KKKKKKKKKKK'He's the ace to lead Kelly' Hernandez's shock debut with 7K 1 run in 5 innings. I gave hope to LG
Aug 08, 2024
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LG Twins' new foreign pitcher Eliaser Hernandez made an impressive debut.
Hernandez started the game against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on the 8th and showed good pitching with two hits (one home run), one walk, seven strikeouts, and one run. He was replaced by Lee Ji-gang in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 6-1 lead and was on the verge of his first win.
Hernandez, who signed a contract on July 19, pitched his first bullpen session in Jamsil on the 27th after entering Korea on the 25th. Hernandez, who recorded a maximum of 148 kilometers, checked his sense of play through actual pitching in a practice game against Korea-Japan Jangshin University on the 30th. At that time, he had a maximum speed of 150 kilometers. He did not throw in the second division game, and immediately took the mound against Doosan on the 8th. Since it was his first appearance, he set a limit of 70 to 80 pitches.
Hernandez, who took the mound at Jamsil Stadium for the first time in the bottom of the first inning with Austin's first two-run homer and Moon Bo-kyung's triple, seemed nervous in the beginning.
He threw three balls back-to-back to the front-runner Jung Soo-bin. The fourth pitch also looked like a ball, but ABS ruled it a strike. However, in the fourth pitch, he threw a ball that fell outside again and gave up a walk. From the match against No. 2 Kang Seung-ho, the ball began to enter the strike zone little by little. In the advantageous count of 1B2S, he induced a swing and miss with a 128km slider in the fifth pitch to strike out for the first time. At this time, Jung Soo-bin, who attempted to steal second base, was also tagged out and quickly went out two.
However, No. 3 Jarrod Young hit his first hit and first home run. The 146km cutter came toward the body on the second pitch from 1B, and Jared did not miss it and made it a home run.
He had a long game with Yang Eui-ji. In 2B2S, Yang Eui-ji hit five consecutive fouls and bothered Hernandez. In the end, he struck out swinging with a 127km slider.
At the end of the second inning, he quickly caught Doosan batters with a fast tempo. Yang Seok-hwan struck out swinging with a 144km fastball, Kim Jae-hwan struck out three swinging balls with a 134km slider, and Huh Kyung-min struck out a rookie with a low fastball of 147km for the fifth pitch in 2B2S.
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It was important to meet the top lineup for the second time in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hernandez, who handled Kang Seung-ho with a catcher foul fly in the second, allowed Jared, who had a home run, to hit another hit, but was caught flying in front of center fielder Park Hae-min. Yang Eui-ji had a 146km fastball in the 2S' advantageous count, and Yang Eui-ji hit it without missing it to create a heavy hit. Yang Seok-hwan also caught 2S first and induced an infield fly to the mound on the third pitch. All four infielders rushed in, but shortstop Oh Ji-hwan caught them.
With Moon Bo-kyung's two-run double leading 6-1 in the top of the fifth inning, Hernandez, who reached the bottom of the fifth inning, grounded out front Kim Jae-hwan to shortstop, caught Heo Kyung-min to left field fly, and handled Jeon Min-jae to first baseman fly. He finished his mission by throwing 78 pitches until the 5th inning. In his first appearance, he even met the requirements for a winning pitcher with the help of batters.
LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said of Hernandez, `I like the mechanics that I have. "Even if you throw 100 balls, your speed will not drop much. Some U.S. pitchers throw only their upper bodies, but Hernandez has a very good overall balance using his lower body in an oriental style."
Manager Yeom said, `I hope Hernandez will come in and become a starting baseball. It's worth trying because if the starter makes an equal game, he can somehow block three innings."
It was his debut match that met the expectations of LG fans as well as coach Yeom.
indyk@sportschosun.com
