"If Hernandez didn't get sick..." the birth of 'El Dongwon' He pitched five games in seven days, 7.1 innings, 117 pitches in total. The coach and MVP were both MVP in their hearts.

Oct 12, 2024

The 5th semi-PO game between KT and LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 11th. LG advanced to the playoffs with a 4-1 victory. Hernandez is hugging pitcher coach Kim Kwang-sam. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.11/

The 5th semi-PO game between KT and LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 11th. LG advanced to the playoffs with a 4-1 victory. Lim Chan-kyu, who was selected as the series MVP, and Son Joo-young, the MVP of Game 5, are hugging each other. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.11/

The 5th semi-PO game between KT and LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 11th. LG advanced to the playoffs with a 4-1 victory. Lim Chan-kyu, who was selected as the semi-playoff MVP, is holding the trophy. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.11/

The semi-playoff MVP vote revealed the performance of LG Twins players.

The semi-PO MVP was announced after LG secured a 4-1 victory over KT Wiz in Game 5 of the semi-playoff at Jamsil on the 11th and confirmed its advance to the playoffs.

Lim Chan-kyu, who became a winning pitcher in Games 2 and 5, was the main character. Lim Chan-kyu turned the direction of the series by leading the team to a 7-2 victory with two runs (one earned run) in five ⅓ innings in Game 2, where he fought with one loss, and in Game 5, he gave the team another victory with one run in six innings. In this semi-PO, he showed the most stable start with two wins and a 1.59 ERA. He won 34 votes out of a total of 67 votes cast by reporters, exactly over the majority, and became MVP with 50.7% of the vote.

Lim Chan-kyu's MVP rival was Elijah Hernandez, who emerged as a "foreign Choi Dong-won". Hernandez, who moved from a semi-PO to a bullpen pitcher, played in the foreground from Game 1 to Game 5. Four players, including NC Won Jong-hyun, played in five games in the semi-PO, are all domestic pitchers. Hernandez is the first foreign pitcher.

Hernandez, who threw 27 in two scoreless innings in Game 1, threw 38 in one ⅔ inning to keep him scoreless and recorded his first hold of the postseason.

It was a day when he decided to rest for two days due to the high number of pitches for two days, but when closer Yoo Young-chan was chased 6-5 after being hit by a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning, he was preparing in advance and took the mound, caught two outcounts with four balls, and recorded his first save.

In Game 4, when the score was tied at 5-5, he pitched in the bottom of the eighth inning and blocked 32 pitches in two innings without losing a point, and after a day off, he waited in the ninth inning for Game 5, and took the mound in the top of the ninth inning in a 4-1 three-run lead to end the game without losing a point. Hernandez, who pitched seven ⅓ innings in five games, threw a total of 117 pitches, putting his team in the playoffs with a scoreless perfect pitching.

As Hernandez became an icon of commitment, he was expected to be a strong MVP candidate if he made a save in Game 5, but Lim Chan-kyu's performance was impressive.

Hernandez came in second with 19 votes, 28.4%.

The 5th semi-PO game between KT and LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 11th. LG advanced to the playoffs with a 4-1 victory. Hernandez and Park Dong-won are enjoying their joy. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.11/

The 5th semi-PO game between KT and LG held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 11th. LG advanced to the playoffs with a 4-1 victory. Hernandez congratulates Son Joo-young, who was named MVP of Game 5. Jamsil = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.10.11/

Son Joo-young, who came out as the second pitcher after starting in Game 3 and Game 5, and recorded one win and one hold by blocking a scoreless run, received seven votes, while Shin Min-jae, who recorded the most stolen bases with three RBIs and four runs in five games with a batting average of 350 (7 hits in 20 at-bats) and five stolen bases, won seven votes.

Lim Chan-kyu and Hernandez, who came into the interview room after the series, praised each other's performance and said each other deserved the MVP.

Hernandez "Lim Chan-kyu's performance was amazing. I think I should be the MVP"I think Lim Chan-kyu should receive it because he showed 100% of his performance every time he went out, contributing to the team's victory. I think Lim Chan Kyu's performance in this series is amazingHe raised his thumb at Lim Chan-kyu's performance.

Lim Chan-kyu said "Even though I had good results in two games. It's really not easy for Hernandez to match his condition as he takes the mound in the foreground. "Didn't the middle pitcher really go out in a variety of ways, not just save situations?" The manager judged that the bullpen was not easy due to our team's circumstances, and I think Hernandez filled more than a few seats, so the MVP in my heart is Hernandez. In addition, Lim Chan-gyu added "I hope Hernandez doesn't get sick.", reminding him once again that his fighting spirit was great.

LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop also picked Hernandez as the MVP in his heart. Coach Yeom said in an interview after Game 5 that "Lim Chan-kyu was the MVP, but Hernandez is the MVP of my heart." I think that feeling was conveyed to our players so that they could play harder and advance to the playoffs. Although he is a foreign player, our players have been energized by our players, and I think Hernandez played a huge role in leading the overall atmosphere because we know it wellHernandez's fighting spirit, which he pitched in all five semi-PO games, also played a big role in the team's atmosphere.

indyk@sportschosun.com