LG Twins lost in the first game, suffering humiliation by giving up 11 points to KT Wiz, who are considered favorites to win. It was a grim reality that I couldn’t cope with even knowing it. What solution will you come up with in the second game?
LG lost 6-11 in the opening game against KT Wiz of the ‘2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 1st.
It was such a performance that it was questionable whether the team that had been selected as the favorite to win the title was right. He lost even after making an ace outside the starting lineup.
Starter Kelly took the loss with 8 hits (2 homers), 3 strikeouts and 6 runs in 5⅓ innings.
But I can’t blame Kelly. In baseball, you have to score to win. LG’s other lines were thoroughly blocked by KT starter Benjamin until one company in the 6th inning.
On this day, LG Seo Kun-chang (2nd baseman) – Park Hae-min (center fielder) – Austin Dean (right fielder) – Park Dong-won (catcher) – Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop) – Kim Hyun-soo (designated hitter) – Song Chan-eui (1st baseman) – Moon Bo-kyung (3rd baseman) – Hong Chang-ki (right fielder) came out in order.
Usually, when the opposing starting pitcher is left-handed, right-handed hitters are strong, so many right-handed hitters are placed in the lineup.
So did Benjamin. Last year, the batting average against left-handed hitters was only 0.206 and the OPS 0.580, but on the contrary, when facing right-handed hitters, the batting average was 0.222 and the OPPS 0.633. It means that he was weak against right-handed hitters.
However, LG deployed only three right-handers including Austin Dean, Park Dong-won, and Song Chan-eui. Even knowing Benjamin’s characteristics, he could not cope with it.
The reason is an injury. Right-handed hitters Jae-Won Lee and Ho-Young Son missed the opening entry due to injuries.
Coach Yeom Kyung-yeop expressed his feelings about the departure of the two players before the game, saying, “I was annoyed” in an unusual way. Since coach Lee Kang-cheol announced from the spring camp that Benjamin would be selected for KT’s opening match, of course, Lee Jae-won and Son Ho-young were planned to be included.
However, Lee Jae-won was unable to make the opening entry due to microscopic damage to his left flank and Son Ho-young due to a biceps femoris injury. As the injury recurred, Lee Jae-won plans to return with a margin. Son Ho-young needs the next four weeks. Director Yeom explained, “Son Ho-young can come back only when he is able to run.”
In the end, coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop made an unconventional choice to let Park Dong-won go in the 4th, but it did not go as he intended. When he only scored one run from Benjamin, he also chose to send out the same left-hander Moon Seong-joo as a pinch hitter, excluding Park Hae-min in the 6th inning. However, Moon Seong-ju struck out and withdrew. He scored 5 runs in the ninth inning, but the score gap was too wide to turn the game around. 안전놀이터
It was a three-year comeback match for director Yeom Gyeong-yeop, who had not solved anything properly. Until Lee Jae-won and Son Ho-young return, attention is focused on what solution Yeom Kyung-yeop will come up with when the opposing left-handed pitcher comes out in the future.