"It was such an interesting game." Houston's nose was flattened with the relaxation and momentum of the triple crown scoop...DET 3-1 HOU
Oct 02, 2024
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Detroit won 3-1 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on the 2nd (Korea time) with ace Tarik Scubal's good pitching.
If Detroit adds one more win, it will reach the Division Series and face the Cleveland Guardians, who are ranked first in the Central Division.
The second game between the two teams will be held at the same place at 3:30 a.m. on the 3rd. Detroit will use a bullpen pitcher as an opener to go to bullpen day, while Houston will be started by Hunter Brown.
Detroit went 86-76 in the regular season, ranking third in the AL wild card, or the last train, to enter the fall baseball league. Houston, which had slowed down throughout this season, showed its potential in the second half of the year, marking 88 wins and 73 losses, and winning the West for the fourth consecutive year, advancing to the postseason for the eighth consecutive year.
However, in front of the ace, Houston's powerful batters were lethargic.
Scubal, who won the pitcher's triple crown with 18-4 losses, 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts in the regular season, gave up four hits and one walk in six innings and pitched perfect pitching with six strikeouts, blocking him without losing a point.
Scubal, who filled the regular innings for the first time this year since his debut in 2020, has revealed without regret that he is the strongest starting pitcher in his first fall baseball career. The scubal is likely to be a unanimous AL Cy Young Award.
He threw 88 pitches and hit 64 strikes, and struck 17 out of 23 batters. Based on perfect control, I mixed and threw 32 changeups, 23 four-seam fastballs, 22 sinkers, 10 sliders, and 1 knuckle curve, respectively. Fastball speed was up to 99.8 miles and an average of 97.4 miles, about 0.6 miles faster than during the regular season. Sinker also shot an average of 97.8 miles, making 1.2 miles more. As such, it can be said that he threw with all his might that he focused more.
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Scoogul was a great experience and a challenge after the game. It was fun, too. I think I was the most nervous since my debut. That tension was rather so much fun. It was a great game. I'm so happy that it ended in a victory."
Houston won the game by scoring three runs in the top of the second inning alone. After one out, Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney and Matt Bierling hit back-to-back timely hits and scored three runs at once with two outs and runners on first and third after Wencille Perez's right-handed hit and Spencer Tokelson's walk.
In the bottom of the ninth inning of Houston, which was being dragged scoreless, he went on a general offensive and pressured Detroit closer Jason Foley. Diaz's right-handed hit made up one run on the first and third bases with no outs made by lead Yordan Alvarez's double to left and Alex Bregman's infield hit to shortstop.
However, Victor Caratini hit a short fly to left field with one out and runners on the second and third bases, and Jason Heyward, with two outs and a bases loaded by Chas McCormick's walk, stepped down with a straight hit to the first base and knelt down.
It is the first time Detroit has won a postseason game since Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox in 2013.
jhno@sportschosun.com
