7/8 Roundup and News

The Korea Times discusses older players having success in the KBO this year.

Uh-oh, it sounds like Runelvys Hernandez is getting his release from Samsung. I know he's been popular in the clubhouse and he really hasn't been that much worse than anyone else on the pitching staff. Dump Runelvys, but keep Bae Yong-su at all costs!

On to the roundup...

Doosan 8, SK 3
W - Juan Cedeno (2-2), L - Gary Glover (2-1)

Doosan has looked more like the composed 2-time champ and SK has been the skittish runner-up in the first two games of this series. The crowd for this one was more than a little sparse. I figured that the rivalry and the quality of the teams mixed with the shenanigans on Tuesday night would earn a bigger crowd. Only 9,329 people showed up.

This is the first time Gary Glover looked awful in the KBO. He should be getting his walking papers sometime in early August. Glover needed 111 pitches to record 11 outs. I can't believe he only allowed 5 runs(4 earned) with the 12 baserunners he put on. Just an ugly, ugly start for The Glove. SK did drill another Bear. This time Glover put one in Kim Hyeon-su's hip. Doosan starter Juan Cedeno looked as confident as he has all season. Juan tossed 5 shutout innings(83 pitches, 47 strikes). He gave up 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. The SK offense struggled to find any consistency. SK did have 14 baserunners, but could only plate 3 of them. There were men on base, but the Wyverns couldn't break through with a big hit. The Bears offense didn't have any problems plating runners. Doosan right fielder Lim Jae-cheol lead the charge with a 2-3 night. Lim walked twice, scored 3 runs and drove in 2 more. Doosan had a homerun taken off the scoreboard because of fan interference. Goh Yeong-min hit a flyball to right that didn't have enough juice to make it out of the park. The Korean Jeff Maeier reached over the fence and tried to pull it in. It didn't make a difference. Doosan catcher Choi Seung-hyeon hit one to left that didn't need any help for a 2-run bomb. Choi's blast put the game out of reach for good.

Hanhwa 7, Seoul Heroes 4
W - Kim Hyeok-min (7-8), L - Kim Su-kyeong (3-7)

Well, if Hanhwa had to keep running poor Kim Hyeok-min out there, he was bound to throw a quality start eventually. Kim tossed 5 1/3 innings(101 pitches, 67 strikes) of 1-run ball. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. Hanhwa jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks in part to a Kim Tae-gyun solo homer and a grand slam from 2nd baseman Kim Min-jae in the 3rd inning. Nothing remotely interesting happened for the Heroes in this game at all. Moving on...

KIA 6, LG 3
W - Rick Guttormson (8-3), L - Shim Su-chang (6-8), S - Kwak Jeong-cheol (1)

And the Guttormson Express is back on the tracks! Woo! Woo! Rick threw 6 innings(104 pitches, 58 strikes) of 2-run ball. He gave up 6 hits, 4 walks and 2 hit batsmen, but he was able to keep most of them off the scoreboard. Rick got into a huge bases loaded jam in the 2nd inning, but managed to get out of it thanks to a great throw from the left fielder and an out at the plate. Guttormson was also able to record 4 K's. Kwak Jeong-cheol was the KIA bullpen last night. Kwak recorded a 3-inning Man's Save. Most of the damage KIA inflicted on the LG pitching staff came via the longball. 2nd baseman Ahn Chi-hong clubbed a 2-run bomb in the 3rd inning to put KIA on the scoreboard for the first time. Shortstop Na Ji-wan hit a 3-run homer in the 8th that proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.

Samsung 3, Lotte 2
W - Cha Woo-chan (6-4), L - Jang Won-joon (7-6), S - Kwon Hyeok (3)

Lotte utility man(look at the boxscore, he played EVERYWHERE) Jeon Joon-woo gave Lotte an early lead with a lead off homer in the first at bat of the game. Samsung answered right back with an RBI double from left fielder Choi Hyeong-woo in the 3rd. Samsung right fielder Cho Dong-chan untied the game with a solo homer(right after a double play) in the 4th inning. Cho would add an insurance run with an RBI single in the 8th. Cho finished 2-4. Lotte slugger Lee Dae-ho tagged Samsung reliever Kwon Hyeok for a solo homer in the bottom of the 9th, but Kwon was able to settle down and record a 2-inning save. Lotte starter Jang Won-joon was the tough luck loser. Jang tossed 7 innings(113 pitches, 62 strikes) of 2-run ball. He allowed only 4 hits, but gave up 5 walks. He did manage to strike out 4.