Two days in a row, KIA had a man who ends it"Don't let your guard down. There's really not much time left"
Sep 05, 2024
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KIA Tigers infielder Seo Geon-chang once again showed the true face of 'Ending Man'. Seo Geon-chang hit a walk-off RBI with a right-handed hit in the bottom of the 10th inning with one out and second base when the game was 3-3 against Hanwha in Gwangju on the 5th. KIA, which lost in the overtime match against Hanwha on the 4th, succeeded in avenging the situation in one day and continued its winning streak in the pennant race.
Seo Geon-chang started as the seventh batter and second baseman for the first time since returning to the first team. In the bottom of the 10th inning of extra time, while the leadoff hitter Na Sung-beom got on base with a right-handed hit, pinch runner Hong Jong-pyo settled on second base when Kim Kyu-sung made a sacrifice bunt. Seo Geon-chang, who faced Hanwha Han Seung-joo, kicked a 120km curve that came into the lower course of his body from the advantageous ball count of 2B1S. The ball toward the right side of the right field fell into an exquisite position, and in the meantime, Hong Jong-pyo made a home sliding around third base. When the walk-off victory was confirmed, Seo Geon-chang cheered with his helmet in his right hand, spreading his arms, followed by a shower of congratulatory water from his colleagues.
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Seo Geon-chang received help from the hitting coach and the power analysis part. I was advised to play with the inside ball, but I recognized that and stood at the batter's box and got a good result"I looked back at the walk-off hit scene. Regarding the second walk-off hit of the season, "Unfortunately, I have to be lucky to have some chance to finish well in front of the hitters and keep having chances to finish, but I'm very grateful that such opportunities come often." He said, "I'm taking the batter's box with a responsibility to keep it alive whenever the opportunity comes." He also smiled saying, `It is true that the mindset and approach change when the runner is at third base and at second base.' `I thought I'd keep my zone rather than follow any ball, but I think it hit me well.'
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With the victory over Hanwha, KIA's pennant race magic number was reduced to 10. Now, the word 'Winning' has no choice but to gradually hover in my head. In response, Seo Geon-chang "I don't feel like I'm almost there yet. I really think we have to go all the way. "I don't know what's going to happen if the winning streak and losing streak are mixed."I'm still nervous now. I think that kind of tension has a positive effect on the atmosphere and concentration of our team." "I think we just have to let the tension go," he said. The top priority is not to win games that need to be won together and win and lose consecutively. In that sense, I think winning today's game is meaningful."
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ppark@sportschosun.com