Choi Jung (SSG Landers) played as the third designated hitter against the LG Twins in the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 21st and led the team to a 6-4 victory with three hits, two RBIs and one walk in four at-bats.
Choi Jung-eun scored an RBI in the top of the fifth inning with two outs and runners on second base. He hit Casey Kelly’s first curve and sent the ball to left-center. Outfielder Lee Jae-won stretched out his glove, but it hit the glove and fell. Second baseman Choo Shin-soo came home. It was the final hit of the game. Choi Joo-hwan’s two-run home run followed by SSG’s victory.
Choi Jung-eun scored a wedge RBI in the top of the seventh inning with a 5-4 lead. With one out and a runner on first base, Ham Deok-ju’s change-up was pushed to create a ball that fell on the right-wing line. First baseman Jihoon Choi sprinted home.
After the game, Choi Jung said, “I thought it would be disadvantageous if I kept watching the ball. So I tried to win quickly. “It was a hit from the first pitch,” he said, referring to the showdown with Ham Deok-ju, “Ham Deok-ju’s ball is difficult for not only me but also right-handed hitters to hit.” So I aimed for a good pitch. At first, the timing wasn’t right, so I hit him with the thought of pushing him. I thought about sending it to an empty space, but it worked. “I think today is a working day,” he said.
Choi Jung-eun had two RBIs in the game and had 1,427 RBIs in his career. He overtook Lee Dae-ho (1,425 RBIs) to rank third in his career. It is the most RBIs by right-handed batters in the KBO League. Choi Jung-ui has Choi Hyung-woo (KIA Tigers, 1507 RBIs) and Lee Seung-yeop (1,498 RBIs).
Regarding Choi Jeong’s record for the most RBIs, he said, “It would be an honor and a great feeling to break it. But I won’t try to break it. He only plays one game after another. “I don’t have any thoughts on RBI or home run records,” he said, adding, “I just hit two RBIs today, but if I couldn’t score an RBI, it would have been more difficult to extend it because it was a tie.” “I think it would feel better to just raise the RBI one by one,” he said.
Choi Jung hit 19 home runs this season, tied for first place in the home run category with Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles). He also hit double-digit home runs this season, setting a milestone of double-digit home runs for 18 consecutive years. He has no desire for home run king. However, he had a goal of hitting double-digit home runs every year. Choi Jung-eun said, “I’m not greedy for home runs either. My goal is to hit double-digit home runs every year until I retire. I’ve achieved that this season as well. “I think all home runs from now on are bonuses,” he said.
BY: 스포츠토토핫