Rain washed out Doosan/SK, Hanhwa/Heroes and KIA/LG. Only the Lions and Giants were able to get a rain-shortened game in.
I got a link sent in from Mike McStay. I can definitely relate to baseball being "more than just a game." I don't have cancer, but I do recieve my fair share of stress. Lions games have been a great distraction for me. I really hope that fan gets over his illness.
The KT gives us a feature on Kim Tae-gyun and his recent hot streak.
Samsung 3, Lotte 0 (7)
W - Francisco Cruceta (7-3), L - Son Min-han (3-2)
Francisco Cruceta(3.95 ERA, 1.56 WHIP) kept racking up outs. Everything was a soft grounder or a lazy fly ball. Cruceta tossed 6 innings(66 pitches, 38 strikes) of shutout baseball. Lotte starter Son Min-han(3.78 era, 1.71 WHIP) was lucky he got away with only allowing 2 runs during his 5 innings(83 pitches, 52 strikes) of work. Son surrendered 9 hits and 3 walks, but he did manage to strike out 4. Samsung broke a 0-0 tie when shortstop Cho Dong-chan(.268/.342/.449) was able to scratch out an infield single with the bases loaded. Cho's Baltimore Chop scored Samsung's first run. The Lions added some insurance in the 3rd inning with an RBI single from 1st baseman Chae Tae-in(.270/.367/.476). Samsung would score again in the 6th thanks to a solo homer from veteran catcher Jin Kab-yong(.232/.317/.331). The rains came in the top of the 7th and stayed long enough to call the game.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
7/8 Roundup and News
The Korea Times discusses older players having success in the KBO this year.
Uh-oh, it sounds like Runelvys Hernandez is getting his release from Samsung. I know he's been popular in the clubhouse and he really hasn't been that much worse than anyone else on the pitching staff. Dump Runelvys, but keep Bae Yong-su at all costs!
On to the roundup...
Doosan 8, SK 3
W - Juan Cedeno (2-2), L - Gary Glover (2-1)
Doosan has looked more like the composed 2-time champ and SK has been the skittish runner-up in the first two games of this series. The crowd for this one was more than a little sparse. I figured that the rivalry and the quality of the teams mixed with the shenanigans on Tuesday night would earn a bigger crowd. Only 9,329 people showed up.
This is the first time Gary Glover looked awful in the KBO. He should be getting his walking papers sometime in early August. Glover needed 111 pitches to record 11 outs. I can't believe he only allowed 5 runs(4 earned) with the 12 baserunners he put on. Just an ugly, ugly start for The Glove. SK did drill another Bear. This time Glover put one in Kim Hyeon-su's hip. Doosan starter Juan Cedeno looked as confident as he has all season. Juan tossed 5 shutout innings(83 pitches, 47 strikes). He gave up 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. The SK offense struggled to find any consistency. SK did have 14 baserunners, but could only plate 3 of them. There were men on base, but the Wyverns couldn't break through with a big hit. The Bears offense didn't have any problems plating runners. Doosan right fielder Lim Jae-cheol lead the charge with a 2-3 night. Lim walked twice, scored 3 runs and drove in 2 more. Doosan had a homerun taken off the scoreboard because of fan interference. Goh Yeong-min hit a flyball to right that didn't have enough juice to make it out of the park. The Korean Jeff Maeier reached over the fence and tried to pull it in. It didn't make a difference. Doosan catcher Choi Seung-hyeon hit one to left that didn't need any help for a 2-run bomb. Choi's blast put the game out of reach for good.
Hanhwa 7, Seoul Heroes 4
W - Kim Hyeok-min (7-8), L - Kim Su-kyeong (3-7)
Well, if Hanhwa had to keep running poor Kim Hyeok-min out there, he was bound to throw a quality start eventually. Kim tossed 5 1/3 innings(101 pitches, 67 strikes) of 1-run ball. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. Hanhwa jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks in part to a Kim Tae-gyun solo homer and a grand slam from 2nd baseman Kim Min-jae in the 3rd inning. Nothing remotely interesting happened for the Heroes in this game at all. Moving on...
KIA 6, LG 3
W - Rick Guttormson (8-3), L - Shim Su-chang (6-8), S - Kwak Jeong-cheol (1)
And the Guttormson Express is back on the tracks! Woo! Woo! Rick threw 6 innings(104 pitches, 58 strikes) of 2-run ball. He gave up 6 hits, 4 walks and 2 hit batsmen, but he was able to keep most of them off the scoreboard. Rick got into a huge bases loaded jam in the 2nd inning, but managed to get out of it thanks to a great throw from the left fielder and an out at the plate. Guttormson was also able to record 4 K's. Kwak Jeong-cheol was the KIA bullpen last night. Kwak recorded a 3-inning Man's Save. Most of the damage KIA inflicted on the LG pitching staff came via the longball. 2nd baseman Ahn Chi-hong clubbed a 2-run bomb in the 3rd inning to put KIA on the scoreboard for the first time. Shortstop Na Ji-wan hit a 3-run homer in the 8th that proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.
Samsung 3, Lotte 2
W - Cha Woo-chan (6-4), L - Jang Won-joon (7-6), S - Kwon Hyeok (3)
Lotte utility man(look at the boxscore, he played EVERYWHERE) Jeon Joon-woo gave Lotte an early lead with a lead off homer in the first at bat of the game. Samsung answered right back with an RBI double from left fielder Choi Hyeong-woo in the 3rd. Samsung right fielder Cho Dong-chan untied the game with a solo homer(right after a double play) in the 4th inning. Cho would add an insurance run with an RBI single in the 8th. Cho finished 2-4. Lotte slugger Lee Dae-ho tagged Samsung reliever Kwon Hyeok for a solo homer in the bottom of the 9th, but Kwon was able to settle down and record a 2-inning save. Lotte starter Jang Won-joon was the tough luck loser. Jang tossed 7 innings(113 pitches, 62 strikes) of 2-run ball. He allowed only 4 hits, but gave up 5 walks. He did manage to strike out 4.
Uh-oh, it sounds like Runelvys Hernandez is getting his release from Samsung. I know he's been popular in the clubhouse and he really hasn't been that much worse than anyone else on the pitching staff. Dump Runelvys, but keep Bae Yong-su at all costs!
On to the roundup...
Doosan 8, SK 3
W - Juan Cedeno (2-2), L - Gary Glover (2-1)
Doosan has looked more like the composed 2-time champ and SK has been the skittish runner-up in the first two games of this series. The crowd for this one was more than a little sparse. I figured that the rivalry and the quality of the teams mixed with the shenanigans on Tuesday night would earn a bigger crowd. Only 9,329 people showed up.
This is the first time Gary Glover looked awful in the KBO. He should be getting his walking papers sometime in early August. Glover needed 111 pitches to record 11 outs. I can't believe he only allowed 5 runs(4 earned) with the 12 baserunners he put on. Just an ugly, ugly start for The Glove. SK did drill another Bear. This time Glover put one in Kim Hyeon-su's hip. Doosan starter Juan Cedeno looked as confident as he has all season. Juan tossed 5 shutout innings(83 pitches, 47 strikes). He gave up 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. The SK offense struggled to find any consistency. SK did have 14 baserunners, but could only plate 3 of them. There were men on base, but the Wyverns couldn't break through with a big hit. The Bears offense didn't have any problems plating runners. Doosan right fielder Lim Jae-cheol lead the charge with a 2-3 night. Lim walked twice, scored 3 runs and drove in 2 more. Doosan had a homerun taken off the scoreboard because of fan interference. Goh Yeong-min hit a flyball to right that didn't have enough juice to make it out of the park. The Korean Jeff Maeier reached over the fence and tried to pull it in. It didn't make a difference. Doosan catcher Choi Seung-hyeon hit one to left that didn't need any help for a 2-run bomb. Choi's blast put the game out of reach for good.
Hanhwa 7, Seoul Heroes 4
W - Kim Hyeok-min (7-8), L - Kim Su-kyeong (3-7)
Well, if Hanhwa had to keep running poor Kim Hyeok-min out there, he was bound to throw a quality start eventually. Kim tossed 5 1/3 innings(101 pitches, 67 strikes) of 1-run ball. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. Hanhwa jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks in part to a Kim Tae-gyun solo homer and a grand slam from 2nd baseman Kim Min-jae in the 3rd inning. Nothing remotely interesting happened for the Heroes in this game at all. Moving on...
KIA 6, LG 3
W - Rick Guttormson (8-3), L - Shim Su-chang (6-8), S - Kwak Jeong-cheol (1)
And the Guttormson Express is back on the tracks! Woo! Woo! Rick threw 6 innings(104 pitches, 58 strikes) of 2-run ball. He gave up 6 hits, 4 walks and 2 hit batsmen, but he was able to keep most of them off the scoreboard. Rick got into a huge bases loaded jam in the 2nd inning, but managed to get out of it thanks to a great throw from the left fielder and an out at the plate. Guttormson was also able to record 4 K's. Kwak Jeong-cheol was the KIA bullpen last night. Kwak recorded a 3-inning Man's Save. Most of the damage KIA inflicted on the LG pitching staff came via the longball. 2nd baseman Ahn Chi-hong clubbed a 2-run bomb in the 3rd inning to put KIA on the scoreboard for the first time. Shortstop Na Ji-wan hit a 3-run homer in the 8th that proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.
Samsung 3, Lotte 2
W - Cha Woo-chan (6-4), L - Jang Won-joon (7-6), S - Kwon Hyeok (3)
Lotte utility man(look at the boxscore, he played EVERYWHERE) Jeon Joon-woo gave Lotte an early lead with a lead off homer in the first at bat of the game. Samsung answered right back with an RBI double from left fielder Choi Hyeong-woo in the 3rd. Samsung right fielder Cho Dong-chan untied the game with a solo homer(right after a double play) in the 4th inning. Cho would add an insurance run with an RBI single in the 8th. Cho finished 2-4. Lotte slugger Lee Dae-ho tagged Samsung reliever Kwon Hyeok for a solo homer in the bottom of the 9th, but Kwon was able to settle down and record a 2-inning save. Lotte starter Jang Won-joon was the tough luck loser. Jang tossed 7 innings(113 pitches, 62 strikes) of 2-run ball. He allowed only 4 hits, but gave up 5 walks. He did manage to strike out 4.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
7/7 Roundup and News
Lotte/Samsung and KIA/LG were both washed out last night.
A distraught Bears clubhouse looks on while Son Si-hyeon is carted off in the the 3rd inning.
Doosan 4, SK 2
W - Lee Jae-woo (4-1), L - Goh Hyo-joon (6-7), S - Lee Yong-chan (18)
With the Lions/Giants game washed out, I chose to give this game a watch and I was glad I did. It's only July and the Bears/Wyverns rivalry is really heating up.
Doosan started the scoring in the 1st inning with a 2-run homer from 2008 Batting Champ, Kim Hyeon-su(.366/.456/.616). The Wyverns responded in the top of the 2nd inning with a sac fly from shortstop Na Joo-hwan(.279/.354/.418) to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, things got interesting. With one out and Kim Hyeon-su on first, SK starter Goh Hyo-joon(3.35 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) threw a wild pitch to allow Kim to advance to 2nd. The batter, Doosan slugger Kim Dong-joo(.370/.475/.595), laced a single through the left side. Kim was able to hustle all the way home to make the score 3-1. Then, things got strange. A pitch got away from Goh and drilled Doosan shortstop Son Si-hyeon(.265/.357/.393) in the head. Son laid on the field for a few minutes before he was taken away in an ambulance. With Doosan's feathers ruffled, SK yanked Goh out of the game for reliever Park Hyeon-joon(7.11 ERA, 1.89 WHIP). Park drilled Doosan 2nd baseman Goh Yeong-min(.184/.262/.368) in the shoulder and was also removed from the game by the manager. Strange, strange sequence of events. I don't think there's going to be any retaliation tonight, but I could be wrong.
Doosan tacked on an insurance run thanks to an RBI triple from Mr. Everything, Kim Hyeon-su. Kim was the Doosan offense. 2-3 with a walk, a triple, a homer, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored in an important game against the Wyverns. I'd say Kim's problems against the Wyverns are over. SK scored another run in the 8th on an RBI double from catcher Jeong Sang-hoon(.340/.397/.557), but never really threatened to take the lead. Doosan closer Lee Yong-chan(2.38 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) threw a scoreless 9th for the save.
Seoul Heroes 12, Hanhwa 10
W - Jeon Joon-ho (2-0), L - Jeong Jong-min (0-1), S - Shin Cheol-in (5)
These two teams combined to use 15 pitchers during this 22-run slugfest. I'm convinced the game took over 5 hours to complete. I gave up after I saw the Bears/Wyverns game was over and this game was only in the 7th inning. Heroes center fielder Doug Clark(.290/.381/.471) and 3rd baseman Hwang Jae-gyun(.299/.356/.514) both hit a pair of homers last night. Clark finished 2-3 with a walk, 4 RBI and 3 runs scored, while Hwang ended up going 4-5 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Hanhwa slugger/WBC hero Kim Tae-gyun(.327/.382/.582) enjoyed 2-5, 6 RBI night, but it was in a losing cause. Kim's 8th inning homer was a grand slam.
A distraught Bears clubhouse looks on while Son Si-hyeon is carted off in the the 3rd inning.
Doosan 4, SK 2
W - Lee Jae-woo (4-1), L - Goh Hyo-joon (6-7), S - Lee Yong-chan (18)
With the Lions/Giants game washed out, I chose to give this game a watch and I was glad I did. It's only July and the Bears/Wyverns rivalry is really heating up.
Doosan started the scoring in the 1st inning with a 2-run homer from 2008 Batting Champ, Kim Hyeon-su(.366/.456/.616). The Wyverns responded in the top of the 2nd inning with a sac fly from shortstop Na Joo-hwan(.279/.354/.418) to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, things got interesting. With one out and Kim Hyeon-su on first, SK starter Goh Hyo-joon(3.35 ERA, 1.27 WHIP) threw a wild pitch to allow Kim to advance to 2nd. The batter, Doosan slugger Kim Dong-joo(.370/.475/.595), laced a single through the left side. Kim was able to hustle all the way home to make the score 3-1. Then, things got strange. A pitch got away from Goh and drilled Doosan shortstop Son Si-hyeon(.265/.357/.393) in the head. Son laid on the field for a few minutes before he was taken away in an ambulance. With Doosan's feathers ruffled, SK yanked Goh out of the game for reliever Park Hyeon-joon(7.11 ERA, 1.89 WHIP). Park drilled Doosan 2nd baseman Goh Yeong-min(.184/.262/.368) in the shoulder and was also removed from the game by the manager. Strange, strange sequence of events. I don't think there's going to be any retaliation tonight, but I could be wrong.
Doosan tacked on an insurance run thanks to an RBI triple from Mr. Everything, Kim Hyeon-su. Kim was the Doosan offense. 2-3 with a walk, a triple, a homer, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored in an important game against the Wyverns. I'd say Kim's problems against the Wyverns are over. SK scored another run in the 8th on an RBI double from catcher Jeong Sang-hoon(.340/.397/.557), but never really threatened to take the lead. Doosan closer Lee Yong-chan(2.38 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) threw a scoreless 9th for the save.
Seoul Heroes 12, Hanhwa 10
W - Jeon Joon-ho (2-0), L - Jeong Jong-min (0-1), S - Shin Cheol-in (5)
These two teams combined to use 15 pitchers during this 22-run slugfest. I'm convinced the game took over 5 hours to complete. I gave up after I saw the Bears/Wyverns game was over and this game was only in the 7th inning. Heroes center fielder Doug Clark(.290/.381/.471) and 3rd baseman Hwang Jae-gyun(.299/.356/.514) both hit a pair of homers last night. Clark finished 2-3 with a walk, 4 RBI and 3 runs scored, while Hwang ended up going 4-5 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Hanhwa slugger/WBC hero Kim Tae-gyun(.327/.382/.582) enjoyed 2-5, 6 RBI night, but it was in a losing cause. Kim's 8th inning homer was a grand slam.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
7/3 - 7/5 Weekend Roundup: Lotte vs. SK
7/3 - SK 7, Lotte 5
7/4 - Lotte 1, SK 0
7/5 - Lotte 4, SK 2
Kim Kwang-hyeon was pulled after only 2 2/3 innings of work on Friday. He wasn't hurt and he wasn't getting lit. It was a strange scene. The Wyverns were able to overcome Kim's early exit thanks to a timely offense. SK's 4-run rally in the 7th inning was the key to victory. SK 3rd baseman Choi Jeong clubbed a solo homer, but the knockout punch came on an RBI single from 2nd baseman Jeong Geun-woo. Lotte mounted a fake rally in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs. A Jeong Geun-woo fielding error allowed the first run of the inning to score and pinch hitter Park Jong-yoon drove in a pair with an RBI double. Lotte catcher Choi Ki-moon tying run came to the plate as the tying run, but Yoon Gil-hyeon got him to ground out to short to end the game and earn a vulture save.
Lotte struck back on Saturday with a complete game shutout from Song Seung-joon. Song needed 114 pitches(75 strikes) to go the distance. He allowed only 4 hits and 1 hit batsman while striking out 9. SK starter Song Eun-beom was solid but not nearly as great as Seung-joon was. Seong Eun-beom threw 6 innings(101 pitches, 58 strikes) of 1-run baseball. He allowed 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4. Lotte's only run came on an RBI sac fly from 1st baseman Park Jong-yoon in the 6th inning. Lotte right fielder Karim Garcia finished 3-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Lotte got another quality start and just enough offense to earn the W on Sunday. Lotte starter Cho Jeong-hoon tossed 6 2/3 innings(94 pitches, 61 strikes) of 2-run ball. Cho allowed 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4. SK starter Ken Kadokura was battered for 3 runs during his abbreviated effort on Sunday. Ken only stuck around for 2 2/3 innings. Lotte 2nd baseman Cho Seong-hwan drilled a 2-run homer in the 1st inning. Lotte tacked on an insurance run in the 2nd inning thanks to an infield single by Lee In-guh with the bases loaded. SK 1st baseman Lee Ho-joon couldn't find the handle on a hot grounder to 1st. All the runners were safe on the play. Lee redeemed himself a little with a solo homer in the 4th inning. Lotte closer Jon Adkins recorded a scoreless 9th for the save.
7/4 - Lotte 1, SK 0
7/5 - Lotte 4, SK 2
Kim Kwang-hyeon was pulled after only 2 2/3 innings of work on Friday. He wasn't hurt and he wasn't getting lit. It was a strange scene. The Wyverns were able to overcome Kim's early exit thanks to a timely offense. SK's 4-run rally in the 7th inning was the key to victory. SK 3rd baseman Choi Jeong clubbed a solo homer, but the knockout punch came on an RBI single from 2nd baseman Jeong Geun-woo. Lotte mounted a fake rally in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs. A Jeong Geun-woo fielding error allowed the first run of the inning to score and pinch hitter Park Jong-yoon drove in a pair with an RBI double. Lotte catcher Choi Ki-moon tying run came to the plate as the tying run, but Yoon Gil-hyeon got him to ground out to short to end the game and earn a vulture save.
Lotte struck back on Saturday with a complete game shutout from Song Seung-joon. Song needed 114 pitches(75 strikes) to go the distance. He allowed only 4 hits and 1 hit batsman while striking out 9. SK starter Song Eun-beom was solid but not nearly as great as Seung-joon was. Seong Eun-beom threw 6 innings(101 pitches, 58 strikes) of 1-run baseball. He allowed 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4. Lotte's only run came on an RBI sac fly from 1st baseman Park Jong-yoon in the 6th inning. Lotte right fielder Karim Garcia finished 3-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Lotte got another quality start and just enough offense to earn the W on Sunday. Lotte starter Cho Jeong-hoon tossed 6 2/3 innings(94 pitches, 61 strikes) of 2-run ball. Cho allowed 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4. SK starter Ken Kadokura was battered for 3 runs during his abbreviated effort on Sunday. Ken only stuck around for 2 2/3 innings. Lotte 2nd baseman Cho Seong-hwan drilled a 2-run homer in the 1st inning. Lotte tacked on an insurance run in the 2nd inning thanks to an infield single by Lee In-guh with the bases loaded. SK 1st baseman Lee Ho-joon couldn't find the handle on a hot grounder to 1st. All the runners were safe on the play. Lee redeemed himself a little with a solo homer in the 4th inning. Lotte closer Jon Adkins recorded a scoreless 9th for the save.
7/3 - 7/5 Weekend Roundup: Hanhwa vs. KIA
7/3 - KIA 9, Hanhwa 1
7/4 - Hanhwa 5, KIA 4
7/5 - Hanhwa 14, KIA 3
Hanhwa extended their losing streak to 12 games on Friday. Wow. This team is just depressing to watch. At least this one was over quickly. KIA scored all 9 runs in a massive rally in the 5th inning. A grand slam from KIA 3rd baseman Kim Sang-hyeon started the scoring and things unraveled quickly from there. KIA starter Aquilino Lopez was able to cruise to victory. Lopez worked 7 innings of 1-run ball. His only mistake came when he allowed a solo homer to Hanhwa slugger, Kim Tae-gyun. Lopez gave up only 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3.
Hanhwa broke the losing streak on Saturday thanks to a 2-run rally in the bottom of the 9th. Hanhwa was an inning away from losing it's 13th straight ballgame, but KIA relievers Yoo Dong-hoon and Han Ki-joo combined to wrestle defeat from the jaws of victory. In the bottom of the 9th, Yoo gave up a lead off single to Hanhwa warm body Yoo Dong-woo. Han Ki-joo was brought in to extinguish the few burning embers of hope for Hanhwa. The first batter Han faced, shortstop Song Kwang-min, hit a comebacker to the mound. Han threw to 2nd for the force out, but the throw was slightly offline and KIA shortstop Lee Hyeon-gon was out of position to throw down to first. Then, Hanhwa catcher Lee Do-hyeong took a 0-1 pitch over the right field fence for a walk off homer. Losing streak...OVER! Ryu Hyeon-jin deserved better than an ND, but I'm sure he won't complain this time. Ryu tossed 7 1/3 innings(122 pitches, 76 strikes) and surrendered 4 runs. Ryu gave up 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 12. 3 of the 8 hits didn't stay in the ballpark.
Inspired by the comeback victory and post-game soju shower, the Hanhwa Eagles showed up in black and orange face paint and spent most of batting practice headbutting each other. The uber-pumped Eagles absolutely obliterated poor KIA starter Seo Jae-wong. Seo was pummeled for 8 runs on 9 hits and 4 walks. WBC hero Kim Tae-gyun lead the charge with a 5 RBI day. Kim finished 4-5 with 2 doubles, a homer and 3 runs scored. Hanhwa starter Yoo Won-sang actually turned in a quality start. Yoo worked 7 innings of 1-run baseball while the Hanhwa offense was laying seige to the Tigers' clubhouse. Yoo allowed only 4 hits and struck out 4. 1 more win and it's a winning streak.
7/4 - Hanhwa 5, KIA 4
7/5 - Hanhwa 14, KIA 3
Hanhwa extended their losing streak to 12 games on Friday. Wow. This team is just depressing to watch. At least this one was over quickly. KIA scored all 9 runs in a massive rally in the 5th inning. A grand slam from KIA 3rd baseman Kim Sang-hyeon started the scoring and things unraveled quickly from there. KIA starter Aquilino Lopez was able to cruise to victory. Lopez worked 7 innings of 1-run ball. His only mistake came when he allowed a solo homer to Hanhwa slugger, Kim Tae-gyun. Lopez gave up only 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3.
Hanhwa broke the losing streak on Saturday thanks to a 2-run rally in the bottom of the 9th. Hanhwa was an inning away from losing it's 13th straight ballgame, but KIA relievers Yoo Dong-hoon and Han Ki-joo combined to wrestle defeat from the jaws of victory. In the bottom of the 9th, Yoo gave up a lead off single to Hanhwa warm body Yoo Dong-woo. Han Ki-joo was brought in to extinguish the few burning embers of hope for Hanhwa. The first batter Han faced, shortstop Song Kwang-min, hit a comebacker to the mound. Han threw to 2nd for the force out, but the throw was slightly offline and KIA shortstop Lee Hyeon-gon was out of position to throw down to first. Then, Hanhwa catcher Lee Do-hyeong took a 0-1 pitch over the right field fence for a walk off homer. Losing streak...OVER! Ryu Hyeon-jin deserved better than an ND, but I'm sure he won't complain this time. Ryu tossed 7 1/3 innings(122 pitches, 76 strikes) and surrendered 4 runs. Ryu gave up 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 12. 3 of the 8 hits didn't stay in the ballpark.
Inspired by the comeback victory and post-game soju shower, the Hanhwa Eagles showed up in black and orange face paint and spent most of batting practice headbutting each other. The uber-pumped Eagles absolutely obliterated poor KIA starter Seo Jae-wong. Seo was pummeled for 8 runs on 9 hits and 4 walks. WBC hero Kim Tae-gyun lead the charge with a 5 RBI day. Kim finished 4-5 with 2 doubles, a homer and 3 runs scored. Hanhwa starter Yoo Won-sang actually turned in a quality start. Yoo worked 7 innings of 1-run baseball while the Hanhwa offense was laying seige to the Tigers' clubhouse. Yoo allowed only 4 hits and struck out 4. 1 more win and it's a winning streak.
7/3 - 7/5 Weekend Roundup: LG vs. Doosan
7/3 - LG 10, Doosan 1
7/4 - LG 11, Doosan 4
7/5 - LG 5, Doosan 4
LG absolutely slaughtered 2 of the 4 pitchers Doosan used on Friday, while LG ace Bong Jung-geun cruised to an easy W. Dr. Bong tossed 8 innings(98 pitches, 61 strikes) of 1-run ball. He allowed 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. LG 1st baseman Park Byeong-ho and infielder Park Kyeong-su both enjoyed 4 RBI nights. Byeong-ho went 2-3 with a walk, 2 homers and 3 runs scored, while Kyeong-su finished 2-4 with a homer and 2 run scored. Everything went wrong for Doosan. I guess CJ can't get there fast enough.
Doosan put up a little more fight on Saturday, but an 8-run LG rally in the 4th inning doomed the Bears to another loss. Doosan starter Kim Sun-woo came out for the 4th inning and couldn't do anything. Kim faced 6 Twins in the inning and all 6 reached base. The umpire's strike zone didn't do him any favors, but Kim wasn't very sharp. He was stuck with 6 runs during his 3+ innings of work. LG starter Kim Kwang-su was able to cruise with a massive cushion. Kim threw 7 innings(92 pitches, 56 strikes) of 2-run ball. He allowed 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. The LG offense was a team effort. 5 different Twins enjoyed a 2 RBI day and 10 different players crossed the plate. Doosan slugger Kim Dong-joo posted a solid effort, but it wasn't enough to overcome that disastrous 4th inning. Kim finished 3-4 with a walk, a homer, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored.
LG got another quality start and juuuust enough runs to scrape out a victory. The early reports of Rick Bauer's demise were exaggerated. Bauer tossed 6 innings(104 pitches, 58 strikes) and allowed only 2 runs. Rick gave up 2 hits, 5 walks and 2 hit batsmen while striking out a pair. All of Doosan's runs came via 2-run home runs. Kim Dong-joo went deep again in the 6th inning and catcher Choi Seung-hwan hit a stat-padder in the 9th. An 8th inning RBI single from LG right fielder Lee Jin-yeong proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.
7/4 - LG 11, Doosan 4
7/5 - LG 5, Doosan 4
LG absolutely slaughtered 2 of the 4 pitchers Doosan used on Friday, while LG ace Bong Jung-geun cruised to an easy W. Dr. Bong tossed 8 innings(98 pitches, 61 strikes) of 1-run ball. He allowed 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. LG 1st baseman Park Byeong-ho and infielder Park Kyeong-su both enjoyed 4 RBI nights. Byeong-ho went 2-3 with a walk, 2 homers and 3 runs scored, while Kyeong-su finished 2-4 with a homer and 2 run scored. Everything went wrong for Doosan. I guess CJ can't get there fast enough.
Doosan put up a little more fight on Saturday, but an 8-run LG rally in the 4th inning doomed the Bears to another loss. Doosan starter Kim Sun-woo came out for the 4th inning and couldn't do anything. Kim faced 6 Twins in the inning and all 6 reached base. The umpire's strike zone didn't do him any favors, but Kim wasn't very sharp. He was stuck with 6 runs during his 3+ innings of work. LG starter Kim Kwang-su was able to cruise with a massive cushion. Kim threw 7 innings(92 pitches, 56 strikes) of 2-run ball. He allowed 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. The LG offense was a team effort. 5 different Twins enjoyed a 2 RBI day and 10 different players crossed the plate. Doosan slugger Kim Dong-joo posted a solid effort, but it wasn't enough to overcome that disastrous 4th inning. Kim finished 3-4 with a walk, a homer, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored.
LG got another quality start and juuuust enough runs to scrape out a victory. The early reports of Rick Bauer's demise were exaggerated. Bauer tossed 6 innings(104 pitches, 58 strikes) and allowed only 2 runs. Rick gave up 2 hits, 5 walks and 2 hit batsmen while striking out a pair. All of Doosan's runs came via 2-run home runs. Kim Dong-joo went deep again in the 6th inning and catcher Choi Seung-hwan hit a stat-padder in the 9th. An 8th inning RBI single from LG right fielder Lee Jin-yeong proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.
7/3 - 7/5 Weekend Roundup: Samsung Lions vs. Seoul Heroes
7/3 - Samsung 10, Heroes 3
7/4 - PPD, rain
7/5 - Samsung 4, Heroes 3
The Lions thumped the Heroes with 3 homers and rode a Francisco Cruceta start to victory on Friday. Samsung 2nd baseman Shin Myeong-cheol clubbed a 2-run bomb in the 5th inning to break a 0-0 tie. Right fielder Kang Bong-gyu hit another 2-run blast later in the same inning. After the Heroes fought back with a 2-run homer off the bat of 1st baseman Kang Byeong-sik in the 6th inning, the Lions broke the game wide open with a 5-run rally in the bottom of the 6th. The knockout punch was a 3-run homer by Samsung left fielder and 2008 ROY Choi Hyeong-woo. Cruceta was posted another solid outing. It's nice to see a foreign starting pitcher stick around for more than a few months. Fast Franky tossed 6 2/3 innings(114 pitches, 66 strikes) of 3-run baseball. He allowed 5 hits, 5 walks and 1 hit batsman while striking out 6.
I really can't believe they played on Sunday. It was absolutely pissing in Daegu all day. So much so that I didn't even think to look for the game on TV. I'm really surprised that over 6,000 people went to the ballpark on such a crummy afternoon.
With the score tied at 3 in the 7th, Lions 1st baseman Kang Byeong-gyu untied it with a solo homer. The Samsung bullpen did a great job of keeping the Heroes off the scoreboard, but I have to wonder how much they were helped by the home field advantage. Samsung pitcher Yoon Seong-hwan tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Ace reliever Kwon Hyeok recorded the final 5 outs in order for the save. Samsung DH Yang Joon-hyeok always seems to play well in the rain. Yang finished 2-4 with a double and 2 runs scored.
7/4 - PPD, rain
7/5 - Samsung 4, Heroes 3
The Lions thumped the Heroes with 3 homers and rode a Francisco Cruceta start to victory on Friday. Samsung 2nd baseman Shin Myeong-cheol clubbed a 2-run bomb in the 5th inning to break a 0-0 tie. Right fielder Kang Bong-gyu hit another 2-run blast later in the same inning. After the Heroes fought back with a 2-run homer off the bat of 1st baseman Kang Byeong-sik in the 6th inning, the Lions broke the game wide open with a 5-run rally in the bottom of the 6th. The knockout punch was a 3-run homer by Samsung left fielder and 2008 ROY Choi Hyeong-woo. Cruceta was posted another solid outing. It's nice to see a foreign starting pitcher stick around for more than a few months. Fast Franky tossed 6 2/3 innings(114 pitches, 66 strikes) of 3-run baseball. He allowed 5 hits, 5 walks and 1 hit batsman while striking out 6.
I really can't believe they played on Sunday. It was absolutely pissing in Daegu all day. So much so that I didn't even think to look for the game on TV. I'm really surprised that over 6,000 people went to the ballpark on such a crummy afternoon.
With the score tied at 3 in the 7th, Lions 1st baseman Kang Byeong-gyu untied it with a solo homer. The Samsung bullpen did a great job of keeping the Heroes off the scoreboard, but I have to wonder how much they were helped by the home field advantage. Samsung pitcher Yoon Seong-hwan tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Ace reliever Kwon Hyeok recorded the final 5 outs in order for the save. Samsung DH Yang Joon-hyeok always seems to play well in the rain. Yang finished 2-4 with a double and 2 runs scored.
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