ERA 8.35 vs. 6.59 Unnerved starters to face each other in first place. 30-30 Kim Do-young vs 100-run Austin. The third batter's destructive power determines the outcome.
Aug 16, 2024
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For KIA, it is an opportunity to clearly widen the gap with LG to take a step closer to winning the regular league, and for LG, it is the last opportunity to challenge for first place.
Depending on the results of the three consecutive games, the game difference may vary greatly. As of Tuesday, the gap between the two teams is four games. If KIA sweeps in three consecutive games, it will be seven games apart, and if it wins and loses two games, it will lead by five games. Considering the remaining number of games, the five-game difference is also quite large.
On the other hand, if LG plays a winning series with two wins and one loss, it will be narrowed down to three games. If they win three consecutive games, they can instantly narrow down to one game difference and change the game of the season to a two-way structure.
The weakest starter from both teams will come out in the first round of the three important series. Choi Won-tae was predicted for LG and Kim Do-hyun for KIA.
Choi Won-tae will become an FA at the end of this season. The best performance can be achieved to raise the ransom in the FA market, but it is not doing so at the moment. He was on a good pace with 6 wins, 3 losses and a 3.80 ERA in 12 games on June 5. However, he had to rest for about a month due to a side injury and his performance has not been good since returning. He has one win, two losses and an 8.35 ERA in five games.
It often collapsed in the first inning. He allowed 17 runs in five games, but 13 runs in the first inning alone. The hit rate in the first inning is as high as 542. On the 10th, the previous mound, he gave up one run in five innings and became a winning pitcher only against Jamsil NC.
The key is how to get through the first inning against KIA batters again on this day.
Kim Do-hyun has been a bullpen pitcher this year and is starting due to Yoon Young-chul's injury. He has two wins and two losses with a 6.59 ERA in four starts.
It was clear when it was good and when it was bad. He became a winning pitcher with two hits and no runs in five innings against Hanwha on July 19, his first start, and then a losing pitcher with three hits and five walks and six runs (four earned) in one ⅓ against NC on July 25, and a losing pitcher with eight hits (one homer) and six runs against Doosan on July 31, but he became a winning pitcher with six hits and no runs in five innings against KT on the 6th.
He took the mound as a relief against Samsung on the 11th and continued his good condition with one hit and no run in two ⅔ innings.
He took the mound only once against LG this season. After starting Yang Hyun-jong in Gwangju on June 18, he took the mound in the top of the sixth inning and was replaced after facing only four batters. He came up with a big 10-3 lead and struck out Park Dong-won, the first batter at the time, but allowed consecutive walks to Moon Bo-kyung and Koo Bon-hyuk, and was hit to the right by Park Hae-min and was on the verge of loading the bases. He immediately changed to Kwak Do-gyu. Later, Kwak Do-gyu allowed a walk to Moon Sung-joo with the bases loaded with two outs, giving Kim Do-hyun one run.
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I think we can count on Kim Do-young, who joined the 30-30 club the day before and will come forward with a light heart. He has a batting average of 342 home runs and 13 RBIs against LG. Na Sung-beom also hit .400 with one home run and six RBIs, Choi Won-joon hit .476 with six RBIs, and Han Jun-su hit .480 with five RBIs.
Overall, the team's batting average is strong at 336 against LG, so I am confident in LG pitchers.
LG's three wins and nine losses against KIA are burdensome, but the recent improvement in hitting sense raises confidence. In particular, Austin Dean, who was placed at No. 3, is building a huge RBI. Austin batted .349 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 11 games in August. On the 15th, the previous day, he swept three hits and five RBIs, including a two-run shot against Hanwha in Daejeon, recording 100 RBIs and leading the RBI.
No. 4 Moon Bo-kyung is in good condition with 333 and 12 RBIs, and Shin Min-jae, who plays second, is showing good performance as a table setter with 450, 6 RBIs and 14 points.
KIA won Kiwoom 12-1 the previous day, and LG also finished preheating the hit with a 17-3 victory over Hanwha and saved the must-win group. Since both LG and KIA are good hitting teams, how well the starter blocks early is likely to be the key to the game.
indyk@sportschosun.com
