'Ace is here. We're chasing first place' Hernandez's first win in five innings of 7K 1 run and his debut + Austin final two-run shot LG, 10-3, escaped four consecutive wins. Doosan Shirakawa lost 6 runs
Aug 08, 2024
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LG won 10-3 in an away game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Stadium on the 8th, thanks to Hernandez's good pitching with seven strikeouts and one run in five innings and the batting lineup's concentration.
LG, which escaped from four consecutive losses, recorded 55 wins, two draws, and 49 losses. Doosan, ranked fourth, surpassed 1 million spectators for the first time among the 10 teams on the day, but suffered a disappointing defeat on a happy day. With 56 wins, two draws and 52 losses, it widened to LG by two games again.
Doosan made up the starting lineup with Jung Soo-bin (center fielder), Kang Seung-ho (second baseman), Jarrod (right fielder), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Kim Jae-hwan (designated hitter), Heo Kyung-min (third baseman), Jeon Min-jae (striker), and Lee Yoo-chan (left fielder).
Kim Jae-ho, who was hit in the right knee by Austin's ball the day before, fortunately, is not a major injury, but it is not easy to play right away.
LG, where new foreign pitcher Eliaser Hernandez will make his debut, posted the best lineup of Hong Chang-ki (right wing), Shin Min-jae (second baseman), Austin (designated hitter), Moon Bo-kyung (first baseman), Oh Ji-hwan (striker), Kim Hyun-soo (left wing), Park Dong-won (catcher), Park Hae-min (middle fielder), and Koo Bon-hyuk (third baseman).
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Following Shin Min-jae's walk, Austin blew a 137km splitter into the left stands of Doosan starter Keisho Shirakawa. His 22nd two-run shot of the season. Soon after, he added a run on Moon Bo-kyung's triple to left-center field and Oh Ji-hwan's grounder to secure the early momentum of 3-0.
Hernandez was nervous because it was his first KBO League appearance, so his control was a little bad in the bottom of the first inning. He allowed a walk to the first-runner Jung Soo-bin. He seemed to find stability by striking out No. 2 Kang Seung-ho and blocking Jung Soo-bin's second base steal, quickly catching two outs, but Jared pulled Hernandez's body cutter and hit a solo shot over the right fence.
Hernandez, however, quickly showed his pitching, giving LG hope. He allowed only one hit until the fifth inning and allowed no run. As a result, he threw 78 pitches and allowed two hits (one homer) with one walk and seven strikeouts until the fifth inning. As the batting lineup exploded, he even won his first game in his first appearance. Throwing various pitches such as sweeper, sinker, slider, cutter, change-up and curve on a fastball of up to 150km, LG made it possible to fully see the reason why he brought it while saying goodbye to Kelly.
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LG helped Hernandez's good pitching with a good batting performance. In the top of the fourth inning, Oh Ji-hwan walked and went to second base with a wild pitch, and he homered with two ground balls to score one run without a hit, and in the top of the fifth inning, Moon Bo-kyung's double to the right-center with two outs and runners on first and second base with a walk and an infield hit added two runs to lead 6-1.
Doosan created a chance against Lee Ji-gang in the bottom of the sixth inning after Hernandez went down. After one out, Jung Soo-bin's double and Kang Seung-ho's hit scored one run, and Jared and Yang Eui-ji's consecutive walks put LG under pressure. LG immediately raised Kim Jin-sung and caught Yang Seok-hwan with a shortstop fly and Kim Jae-hwan with a center field fly to put out the fire.
Shirakawa, Doosan's substitute for Brandon Waddell, pitched six innings and had only four hits, but allowed six runs with three walks to become a losing pitcher.
LG scored an additional point in the top of the seventh inning to break Doosan's willingness to chase. He scored one run with the leadoff Koo Bon-hyuk's double and Hong Chang-ki's timely hit, and added one run with Austin's double, and Oh Ji-hwan's double to the right. It's 9-2 before you know it.
In the top of the eighth inning, Park Hae-min's walk and Hong Chang-ki's double filled the 10th run.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, LG finished Yoo Young-chan with two outs and a runner on first base. Since he has never taken the mound since taking the mound against the Lotte Giants in Busan on July 25, he took the mound to check his condition. LG's pitching coach Choi Sang-deok greeted the Doosan dugout on the first base and asked for understanding.
LG's top batters actively broke out, including Hong Chang-ki's two hits, two RBIs and two runs, Shin Min-jae's one hit and two runs, Austin's two hits (one home run), Moon Bo-kyung's three hits, two RBIs and one run, and Oh Ji-hwan's one hit and two RBIs and one run.
Doosan, which showed good concentration for two days, had only six hits. Jared's first home run to Jamsil home fans and Yang Seok-hwan's home run in the bottom of the ninth inning were comfortable. Kim Jae-hwan hit a heavy hit in the bottom of the ninth inning to achieve his 75th career career hit of 1,300 hits.
indyk@sportschosun.com
