'41.4 billion FA didn't catch an ordinary fly.' Lee Hyung-jong's family put a dagger in it. Kiwoom won 6-4. LG has a lot of red pepper powder
Aug 25, 2024
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Kiwoom sprayed red pepper powder on the crossroads of the LG Twins, who are busy to grind.
Kiwoom won 6-4 at the end of the eighth inning with Lee Hyung-jong's two-run timely hit in the home game against LG at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 25th. He ran a winning series of 2 wins and 1 loss in three consecutive weekend games, putting the brakes on LG, which is busy fighting for second place.
LG succeeded in tying the game 4-4 with Hong Chang-ki's two-run double in the top of the eighth inning, but created a chance for the opponent with a disappointing defense in the bottom of the eighth inning, which eventually became a painful two-run game.
Kiwoom consisted of Lee Joo-hyung (center fielder), Kim Hye-sung (second baseman), Song Sung-moon (third baseman), Choi Joo-hwan (first baseman), Byun Sang-won (left fielder), Lee Hyung-jong (right fielder), Won Sung-joon (designated hitter), Kim Tae-jin (striker), and Kim Jae-hyun (catcher). The strategy is to target Hernandez by using seven left-handed batters excluding Lee Hyung-jong and Kim Jae-hyun.
LG made the lineup with Hong Chang-ki (right wing), Shin Min-jae (designated hitter), Austin (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Kim Hyun-soo (left wing), Oh Ji-hwan (striker), Park Dong-won (catcher), Park Hae-min (middle fielder), and Koo Bon-hyuk (second baseman). Shin Min-jae was given a break as a designated hitter.
It was an ace showdown between Kiwoom Ariel Furado and LG Eliaser Hernandez, so concentration was important in the chance.
The first place was LG's. In the top of the second inning, Moon Bo-kyung hit a lightning solo shot. When Furado's first pitch 131km curve came to the center, he did not miss it and swung over the right fence. With this home run, Moon Bo-kyung recorded his first home run against the former team.
Hernandez struck out five and pitched perfectly until the end of the third inning. Furado also handled nine consecutive hitters until the fourth inning after being hit by Moon Bo-kyung.
Kiwoom turned the tables at once in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kiwoom, which created a chance for the first and second bases with no outs with Kim Hye-sung's left-handed hit on the leadoff Lee Ju-hyung's heavy hit, was on the verge of double play due to Song Sung-moon hitting a ground ball in front of the second base, but fortunately, it became safe at first base, continuing the chance with one out and runners on first and third bases.
Choi Joo-hwan turned the game around. In 1B1S, Hernandez's third 145km fastball was driven to the center, and he pulled it as it was and hit an upset three-run shot over the right-center fence.
Even before the first base Kiwoom crowd's applause was over, Bae Sang-kwon again crossed the fence. He pulled Hernandez's high fastball 146km off the first pitch and hit a solo shot over the right fence. Choi Joo-hwan and Bae Sang-kwon hit their 52nd consecutive homeruns this season and 1,168th in their career.
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Hernandez also got a double off Lee Ju-hyung in the bottom of the fifth inning, but he threw until the seventh inning without losing a point. His first seven innings of pitching in the KBO League.
Furado had three hits (one home run) and five strikeouts and two runs in seven innings, meeting the requirements for a winning pitcher for 11 wins. Hernandez was on the verge of losing the game by allowing six hits (two homers), one walk, six strikeouts and four runs in seven innings. But both ended without a win or a loss.
However, in the top of the eighth inning, LG's batting lineup, which was blocked by Hurado, broke out with a new pitcher. Kiwoom raised Kim Dong-wook as the second pitcher, and LG immediately launched a counterattack. With two outs and runners on the first and third bases loaded with Park Dong-won's heavy hit and Park Hae-min's walk, Hong Chang-ki hit a double that separated the left-center gap, and even first baseman Park Hae-min homered to tie the game 4-4. With two outs and runners on the second base on the verge of upset, Kiwoom put in Joo Seung-woo, the closing pitcher. Shin Min-jae stepped down with a ground ball in front of the second base and started again from the ground zero.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Kiwoom also created a chance against the changed pitcher Kim Jin-sung. After one death, Kim Hye-sung hit a double on the right field line. LG automatically hung Song Seong-moon on four pitches. Choi Joo-hwan's hit with one out and runners on the first and second bases became a hit that fell between shortstop and center field left field. Left fielder Kim Hyun-soo and center fielder Park Hae-min ran, and shortstop Oh Ji-hwan stepped back, but none of them made a call to catch him, so they fell between three players. With two outs and runners on first and second bases, the bases loaded with one out.
Bae Sang-kwon struck out and got two outs, but Lee Hyung-jong hit a clean left-handed hit to make it 6-4.
Kiwoom's victory was confirmed in the top of the ninth inning when Joo Seung-woo neatly finished with a three-out strikeout.
indyk@sportschosun.com
