The LG Twins erased the disappointment of the previous day’s 8-0 no-game with a win.
The Twins capitalized on a leadoff double by first-team returnee Kim Min-sung, an error, and a five-inning no-hitter by starter Lee Jung-yong for a 6-2 victory over the KIA Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on Monday. With their second straight victory, LG improved to 58-2 and 35-1, while KIA had its three-game winning streak halted.
The previous day’s 8-0 no-game left both teams feeling disappointed and frustrated. LG missed a chance to easily add another win, while KIA avoided defeat but exposed the insecurities of their ace Yang Hyun-jong.
LG coach Yeom said, “It was the most relaxed game I’ve played in a long time. It was the first time our team scored five runs in the first inning and the first time we scored eight runs in the second inning.” “When you play a season, you often have a strange relationship with one team, but this season we seem to be KIA,” he said.
KIA coach Kim Jong-guk said about Yang Hyun-jong, “It is an analysis that the vertical movement was bad and the release point was lowered.” “Compared to when he was slugging, yesterday’s speed was lower than then, and the rotation power was also lower. I think he might be a little tired.” Yang Hyun-jong will start against Busan Lotte on the 13th as planned. “I think I’ll have to think about skipping a rotation,” Kim said, “I’ll have to see how he throws on Sunday to decide about rest.”
LG welcomed back Kim Min-seong to the first team after being sidelined with a hamstring injury. He immediately started at second base in the 8th inning. The left-handed hitter replaced Shin Min-jae, who showed weakness against left-handed pitching. LG’s lineup was Hong Chang-ki (right field), Moon Sung-joo (left field), Kim Hyun-soo (designated hitter), Austin Dan (first base), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Moon Bo-kyung (third base), Park Dong-won (catcher), Kim Min-sung (second base), and Park Hae-min (center field).
KIA came out with the same starting lineup as the day before against LG starter Lee Jung-yong. Choi Won-jun (first base), Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Kim Do-young (third base), Na Sung-beom (right field), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Socrates (center field), Lee Woo-sung (left field), Kim Tae-gun (catcher), and Kim Kyu-sung (second base).
On the day of the game, it rained off and on at Champions Field due to the northern part of Typhoon Kanun, but it gradually stopped raining and became playable weather. However, five minutes before the start of the game, the rain suddenly came down hard and the large tarpaulin was rolled out again, but the rain soon subsided. However, this meant that the match started 10 minutes later at 6:40 p.m. due to the need for field maintenance.
Lee Yi-ri, who has nine wins, and Lee Jung-yong, who made the switch from set-up man to starter and recorded his first quality start with six scoreless innings in his last outing.
LG seized the early momentum. It was important to set the tone early as the game was a no-hitter after the previous day’s sweep, but the returning Kim Min-seong solved LG’s problems. In the top of the second inning, Kim hit a 149-kilometer fastball from Lee Yi-ri over the left field fence for a leadoff double. It was the perfect home run for LG, as Park Dong-won had just hit a single to right field in the first inning and ran all the way to second base before right fielder Na Sung-bum dropped the ball and was thrown out at the plate.
In the top of the fourth inning, LG had a chance to score with runners on first and second after Moon Bo-kyung’s double, but Park Dong-won and Kim Min-sung failed to score. However, in the top of the fifth inning, they scored another run thanks to an error. No. 9 Park Hae-min singled to center field, but first baseman Choi Won-jun failed to catch the ball properly, putting runners on first and second. No. 2 Moon Sung-joo’s sacrifice bunt failed, putting runners on first and second. No. 3 Kim Hyun-soo hit a grounder to right field that first baseman Choi Won-joon tried to catch but couldn’t, and second baseman Kim Kyu-sung, who was behind him, tried to catch it but couldn’t get a good grip and dropped it to the ground, and the ball hit his foot and bounced to the side, allowing second baseman Hong Chang-ki to score. 3-0.
While LG was scoring runs, LG starter Lee Jung-yong was solidly shutting down the KIA bats. He allowed three hits through the fifth inning, all singles, and the only threat was a runner on second base in the top of the inning. He went five innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out six to earn his first career win.
LG scored one more run in the top of the seventh inning, thanks to an error that put runners on first and second with one out when Jung Ju-hyun grounded out to the third baseman. The ball bounced off third baseman Lee Chang-jin’s glove and shortstop Kim Do-young caught it and threw it to second base, where it became an errant throw that allowed Hong Chang-ki, who was pinch-hitting, to come home. 4-0.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Choi Hyung-woo hit a chasing two-run shot over the right-center field fence off LG’s third pitcher Kim Jin-sung to tie the game again. Socrates immediately followed with a single to center field to reignite the crowd’s enthusiasm. However, substitute pitcher Yoo Young-chan extinguished the flames by getting Lee Woo-sung to ground out to second base.
There was no more for KIA. In the bottom of the eighth, Baek Seung-hyun came on and struck out three, and LG scored another run in the top of the ninth on a hit-by-pitch, a walk by pitcher Kim Ki-hoon, and an error by second baseman Park Chan-ho on Oh Ji-hwan’s grounder to second base to put runners on second and third, making it 5-2. KIA’s fourth error. With runners on first and third, Moon Bo-kyung’s sacrifice fly to left field made it a four-run game again.
LG closer Ko Woo-seok took the mound with a four-run deficit and no save situation, but finished the game with a one-hit shutout.
LG collected nine hits, with Kim Min-seong going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, Moon Bo-kyung going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Kim Hyun-soo going 2-for-4.
KIA, on the other hand, didn’t do much offensively aside from Choi Hyung-woo’s home run. Despite a quality start by starter Lee Yi-ri, who gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits (one home run) with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings, he was forced to work hard as all four of his errors led to runs.
“Lee Jung-yong did a good job as a starter using his newly learned forkball as his main pitch, and the new bullpen was able to protect their innings and play protective baseball,” said LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop after the game. “Especially Yoo Young-chan’s good seventh inning in a tough situation was the key to our victory,” he added. “Yesterday’s canceled game could have put us in a bad mood, but Kim Min-sung, who returned after a long absence, hit a two-run home run in the first inning, so we were able to play well, and when we needed an extra run, the batters showed their concentration and scored an extra run to win the game,” he said. “We are grateful to our fans for coming to the game and supporting us in the harsh weather,” he added. 파워볼사이트