Samsung vs. LG
4/18 - Samsung 7, LG 2
4/19 - LG 4, Samsung 1
4/20 - LG 7, Samsung 3
Samsung is having difficulty scoring runs when the pitcher isn't either ridiculously wild or serving up taters.
A strong effort from We Obermueller and two three-run innings were the keys to Samsung's Friday win. Big Wes tossed 7 innings(87 pitches, 58 for strikes) allowing one run on two hits and one walk. He struck out six. Foreign sensation Jacob Cruz went 3-4 with three RBI, one run and a walk for the Lions. 9 walks by LG pitching(7 by starter Park Myung-hwan!) were also a big help to the Samsung offense.
On Saturday, the story was the knuckleball of LG starter, Chris Oxspring. Oxspring is one of the few(only?) guys in Asia throwing the knuckler with any regularity. Hat tip to Koreabeat for the excellent translation. The line for Oxspring on Saturday was 5 innings(71 pitches, 39 strikes) allowing one run on three hits and two walks. Actually, the stat line makes the game sound close. If it weren't for a 2nd inning homerun by Samsung's Park Jin-man, the mighty Lions would have been shut out.
LG leadoff hitter, Lee Dae-hyong was unstoppable on Sunday. He went 5-5(all singles) with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Whenever LG's big bats came to the plate there was someone on base. The LG 3-4-5 hitters combined to go 4-12 with a walk and 5 RBI.
Woori vs. Lotte
4/18 - Lotte 9, Woori 2
4/19 - Lotte 5, Woori 2
4/20 - Woori 12, Lotte 4
Lotte ace, Son Min-han picked up his 3rd win of the season during the 9-2 route of Our Heroes. Son tossed 7 innings(93 pitches, 64 strikes) allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and one walk. He struck out 4.
Kang Min-ho and Karim Garcia both homered during the romp. Lee Dae-ho picked up 4 more RBI while going 2-4 with two doubles.
Saturday's game was by far the most exciting of the series. The game was tied 2-2 in the top of the 9th. Woori recieved 8 excellent innings of work from ace Ma Il-yeong. Ma allowed only two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out 6. It took him 117 pitches(73 strikes) to get through 8 innings. Once Ma was out of the game, Lotte feasted on Woori's bullpen. Lotte abused the Woori bullpen for four hits and three runs in the inning. Lotte closer, Im Kyeong-won allowed one hit during the bottom of the ninth and recorded his 4th save of the season.
Cliff Brumbaugh was the story on Sunday. He clobbered Lotte pitching all day long. Brumbaugh went 2-3, both hits were homeruns, with 5 RBI and two runs scored.
Woori recieved solid pitching from their starter, Hwang Du-seong. Hwang tossed 7 innings(94 pitches, 68 for strikes) while allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and two walks. He also struck out 7.
Hanhwa vs. KIA
4/18 - Hanhwa 6, KIA 1
4/19 - KIA 10, Hanhwa 7
4/20 - Hanhwa 7, KIA 3
Ryu Hyeon-jin's return to form could make Hanhwa a playoff contender again this year. Ryu tossed 8 excellent innings(104 pitches, 68 strikes) on Friday. He allowed only one run on 4 hits with no walks. He also struck out 5.
Kim Tae-won was the Hanhwa offense. He clubbed a grand slam in 4th inning that proved to be the difference in the game. Kim finished the game 1-4 with the grand slam and a walk.
Saturday's game was your typical 87 hour Korean grindfest. I think, at one point, time actually stopped.
Kim Tae-won clubbed two more homers for Hanhwa in this one. Kim went 2-2 with 3 RBI, 3 runs scored and a walk. Foreign sensation, Dave Clark, added another homerun in this one. On the season, Clark has 7(!) homeruns already.
KIA's mediocre first baseman, Choi Hee-seop clubbed a grand slam during the 6th inning to put KIA on top for good. Choi is starting to show signs of life for the first time in years, KIA fans! Wilson Valdez also clubbed a solo homerun in the 8th.
Sunday featured a Jose Lima sighting. I swore I read he was released. If he wasn't, he should've been. Lima lasted only 1 1/3 innings(43 pitches, 21 strikes, at least 5 in the dirt) allowing 6 runs on 4 hits with three walks and one strikeout. I hate to say this, but I think Jose needs to find another line of work. I'd suggest English teacher, but I don't think he has the patience.
Doosan vs. SK
4/18 - SK 6, Doosan 3
4/19 - Doosan 6, SK 5
4/20 - SK 11, Doosan 2
This was probably the most interesting series heading into the weekend. A rematch of last season's Korean Series. This time in Seoul. These two teams did face off earlier in the season and Doosan got swept. After Friday's loss, Doosan had dropped 8 consecutive games in a row to SK, dating back to game 3 of last year's championship series.
Friday's game featured 15 pitchers, 9 by Doosan. It also featured me losing my will to watch the game. SK rallied for 4 runs in the 2nd and chased Doosan starter, Lee Sung-hak from the game. After that, I have no idea what happened because I was pounding my skull against the wall. This game was pure torture from a viewing perspective.
Saturday's game featured only 12 pitchers, and was only slightly more watchable because the game went on for 11 innings. Doosan broke a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the 11th. SK relief pitching walked in the winning run. Doosan finally notched one in the win column against SK.
On Sunday, SK beat Doosan in every facet of the game. They hit better. 11 runs is more than 2, I believe. SK's Lee Jin-yeong went 3-3 with 4 RBI, two runs scored, a homerun and a walk. SK pitched better. SK ace Kim Kwang-hyeon tossed 7 shutout innings allowing only 3 hits and two walks. Kim added two strikeouts. The fielding was essentially the same, but things did get more than a little chippy in this one. Thanks to Aaron at the EWC for the pics, links and commentary.
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