Director Kim Tae-hyung and Kim Won-joong, who won but became hardened...'Winning Series after 5 hours and 30 minutes of right-handed blood fight'

Aug 30, 2024

Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung, who couldn't laugh even after winning after a two-day rain battle, and closing Kim Won-joong

Kim Won-joong, who took the mound in the ninth inning, shook his control and caused a bases-loaded crisis.

Director Kim Tae-hyung succeeded in the winning series after a sweaty game. Busan = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com

Kim Won-joong and Kim Tae-hyung, who finished the match after a two-day rain battle, won but could not laugh. After a long game of more than five and a half hours, the players left the stadium looking tired.

The Lotte Giants, who are continuing their hopes for fall baseball, put themselves on a bus heading to Seoul after winning the last game of the three consecutive games against the Hanwha Eagles at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 29th.

From the first inning, both teams' starting pitchers faced a full base crisis, and it was unusual. Lotte starter Wilkerson allowed a hit to leadoff hitter Hanwha Hwang Young-mook and gave up a walk in the ensuing match with Peraza. Was it because of the rain that began to fall just before the start of the game. It was a different pitching from Wilkerson's usual sharp control at both ends of the border line.

Wilkerson, who briefly came down from the mound at the moment of crisis, collected his breath and started pitching again, posted his first out count by handling No. 3 An Chi-hong in center field. In the subsequent match with No. 4 Noh Si-hwan, he regained his stability by throwing a 147-kilometer fastball and striking out swinging.

With two outs and runners on first and second bases. Wilkerson, who gave up a walk in the game with Chae Eun-sung, faced a bases-loaded crisis, but Kim Tae-yeon was grounded out and escaped the bases-loaded crisis in the first inning without a run.

As Sajik Jesus Wilkerson got over the bases-loaded crisis without losing a run, the fielders cheered up.

In the bottom of the first inning, leadoff hitter Yoon Dong-hee hit a left-handed hit against Hanwha starter Barria. Since then, Ko Seung-min and Son Ho-young have hit three consecutive batters, creating a full base chance with no outs. The troubleshooter appeared at the moment when No. 4 hitter Reyes stepped down with a ground ball to the third base and seemed to lead to an offensive flow similar to that of Hanwha, which failed to take advantage of the full base chance in the top of the first inning.

who brought the initial atmosphere with a timely hit in the first inning

Lotte Captain Jeon Joon-woo

Jeon Jun-woo, who entered the bases loaded with one out, responded to Hanwha starter Barria's successive sliders. The result is two fouls. Jeon Jun-woo, who was driven by the 0B 2S unfavorable count, boldly turned the bat when the slider on the third pitch came into a similar course. The technically pushed ball rolled to the front of the fence, cutting through the right-center.

Rais, Son Ho-young and Ko Seung-min, who filled the bases, were enough to come home. Jeon Joon-woo, who ran to third base while Hanwha fielders continued to play, roared after confirming that all the runners had entered the groove. With Jeon Jun-woo's timely hit in the first inning and Jeong Hoon's running timely hit, Lotte's 5-0 lead until the third inning was suddenly suspended due to a thick rain.

The game, which had been suspended at 7:50 p.m., resumed at 9 p.m., an hour and 10 minutes later. Wilkerson gave up two runs in the fourth inning, but Lotte's batters scored four points and widened the score gap to 9-2. After that, if Lotte runs away, Hanwha will chase it, and the game, which lasted until the second half of the game, entered the ninth inning ahead of midnight.

who was in charge of the mound until the 5th inning despite the inclement weather that continued to rain

Sajik Jesus Wilkerson

As Hanwha chased by 14-104 points, Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung put closer Kim Won-joong on the mound. Kim Won-joong, who took the mound in eight games in July and was sluggish with one win, two losses and an 11.05 ERA, regained stability in August. Unlike July, which was sluggish, Kim Won-joong fully revived in seven games in August, marking one win, four saves and zero ERA.

Last appearance in August at Sajik Stadium. Contrary to manager Kim Tae-hyung's wish to finish the game neatly, the flow of the game in the ninth inning was sweaty.

The ninth inning started with a heavy hit by leadoff hitter Ha Joo-seok. Closing Kim Won-joong struck out Moon Hyun-bin with three strikeouts and posted his first out count. The ball control began to falter in the match against Peraza with one out, followed by a walk and another walk to An Chi-hong, causing a one-out bases-loaded crisis.

who took the mound in the ninth inning with a 4-point lead

Kim Won-joong

As closer Kim Won-joong faltered ahead of the match against No. 4 hitter Noh Si-hwan, catcher Information Geun, who visited the mound, continued the game again after a short conversation. If you allow a big shot, it's a tie right away. Kim Won-joong pitched carefully. Kim Won-joong, who played against Noh Si-hwan with four pitch clock violations, turned the home run batter with a sacrifice fly after the ninth pitch. Kim Won-joong, who started the match against Noh Si-hwan ahead of midnight, only added one out count after midnight and looked at the electronic display.

Kim Won-joong, who was on the mound, breathed a sigh of relief as Kim In-hwan's ball entered left fielder Hwang Sung-bin's glove after the full count match with two outs and runners on the first and second bases. The end of the match is 00:07 minutes. Lotte closer Kim Won-joong and manager Kim Tae-hyung succeeded in the winning series after the two-day game, which lasted more than 5 hours and 30 minutes, but left the stadium with a firm face.