hyeon, Park Sang-won, and Jeong Woo-joo each contributed a scoreless frame, combining for four strikeouts and allowing no baserunners to preserve Ryu’s win.

Shinsegae’s pitching staff, after Takeda’s early exit, found stability. Relievers Jeon Young-jun, Moon Seung-won, and Park Si-hoo combined for five innings of one-hit, shutout baseball to keep the Landers within striking distance. However, the Hanwha offense added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth against Han Doo-sol. Moon Hyun-bin walked, Roh Si-hwan was hit by a pitch, and Kang Baek-ho delivered an RBI single. Chae Eun-seong later grounded out to bring home another run, finalizing the score.

The loss went to Takeda Shota, who fell to 0-2 after surrendering four earned runs on three hits and four walks in just two-plus innings of work. The Landers’ offense, which entered the game with a 7-1 record, was held to just four hits total, with Choi Jeong’s first-inning homer accounting for both of their runs.

With the win, Hanwha improved to 5-4 on the season, bouncing back from an 8-0 shutout loss to Doosan on Sunday. The Eagles’ victory also defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 7-4 Shinsegae win and gave the Landers a 53.2 percent probability of victory. Shinsegae, which had won seven of its first eight games, saw its record dip to 7-2.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again at Munhak Baseball Stadium on Wednesday for the second game of their midweek series.