2024-05-04 05:39:05
Samsung pitcher Won Tae-in showed his ace true colors and took the lead in most wins.
Won Tae-in started on the mound in the visiting game against Doosan held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 2nd and led the team to a 4-2 victory by pitching 6 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, and 1 run (unearned).
Samsung, which had recorded 19 wins, 1 draw, and 13 losses until the previous day, became the third team to reach the 20-win mark following KIA and NC with this victory. Samsung rose to a tie for second place along with NC, which lost 4-5 to LG on the same day.
It was a game where the true value of native ace Won Tae-in could be confirmed.
Before today’s game, there were seven players tied for the lead in most wins in this year’s KBO League with four wins. However, while Won Tae-in won his 5th win on this day, KIA James Nail, who had also recorded 4 wins until the previous day, became the losing pitcher, making Won Tae-in the sole leader in most wins.
Won Tae-in pitched perfectly from the first to the third inning, using only 35 pitches and not allowing a single Doosan batter to reach first base.
In the bottom of the 4th inning, when the team was ahead 1-0, the first run was conceded due to Su-bin Jeong’s quick feet. When Heo Gyeong-min grounded out in front of the first baseman with no outs, Jeong Soo-bin rushed to third base, and Won Tae-in, who had covered the first base base, made a bad throw to third base, allowing the score to be tied.
The biggest crisis came in the bottom of the 5th inning when the team was ahead 2-1. With one out, a walk was allowed to Kim Jae-hwan, and a hit was hit by Henry Ramos. He caught Jeon Min-jae with a fly ball to right field, but gave up a walk to Jo Su-soo, putting the bases loaded with two outs. However, the lead was preserved by catching the next batter, Jeong Soo-bin, with a grounder to first base. Won Tae-in, who entered the first base cover and caught an out himself, roared with his whole body and expressed his joy.
Won Tae-in also climbed in the 6th inning and completed a quality start (3 earned runs over 6 innings as a starter). On this day, Won Tae-in silenced the Doosan batting lineup with a fast ball of up to 150 km per hour and a sharp slider. Won Tae-in, who took the sole lead in this category with 5 wins this season, also dropped his ERA to 1.79 and maintained second place after Nail (1.26). Won Tae-in, who continued his streak of 19 consecutive inning innings in the last three games, said after the game, “What he roared (after preventing the bases loaded in the fifth inning) was a reprimand given to me. He could have won easily, but he went on hard and faced a crisis himself. “It was very disappointing, so I really wanted to stop it,” he said. “After giving up the score by mistake in the 4th inning, it seemed like my dormant instincts were awakened. “He has become more advanced,” he said.
While Won Tae-in reliably guarded the mound, Samsung’s batting lineup also strengthened. Kim Young-woong’s triple in the 2nd inning gave them the first run, and in the 5th inning, when the score was tied 1-1, with one out and 2nd and 3rd bases on, Koo Ja-wook hit the game-winning hit that hit the left fence directly. In the 8th inning, after two outs, Kang Min-ho, Kim Young-woong, and Lee Jae-hyun scored three hits in a row to score one more run. Samsung gave up 1 run in the 8th inning to Kim Jae-yoon, but with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd base in the 9th inning, Ryu Ji-hyuk hit a timely hit that sealed the game. Closing pitcher Oh Seung-hwan, who came on the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning with a 4-2 lead, pitched one inning without allowing a run and earned his 9th save.
KT defeated leader KIA 12-5 in Gwangju. For KIA, the three mistakes made early in the game were painful. KIA starting pitcher Nail became the losing pitcher after allowing 6 runs in one-third of an inning in episode 6, but all 6 runs were unearned runs due to fielder errors. The KIA defense committed as many as five mistakes that day and destroyed themselves.
SSG recorded a winning series by defeating Hanwha 4-3 in Daejeon. SSG, trailing 2-3, tied the score in the 5th inning when Park Seong-han grounded to second base with no outs on first and third base. Then, with the bases loaded and no outs in the 6th inning, pinch hitter Choo Shin-soo pulled off a walk to Lee Chung-ho and succeeded in a comeback. SSG Choi Jeong-eun hit a double to left-center field with two outs in the fifth inning, becoming the seventh player in history to hit 400 doubles.
LG won 5-4 in Changwon after overtime against NC. In the top of the 10th inning, when the score was tied 4-4, LG took the lead again with a timely hit by pinch hitter Hong Chang-ki at 1st and 3rd bases with 2 outs. NC failed to capitalize on the opportunity with one out and second base in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Lotte won 6-5 at home against Kiwoom and broke away from their recent 5-game losing streak. Lotte struggled to achieve 9 wins (11 losses, 1 draw), but is still in last place. It is 2.5 games behind 9th place KT.
Reporter Lee Heon-jae uni@donga.com
2024-05-04 05:39:05