6/12 - 6/14 Weekend Roundup: KIA vs. Hanhwa

6/12 - KIA 16, Hanhwa 6
6/13 - Hanhwa 8, KIA 3
6/14 - KIA 5, Hanhwa 2

KIA jumped all over Hanhwa starter Yoo Won-sang in the early innings on Friday. Yoo was battered for 10 runs(all earned) on 9 hits and 4 walks during his 2 1/3 innings of work. KIA right fielder Na Ji-wan inflicted a lot of damage on the Hanhwa pitching staff. Na went 2-5 with 2 homers, 6 RBIs and 2 runs scored. KIA 3rd baseman Kim Sang-hyeon drove in 4 runs while going 2-5 with a double. KIA reliever Park Kyeong-tae threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief work. Park allowed only 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Shortstop Song Kwang-min was one of the few bright spots for Hanhwa. Song finished 4-5(all singles) with 2 runs scored.

Hanhwa exacted some measure of revenge on Saturday thanks to a quality start from Ahn Yeong-myeong. Ahn tossed 6 2/3 innings(99 pitches, 55 strikes) of 3-run baseball. He surrendered 5 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4. KIA's Rick Guttormson had his worst start of the season. Guttormson lasted 6 innings(98 pitches, 61 strikes), but he allowed 6 runs(4 earned) on 7 hits, 3 walks and 1 hit batsman. Rick did manage to strike out 6 batters during his outing. Hanhwa held a 4-3 lead in the 7th inning and blew the game wide open with a 4-run rally. Guttormson was pulled in the 7th with runners on 1st and 3rd with 0 outs. Hanhwa 3rd baseman Lee Beom-ho singled off of reliever Song Yeong-min to score the first run of the inning. With the bases loaded, Song walked left fielder Choi Jin-haeng to score another run. The next batter, center fielder Choo Seung-woo, would hit a sac fly to score another run and make the score 7-3. 2nd baseman Oh Seon-jin hit a grounder to KIA 2nd baseman Ahn Chi-hong that should have ended the inning, but Ahn almost threw the ball into left field. Everyone was safe and Song Kwang-min was able to race across the plate to make the score 8-3.

KIA starter Yang Hyeon-jong enjoyed one of his finest starts of the season and Han Ki-joo recorded his first save in 2 months while the Tigers rolled to an easy W. The 21 year old Yang is in his first season as a starting pitcher in the KBO and he is making the most of it. Yang threw 6 1/3 innings(117 pitches, 75 strikes) and allowed 2 runs with 7 hits. He racked up 11 K's during his start and only walked 2. Han threw 1-2-3 9th inning to earn his 3rd save of the season. This KIA pitching staff appears to have a lot of depth at the moment. KIA right fielder Na Ji-wan must like hitting against Hanhwa pitching(who doesn't?). Na hit 2 more homers on Sunday, giving him 4 for the weekend. Na finished the game 3-4 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored.