The closing pitcher allowed three runs in the second half of the ERA 11.42? It's not Nam's job to worry about the back door
Aug 17, 2024
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NC has not been able to break its losing streak. NC, which lost 3-7 against Samsung in Changwon on the 16th, has recently lost eight consecutive games. The ranking has already dropped to ninth place. It was five games away from fifth-place SSG Landers, and rather two games away from the last-place Kiwoom Heroes. Now, unless you break the real losing streak and jump up at once, you have to worry about falling to the bottom.
On top of that, closer Lee Yong-chan's recent slump is also a concern. Lee Yong-chan has been hit hard since the start of the second half. It was fine in the first half. With the pace maintained at the beginning of the season, he played a central role in the team's bullpen with 3 wins, 5 losses, 2 holds, 14 saves and a 2.77 ERA in 39 games.
However, in the 11 games he took the mound in the second half of the year, he had two losses and two saves with an ERA of 11.42. In particular, the results of the last two games are more regrettable. The game against the LG Twins in Jamsil on the 11th was shocking.
At that time, Lee Yong-chan took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning immediately after NC came from behind 3-1 in the top of the ninth inning. The closer's appearance was a natural step. However, he caught one out and allowed Austin Dean to hit a solo home run with a main weapon fork ball, and allowed Moon Bo-kyung, the next batter, to double again as the first fork ball went in easily. Oh Ji-hwan struck out swinging with difficulty, but his control shook against Kim Hyun-soo with two outs and a runner on second base, increasing the number of runners to two again.
And the last batter, Park Dong-won. Lee Yong-chan, who was in full count as he caught 2S and had three consecutive fastballs, played a folk ball again, but the fork ball went high in the middle, making it a catch and becoming a 130km flat pitch that was accurately caught on Park Dong-won's radar. The result is a walk-off come-from-behind double.
Coach Kang In-kwon, who was watching the game on TV as he was sent off due to protests after a video review, also smiled bitterly, saying, `I didn't know this game would go this way.'
Lee Yong-chan took a four-day break after the game against LG. Due to the cancellation of rain and the team's consecutive losses, Finisher did not have a chance to take the mound. As the pitching interval became longer, the NC bench was losing against Samsung on the 16th, but sent Lee Yong-chan up in the top of the ninth inning. It was an inspection to maintain the senses.
However, Lee Yong-chan, who took the mound in a close game of 3-4, one point difference, collapsed again. After one out, a walk, a hit to the middle, and an RBI double hit by a fork ball to Koo Ja-wook. Following Kang Min-ho's ground ball RBI, Kim Young-woong made a timely hit. He lost three runs in an instant. In the end, he failed to finish the inning and came down the mound with two outs and runners on first base, and NC, which gave up three more runs in the top of the ninth inning, lost its last momentum and lost eight consecutive games.
It's a part where you have a lot of worries. Manager Kang In-kwon has never had faith in closer Lee Yong-chan. Even when Lee Yong-chan was shaken last year or his performance was temporarily poor, he emphasized his unwavering belief, saying, `Our team's finish is Lee Yong-chan.'
However, as the team's recent performance itself is not good, it is bound to fall into realistic concerns. There is not a solid replacement right now, but it is also right to think of an alternative if the closer who needs to change the flow is shaken.
Samsung also set up a super-stronger to send Oh to the second division after Oh Seung-hwan, the best closer in KBO league history, allowed consecutive runs. And against NC on the day, Lim Chang-min took charge of multiple innings and took the save. The second half of the year when the finishing pitchers of each team show a group of difficulties. NC's worries are also likely to grow.
youll@sportschosun.com
