'He's the first starter...' Headshot exit → 2 perfect innings for 153km. Will Yum Liang's PS 3-man selection plan falter
Sep 22, 2024
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At the same time, LG, which is in the midst of a last-minute battle for third place, should prepare for the postseason. Coach Yeom expressed his intention to change the starting lineup to three players from the postseason to the playoffs and run two as bullpens. If they advance to the Korean Series, they plan to use four starters.
When asked about the postseason selection plan ahead of the Busan Lotte Giants match on the 18th, manager Yeom said, `I've finished the plan in my head. "Three starters will be used and two will come out to the bullpen. "I can't say it now, but I'll just pay attention to the third place for now."
Eliaser Hernandez, who sent and recruited Casey Kelly as the first foreign starter, did a strange job in a doubleheader game against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on the 21st. Hernandez, who took the mound as a starter in Game 1 and was sent off with a head shot in the top of the first inning, pitched two innings in the top of the eighth inning until the ninth inning to secure his team's 2-0 victory and earn a save. Hernandez, who rose to the top of the eighth inning after Son Joo-young had four hits and no runs until the seventh inning, struck out the first No. 7 Park Joon-young with a 150-kilometer fastball, caught Kim Ki-yeon with a fly to right field, and struck out Kim Jae-ho with a 153-kilometer fastball and finished with three outs. Since it was 2-0, I thought the closing pitcher Yoo Young-chan would come out at the top of the ninth inning, but coach Yeom pushed Hernandez. After a full count match, he grounded out No. 1 Jung Soo-bin in front of the third base with a 149km fastball. He struck out pinch-hitter Jeon Da-min with a 124km curve and held the pinch-hitter with a fly to shortstop to end the game. It was a perfect save with no hits, three strikeouts and no runs in two innings. It was impressive that Doosan hitters couldn't cope with the maximum fastball of 153km.
Hernandez, who expected good pitching with a fastball of more than 150 kilometers and various breaking balls, has a disadvantage of increasing his hit rate once the batting order turns, may throw as a bullpen pitcher because he also played as a bullpen pitcher before coming to Korea.
So, on August 29, when the starting period was long, he took the mound as a relief pitcher against Jamsil KT and recorded a hold with one hit and three strikeouts in one inning. This time, Hernandez, who set a rare record of making a save in Game 2 due to a headshot exit in Game 1, became the only foreign pitcher to win, hold and save this season. However, Hernandez himself has more greed for selection.
Among the five players, Detrick Ens (12-6), Hernandez (3-2-1 save, 1 hold), Lim Chan-kyu (9-6-1 hold), Choi Won-tae (9-6), and Son Joo-young (9-10), who has experience in relief and can pitch well in relief, are likely to move to relief. Hernandez has experience in relief in the United States, and Lim Chan-kyu and Choi Won-tae and Son Joo-young have also taken the mound as relief.
Did Hernandez's save that he showed this time shake Yeom's idea or give him a more certain belief. You can see it at the start of the postseason.
indyk@sportschosun.com
