2009 KBO Playoffs: Round 1, Game 1

Min-seok knew he had to take it up a notch for the playoffs. The double-bag head dress seemed only natural. Meanwhile, his friend Ki-hoon wishes he hadn't given away his last beer.

Can I just say that I am thrilled Lotte is in the playoffs. The fans alone will make their playoff run(or lack there of) memorable. Naver has a full gallery here. It's worth checking out. I could have done an entire post on this.

Aaron at the EWC takes time off from watching teenagers play with balls to give last night's action a few paragraphs.

Lotte 7, Doosan 2
W - Cho Jeong-hoon, L - Lim Tae-hoon
Lotte has a 1-0 series lead in the best of 5 series.

The two teams were scoreless through 3 innings. Very tense. Both teams finally broke through in the 4th inning. Lotte scored on an RBI single from DH Hong Seong-heun and Doosan tied the game with a solo blast from left fielder Kim Hyeon-su. Kim looks much better than he did in last year's Korean Series. If I remember correctly he hit into 87 rally killing double plays against SK last year. I might be mistaken. Doosan starting pitcher CJ Nitkowski left the game in the top of the 4th inning with a shoulder injury of some sort. I'm still waiting on an injury report detailing the severity. It's probably safe to say he's out for the series, but stranger things have happened. It's too bad really. CJ was having a great outing. He allowed only 3 hits and struck out 4 during his 3+ innings of work.

Lotte broke the 1-1 tie in the 6th inning thanks to a Lim Tae-hoon wild pitch. Lim threw a 59 ft. fastball that bounced away from the catcher and allowed center fielder Lee Seung-hwa to scamper home. Lotte busted the game open in the 8th inning with a 2-run rally. Lotte 2nd baseman Cho Seong-hwan hit an off-the-wall triple to score left fielder Kim Ju-chan from 2nd. Cho would score on a base hit from 1st baseman Lee Dae-ho. Lotte tacked on 3 more in the 9th and the game was essentially over.

Lotte starter Cho Jeong-hoon gave Lotte exactly what they needed. He gave them a quality start and kept Manager Jerry Royster from needing to go to his bullpen early. Cho tossed 7 2/3 innings(103 pitches, 71 strikes) of 2-run baseball. He gave up 5 hits, 1 walk and 1 hit batsman while striking out 7.

Game 2 starts at 6pm tonight Korean standard time. Doosan relief pitcher Geum Min-cheol(7-2, 4.43 ERA, 1.51 WHIP in 83 1/3 innings) will be asked to start for Doosan. While Jang Won-joon(13-8, 4.15 ERA, 1.58 WHIP in 162 2/3 innings) rumbles to the bump for Lotte. Geum! Jang! Doosan! Lotte! Catch the KBO on KBS! DA da da!

2009 KBO Opening Round Playoff Primer

Doosan Bears vs. Lotte Giants

You've got a pair of teams that are very different in their approach. Doosan is more of a saber metrics team, using patience and lots of pitching changes to wear down opponents. While Lotte is more of an old school, "eff it we're swinging for the goddam fences" and "we're only changing pitchers after our starter gives up a dozen runs," kind of team.

Starting pitching

I really don't trust either of these rotations, but I guess I have to give the advantage to Lotte. The starting pitching roles are a bit more defined, but they're all the same type of high ERA, high WHIP, innings eaters. Cho Jeong-hoon is probably the best of the group and he's starting game 1 for Lotte. Cho went 14-9 with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He struck out 175 batters in 182 1/3 innings. Jang Won-joon will probably follow Cho in game 2. Jang was 13-8 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. In the 3rd game, we'll likely see Song Seung-joon rumble to the bump. The former MLB prospect also went 13-8, but finished with 4.72 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Song has looked dominant at times this year. He went 5-0 with a 1.46 ERA in June, but Song has been pummeled recently.

Doosan's starting rotation is fairly murky. CJ Nitkowski will start game 1 and Kim Sun-woo will probably toss game 2. CJ has looked better with Doosan than he ever did with SK. Nitkowksi posted a 1.61 ERA in 22 1/3 innings during September. His recent hot streak earned him the game 1 start. Kim Sun-woo has struggled all season. The former MLB, erm, punching bag posted an 11-10 record with a 5.11 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He lead Doosan in innings pitched by a wide margin with 148 innings. After Nitkowski and Kim, the Bears rotation gets murky. I have no idea who they will turn to for game 3. It will probably be long reliever Geum Min-cheol or foreign batting practice machine Juan Cedeno getting the call.

Bullpen

This is where Doosan has a huge advantage. Righty Lim Tae-hoon is one of the best relievers in the KBO. Lim finished 11-5 with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He appeared in 58 games and logged 88 1/3 innings. Lim struck out 85 and walked 27. Lim saved 4 games and earned 13 holds. Goh Chang-seong lead the team with 16 holds. Goh earned a 1.64 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 64 appearances. Lee Yong-chan recorded 26 saves, but was fairly unspectacular with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Doosan uses its best relievers in the early innings. They will go to them often.

Lotte is solid at the back of the bullpen with closer Jon Adkins, but it's the bridge between Adkins and the starters that's been a problem all year for Lotte. Adkins lead the team with 26 saves and posted a 3.83 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 50 games. Lee Jong-hoon is the righty setup guy. He lead the team with 9 holds. Kang Yeong-sik is the top lefty, but he's been prone to giving up walks in bad situations. Middle relief has been a headache all year for manager Jerry Royster.
Infield

I think Doosan's infield has a slight advantage over Lotte's. If Lotte had catcher Kang Min-ho(.260/.346/.412) behind the plate, I'd have to give them the edge, but Kang has been on the shelf for the past 3 weeks. Jang Seong-woo(.265/.318/.357) has been a competent backup, but he's not the field general that Kang is. Both teams have superstar 3rd basemen and solid 1st basemen. Doosan gets the advantage in the middle infield. Lotte's Lee Dae-ho(.293/.377/.531) and Doosan's Kim Dong-joo(.353/.455/.593) have been among the best at the hot corner this season. The biggest difference between the 2 players is their attitude. Kim can be fairly petulant. His on field pouting during last year's Korean Series may or may not have cost him a contract in Japan. Lotte 1st baseman Kim Ju-chan(.310/.356/.451) is Lotte's lead off hitter and best table setter. He also racked up 34 SBs. He's one of the better athletes in the Lotte lineup. Doosan 1st baseman Choi Jun-seok(.302/.386/.474) was involved in the homerun race for about 20 minutes in April. He had 1 stolen base and I can't believe he had that many.

Shortstop Son Si-heon(.289/.369/.437) is the heart of the Doosan infield. He has a good head, a strong arm and a solid glove. He's by far the best middle infielder in this series. If Doosan is going to win this series, he needs to play like it. Goh Yeong-min usually plays next to Son, but an affinity for strike outs and an inconsistent bat has cost Goh playing time this season. He'll probably start, but he'll be batting 9th. Lotte uses veteran Cho Seong-hwan(.294/.341/.454) at 2nd base. Cho missed all of May with a broken jaw and has been in and out of the lineup for the last month with nagging injuries. He's hitting .295 against Doosan this year, Lotte needs him healthy. Park Ki-hyeok(.217/.283/.258) is the starter at shortstop. He's....had a rough season. His .541 OPS in 299 AB's makes Neifi Perez jealous.

DH

Doosan has used the DH slot to keep some important players off the field, but still let them stay in the lineup. I guess their Lee Won-seok(.298/.350/.444) has played all over the place, DH included. He'll likely be in the lineup, but where is anyone's guess. I've seen him play 2nd, 3rd and in the outfield in addition to DHing. Former Bears catcher Hong Seong-heun(.371/.435/.533) is the Giants DH. Hong ejoyed a career year and seems to really enjoy playing for Lotte. Edge to the Giants.

Outfield

Karim Garcia(.266/.354/.518) is the starting right fielder for Lotte. That much we know. I can't believe he ended with a .266 batting average. He spent most of the season in the lower 200s. The rest of the outfield has changed almost daily for the Giants. Lee Seung-hwa(.259/.346/.302) has seen a lot of time in center field recently. He'll probably see some time there during this series. Lee In-guh(.269/.340/.395) and Park Jeong-joon(.260/.306/.390) could also find himself out there as well. Lotte has also moved 1st baseman Kim Ju-chan in center and left recently.

MVP cantidate Kim Hyeon-su(.357/.448/.589) is Doosan's left fielder and Lee Jong-wook(.276/.334/.346) should be in center field. Lim Jae-cheol(.281/.389/.373) has spent most of the season in right. On pure talent alone, this is probably the best group of outfielders any KBO team has to offer. Min Byeong-heon(.257/.313/.368) and Jeong Su-bin(.264/.340/.390) provide a lot of speed off the bench and solid gloves as late inning replacements. Edge Doosan.

Series Prediction

Lotte in 4.

I'll be back with a wrap up of the first game tomorrow. My picks for 2009 awards will be finished soon.

9/25 - 9/26 Final Roundup and News

I'm not going into details about the game's of the last weekend. I will be back tomorrow with a full preview of the opening series and possibly my picks for the season awards.



Hanhwa manager Kim In-sik has retired from the KBO. After Kim's teary-eyed press conference, it was announced that Samsung Lions coach Han Dae-hwa would replace him. From Mr. Han, "I already told the front to re-sign Kim Tae-kyun and Lee Bum-ho, who will become free agents next year. I also plan to bring in two foreign pitchers." Good luck with that sir, good luck with that. The LG Twins chose not to re-sign their manager as well. I wouldn't be surprised if they looked for a foreign manager to run the club.

KIA wrapped up(finally) the league pennant on Friday night and get a free pass to the Korean Series. SK has extended their unbeaten streak to 20 games(19 wins and 1 tie).

9/25 Scores
LG 3, Lotte 2
W - Oh Seong-min (3-2), L - Na Seung-hyeon (0-4), S - Ryu Taek-hyeon (1)

SK 8, Doosan 4
W - Jeong Woo-ram (1-1), L - Kim Sun-woo (11-10)

Hanhwa 2, Samsung 1
W - Kim Hyeok-min (8-14), L - Brandon Knight (6-2), S - Brad Thomas (13)

KIA 5, Seoul Heroes 2
W - Han Ki-joo (4-5), L - Shin Cheol-in (2-3), S - Yoo Dong-hoon (22)

9/26 Scores
LG 9, Seoul Heroes 8
W - Lee Dong-hyeon (1-0), L - Shin Cheol-in (2-4), S - Kyeong Heon-ho (1)

SK 6, Doosan 2
W - Gary Glover (9-3), L - Juan Cedeno (4-7)

9/24 Roundup and News

Doosan 7, Samsung 5
W - Juan Cedeno (4-6), L - Francisco Cruceta (9-10), S - Lee Yong-chan (26)

Wow. When my teams back it in for the season, they REALLY pack it in. Between the Lions and the White Sox, I haven't seen a W in over a week. Francisco Cruceta wanted to go home early and pitched like it. Cruceta was chased from the game after recording only 4 outs and giving up 6 runs. Doosan 3rd baseman Kim Dong-ju lead the Bears offense. Kim went 2-3 with 2 RBIs and 1 run scored. Doosan left fielder Kim Hyeon-su went 3-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. The sad fact is, Samsung is still playing its regulars. If they went to the bench, I could at least understand why they look so awful. Samsung left fielder Choi Hyeong-woo was the tallest midget. Choi went 1-3 with a 2-run homer.

KIA 5, Seoul Heroes 0
W - Aquilino Lopez (14-5) , L - Kim Su-kyeong (6-11)

1st baseman Choi Hee-seop and 3rd baseman Kim Sang-hyeon provided the thump for the KIA offense, while Aquilino Lopez shut the Heroes B team down. Choi and Kim both hit 2 run homers. Choi finished the game 1-2 with 2 walks, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored, while Kim went 2-4 with 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. Lopez tossed 7 innings(84 pitches, 57 strikes) of shutout baseball against a lineup made of mostly bench and reserve players. Lopez gave up only 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.

9/23 Roundup and News

The SK Wyverns set a league record last night with their 17th consecutive victory. The team came out with a massive banner and unveiled 1 banner for each W around the stadium. With fireworks!

The Joongang Daily's Kim Seek takes a look at the KBO's controversial tie rules.

Seoul Heroes 6, Doosan 1
W - Lee Hyeon- seung (13-10), L - Hong Sang-sam (9-6)

Well, if Doug Clark has to play baseball, he must play it HARD. The Heroes foreign center fielder finished the game 1-2 with 4(!) RBIs. 3 of them came on a double with bases loaded in the 5th inning. The other came on a sac fly in the 1st inning. Heroes starter Lee Hyeon-seung get the Doosan B team at bay for 7 innings. Lee gave up 1 run on 7 hits, 2 walks and 1 hit batsman while striking out 4.

SK 7, Samsung 4
W - Yoon Gil-hyeon (6-0), L - Park Min-gyu (0-2)

With this loss, Samsung is out of the post season for the first time in 12 years. It also put Jerry Royster and the Lotte Giants in the post season for the 2nd year. I guess this means we're going to get to see Jerry sing at Sajik Stadium this week. Joy.

SK absolutely pantsed a pitcher named Park Min-gyu. I wouldn't be surprised if Park was a fan plucked out of the stands. He pitched like it. He allowed 7 baserunners in 1 1/3 innings of work. He was finally chased from the game after allowing a 2-run blast to SK left fielder Park Jae-sang. Park's blast gave SK a 5-1 advantage and the Wyverns never looked back. Gary Glover was brought in for the 9th inning and he made things exciting, but the deficit the Lions were facing was just too great. SK got to have their banner ceremony and I get to pack away my jerseys and hats for the next 6 months.

Hanhwa 4, LG 2
W - Ryu Hyeon-jin (13-12), L - Lee Seung-woo (0-3), S - Brad Thomas (12)

It was a sad night to be a Hanhwa fan. In addition to sitting at the bottom of the standings, Hanhwa icon Song Jin-woo called it a career last night. Song had played 21 seasons with the Binggrae/Hanhwa Eagles. He leaves the KBO with a career record of 210-153. He struck out 2,048 batters in 3003 innings pitched and posted a career ERA of 3.51. He's the career record holder for wins, strikeouts and innings pitched.

After Song allowed a hit to the first batter, he was pulled for Ryu Hyeon-jin. Ryu tossed 8 1/3 innings(113 pitches, 78 strikes) of relief. Ryu gave up only 2 runs on 8 hits and 1 walk with 11 K's. Lee Beom-ho lead the Hanhwa offense by going 2-4 with a homer, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored. Brad Thomas recorded the final 2 outs for the save.

9/22 Roundup and News

21-year KBO vet Song Jin-woo is going to retire after tonight. He'll get the start for Hanhwa and only throw a few innings. Hanhwa is going to commemorate the event with a special ball. Song is the KBO's all-time leader in career wins, strikeouts and innings pitched.

The Joongang Daily's Han Yong-seob takes a look at the race for the final playoff spot between Lotte and Samsung. I'm not going to say its over, but...it's over.

SK 6, Samsung 1
W - Goh Hyo-joon (11-10), L - Yoon Seong-hwan (14-5)

All it took was one game for Yoon Seong-hwan to get himself removed from consideration(by me) for Pitcher of the Year. Yoon didn't make it out of the 1st inning and sunk whatever chances Samsung had of winning. SK starter Song Eun-beom only faced one batter before being removed. I have no idea why. He didn't appear to be hurt. I think it was planned for him to face one batter and bring in Goh Hyo-joon because Goh was on the field as soon as Song was off it. There wasn't any lag time. Either way, Goh tossed 5 1/3 innings of 1-run ball in relief. He gave up 4 hits, 3 walks and 1 hit batsman while striking out 7. The SK offense was lead by 1st baseman Park Jeong-kwon. Park finished the game 3-4 with 2 homers, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

Seoul Heroes 5, Lotte 1
W - Hwang Doo-seong (8-3), L - Jang Won-joon (13-8)

This game was all about the starting pitching. Hwang didn't a better job of keeping the Giants offense off the scoreboard than Jang did. Hwang tossed 6 1/3 innings(104 pitches, 64 strikes) of 1-run ball. He only allowed 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8. Lotte starter Jang Won-joon won't get his 14h win this season. Jang threw well enough to win, but didn't get the support he needed. He tossed 6 innings(96 pitches, 65 strikes) of 3-run ball. He gave up only 7 hits and struck out 4. Heroes right fielder kept the Heroes offense going by driving in 2 runs on sacrifices. Heroes lead off man/3rd baseman Hwang Jae-gyun finished 2-5 with a run scored and a stolen base. Not much more to add here, except the Giants will try to clinch again tonight. I believe a Giants win and a Lions loss will clinch the final playoff spot for Lotte.

Weekend Roundup: 9/20 Games

Samsung 9, Seoul Heroes 1
W - Brandon Knight (6-1), L - Kang Yoon-guh (3-2)

9-1 makes this game sound close. The Heroes scored in the first inning and were almost shut down completely for the next 8 innings. Samsung starter Brandon Knight cruised for 7 innings(100 pitches, 64 strikes). Knight gave up 1 run on 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. Infielder Shin Myeong-cheol, left fielder Choi Hyeong-woo and 3rd baseman Park Seok-min all went deep for the Lions. Park lead the Samsung offense by going 2-4 with 2 homers, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. In addition to his homer, Shin Myeong-cheol also stole 2 bases and finished the game 3-4.

Lotte 5, Doosan 2
W - Bae Jang-ho (2-1), L - CJ Nitkowski (4-8), S - Jon Adkins (26)

This game was about getting enough. Lotte got just enough pitching, defense and offense to earn the W. Lotte starter Bae Jang-ho pitched just well enough to earn the W. Bae tossed 5 2/3 innings(70 pitches, 47 strikes) of 1-run ball. He gave up only 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2. CJ Nitkowski's stat line wasn't awful, but he was pulled before Lotte could inflict any serious damage. The Lotte attack was lead by lead off hitter/1st baseman Kim Ju-chan. Kim went 2-3 with a double, 2 walks, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored. He was either on base or driving in runs all day. Left fielder Kim Hyeon-su was Doosan's offense. He drove in both runs with a pair of RBI doubles. Jon Adkins recorded the final 5 outs for the save.

SK 11, Hanhwa 3
W - Ken Kadokura (8-4), L - Ahn Yeong-myeong (11-8)

More of the same for the "Wish-We-Were-in-Guam" Eagles. Hanhwa starter Ahn Yeong-myeong exited the game during the 4th inning, while SK starter Ken Kadokura pitched into the 6th. Kadokura finished with 5 2/3 innings(88 pitches, 57 strikes) of 3-run baseball. Kadokura gave up 6 hits, 1 walk and 1 hit batsman while striking out 6. The SK offense was lead by 2nd baseman/MVP candidate Jeong Geun-woo and 3rd baseman Choi Jeong. Jeong finished 3-5 with a homer, 4 RBIs, 3 runs scored and a stolen base. Choi also drove in 4 runs while going 2-4 with a homer and 2 runs scored.

KIA 5, LG 4
W - Yoo Dong-hoon (6-2), L - Ryu Taek-hyeon (4-1)

This was by far the closest game of the weekend. Both teams rallied in the 2nd inning. When the dust settled, KIA held a 4-3 lead. LG tied the game in the 5th inning on a monster RBI sac fly from right fielder Ahn Chi-yong. KIA wouldn't break the tie until the bottom of the 9th. With one out and the bases loaded, pinch hitter Choi Kyeong-hwan singled up the middle to walk off the Twins and win the game. I believe KIA has cut its magic number to 1.

Weekend Roundup: 9/19 Games

Lotte 5, Doosan 4
W - Song Seung-joon (13-8), L - Geum Min-cheol (7-2), S - Lee Jeong-hoon (8)

Lotte looks like a determined bunch. It's too bad it took 5 months for this team to really start playing like a playoff contender. Doosan rookie Hong Sang-sam got the start and proved he didn't belong anywhere near a playoff pitching staff. He was chased from the game in the 4th inning. Lotte starter Song Seung-joon didn't fare much better, but he kept his team in the game and managed to eat a few innings. Song tossed 5 1/3 innings and gave up 4 runs. Song allowed 5 hits and 4 walks while striking out 3. Lotte took a 4-3 lead on a solo homer from slugger Karim Garcia, but their 6th inning insurance run on an RBI single from 1st baseman Kim Ju-chan was the difference on the scoreboard. Garcia has warmed up during the push for the last playoff spot. He's been moved up from 7th in the batting order and is now hitting in the cleanup spot.

SK 12, Hanhwa 1
W - Gary Glover (8-3), L - Jeong Jong-min (0-5)

Can the Eagles just pack it in now and avoid having to suffer embarrassing losses like this? Eagles starter Jeong Jong-min didn't make it out of the first inning. Hey, he got to shower and get out of the stadium before everyone else. It almost makes more sense for him to pitch poorly on purpose. The SK offense was lead by Kim Jae-hyeon. Kim finished 3-4 with a walk, a homer, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored. 1st baseman Park Jeong-kwon also drove in 3 runs. SK starter Gary Glover tossed 6 innings(97 pitches, 64 strikes) of 1-run ball. Glover gave up only 6 hits and struck out 5.

Samsung 7, Seoul Heroes 0
W - Francisco Cruceta (9-9), L - Kim Yeong-min (1-3)

The Samsung pitching staff was able to shutout the Heroes after getting an early cushion from the Samsung O. Samsung infielder Shin Myeong-cheol started the party right in the 1st inning with a solo homer. Samsung added a sac fly from outfielder Park Han-yi in the 2nd inning. The Samsung offense busted the game wide open with a 4-run 4th inning. Park and center fielder Lee Yeong-wook both clubbed 2-run homers during the rally. Samsung starter Francisco Cruceta tossed 5 scoreless innings(86 pitches, 41 strikes) and earned an easy W. Fast Franky gave up 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 8.

KIA 9, LG 6
W - Han Ki-joo (3-5), L - Jeong Jae-bok (2-5), S - Yoo Dong-hoon (21)

LG's Lee Dae-hyeong stole 5(!) bases in this game. Can you say "meaningless stat paddin"? I think he wants that Gold Glove award(given for overall performance in Korea, not only fielding like in the US). Lee lead the LG offense. He finished 3-5 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Both starting pitchers were fairly awful and this game turned into a battle of the cruddy middle relievers. KIA's bullpen actually performed reasonably well. Han Ki-joo tossed 4 innings of 1-run ball in relief. He gave up 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. Outfielder Na Ji-won and catcher Kim Sang-hoon both drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers. This was actually a fairly unwatchable game, given the participants(one team assured of a playoff spot and one team assured of a golf trip next week) and the, erm quality of the pitching. Let's just hope KIA is only using these guys to give their REAL relievers some rest.

Weekend Roundup: 9/18 Games

Doosan 2, Hanhwa 0
W - Kim Sun-woo (11-9), L - Kim Hyeok-min (7-14), S - Lee Yong-chan (25)

Kim Sun-woo shutout a Hanhwa team that is too busy checking on next month's tee times and foursome groups. Kim tossed 6 2/3 innings(96 pitches, 60 strikes) of 7 hit, 1 walk baseball. The former big leaguer struck out 6. Doosan center fielder Lee Jong-wook delivered an RBI single in the 3rd inning and DH Kim Dong-ju hit a solo homer in the 4th. This was all the offense that occurred during this game. Doosan closer Lee Yong-chan tossed a 1-2-3 9th inning for the save.

KIA 6, LG 1
W - Aquilino Lopez (13-5), L - Han Hee (1-4)

Senor Smoke has a little left in the tank! KIA starter Aquilino Lopez tossed 8 innings(112 pitches, 71 strikes) of 1-run baseball. Lopez gave up 8 hits and struck out 3. He didn't walk a soul. KIA left fielder Na Ji-hwan and 3rd baseman Kim Sang-hyeon both hit 2-run homers during this game. Both hitters struck a pose after connecting. KIA outfielder and lead off man Kim Won-seob finished 3-3 with a walk, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored.

Lotte 4, Seoul Heroes 3
W - Cho Jeong-hoon (14-9), L - Kim Su-kyeong (6-10), S - Jon Adkins (26)

It seems like the Giants can't lose in September. I liked it better in April and May when all they did was lose. I still think they're better than Lions and would make for a better playoff team, but I'm still rooting for my Lions. This team offers a lot more star power than the Lions do. Also, I think Jerry Royster would have an easier time keeping his job if he could boast back-to-back playoff seasons. If the Giants make the playoffs, every game they play in becomes a sell out. The league needs this to happen more than they'd ever let on.

The Giants jumped all over Heroes starter Kim Su-kyeong in the early innings and the Giants pitching staff did enough to hold onto the lead. Lotte starter Cho Jeong-hoon was serviceable. Cho tossed 7 2/3 innings(108 pitches, 63 strikes) of 3-run baseball. Cho gave up 7 hits and 4 walks while striking out 7. Lotte left fielder Son Ah-seob led the Lotte offense by going 2-3 with a double and 2 RBIs. His 4th inning RBI double was the difference on the scoreboard.

9/17 Roundup and News

According to the Korea Times, LG ace Bong Jung-geun has been shut down for the last two weeks of the season.

Hanhwa 10, Doosan 2
W - Ryu Hyeon-jin, L- Lee Jae-woo

Hanhwa's K-Monster was solid, while the Doosan pitching staff looked incredibly shaky. Hanhwa starting pitcher Ryu Hyeon-jin tossed 6 innings(91 pitches, 57 strikes) of 1-run baseball. Ryu allowed only 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2. His left shoulder is wondering why Ryu hates him so much. Hanhwa pummeled Doosan pitching from start to finish. The Bears needed 9 pitchers to throw 9 innings. Each pitcher recorded exactly 3 outs before being pulled. It made for a bizarre box score. Hanhwa catcher Lee Dae-hyeong, 1st baseman Kim Tae-gyun and 3rd baseman Oh Seon-jin all recorded 2 RBI's last night.

Lotte 5, Seoul Heroes 1
W - Jang Won-joon, L - Lee Hyeon-seung

The Heroes scored in the 1st inning on an RBI single from center fielder Lee Taek-geun. That was all the offense they would get. Lotte 1st baseman Lee Dae-ho hit a 3-run homer in the 3rd inning that hasn't landed yet. With the early lead, Lotte starter Jang Won-joon was able to cruise to an easy W. Jang tossed 5 1/3 innings(102 pitches, 56 strikes) of 1-run baseball. He gave up 5 hits and 7 walks while striking out 2.

9/16 Roundup and News

SK 2, LG 2 (12)

SK is able to keep its unbeaten streak. Before this game the Wyverns had won 13 consecutive games. Thanks to the tie and the KIA win, the Wyverns lost a valuable 1/2 game of ground to the first place Tigers.

SK took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a 4th inning RBI single from 2nd baseman Jeong Geun-woo. LG tied the game in the 6th with a solo shot from foreign slugger Roberto Petagine. LG starter Lee Seung-woo showed why he's such a highly reguarded prospect. The 21-year old tossed 7 1/3 innings(111 pitches, 62 strikes) of 1-run baseball. He gave up only 3 hits and 5 walks while striking out 3. With the game still tied at 1 at the end of 9 innings, the game headed into extras. SK scored first in the top of the 12th to break the 1-1 tie. Catcher Jeong Sang-ho clubbed a solo homer of of LG reliever Kyeong Heon-ho. LG was able to rally in the bottom of the 9th. With runners on the corners and 1 out, SK pitcher Gary Glover uncorked a wild pitch. LG outfielder Park Yong-taek was able to scamper home and tie the game. Glover was removed from the game and Lee Seung-ho recorded the final two outs to end the game.

KIA 9, Seoul Heroes 2
W - Yang Hyeon-jong, L - Hwang Doo-seong

The KIA offense pummeled Heroes pitching and KIA starter Yang Hyeon-jong was able to cruise to an easy W. Yang tossed 6 innings(118 pitches, 74 strikes) of 2-run ball. He gave up only 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8. His only mistakes were allowing solo homers to Heroes right fielder Song Ji-man and shortstop Kang Jeong-ho. KIA started the game with a solo homer from right fielder Lee Jong-beom. Things got worse from there for the Heroes. Lee would finish the game 2-3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Pinch hitter Lee Jae-woo clubbed a 3-run bomb in the 3rd inning. I'm guessing the KIA manager had a matchup he liked and chose to exploit it.

Samsung 6, Hanhwa 1
W - Yoon Seong-hwan, L - Eric Junge

Yoon Seong-hwan has pitched his way into the conversation for the coveted TSOKB "Not a Belly Itcher" Pitcher of the Year award. He won't win it, but he's at least mentioned in the talk. The conversation goes like this....

Friend: Is Yoon Seong-hwan a pitcher of the year candidate?
Me: Not really. No.

Okay, if he throws another CG and gets 15 wins, fine. Maybe out of spite he gets it. Whatever.

Yoon threw 7 2/3 innings(116 pitches, 80 strikes) of 1 run baseball. He allowed only 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8. His starts are rapidly becoming must watch as far as the KBO goes. Eric Junge can't get back home fast enough. With any luck, they let him get on a plane as soon as this game ended. Samsung left fielder Kang Bong-gyu hit a 2-run homer in the 1st inning. Kang would finish 2-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Samsung DH Choi Hyeong-woo added a solo homer in the 5th inning. Choi would end up 2-4 with 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. With this victory, Samsung pulled even in the standings with Lotte.

9/15 Roundup and News

The KT gives us a roundup of sorts for milestones and a few team notes. I didn't know that KIA ace Yoon Seok-min was in such bad shape. We could have a Korean Series missing both Yoon and SK ace Kim Kwang-hyeon. This season is getting less and less compelling as we limp towards the playoffs.

Suspended and released outfielder Jung Soo-keun has called it a career. No word if getting wasted and brawling are in his future plans, but I have to think they will be.

Aaron at the EWC broke a pair of news stories(well, broke as in told English speakers about them). First, Good-bye Asian Series, Hello Asian Championship. I guess Taiwan and China aren't invited any more. I would have liked them to at least play a 3 game series instead of a single game. What's the point? Also, to the surprise of no one, the KBO is trying to avoid paying the national team. This is a great way to keep them all from jumping to the NPB or MLB in the future! The thinnest baseball book ever written could be titled "Sound Planning, Sensible Future: The KBO Way."

On to the roundup...

SK 8, LG 5
W - Jeon Byeong-doo (8-4), L - Kim Kwang-su (4-7)

Both starting pitchers were thumped pretty well last night, but SK reliever Jeon Byeong-doo came to the rescue. Jeon tossed 4 scoreless innings in relief. He was perfect. Jeon faced 12 batters and retired all 12 in a row. He recorded 5 outs via the strikeout. SK shortstop Na Ju-hwan and catcher Jeong Sang-ho both hit solo homers. Na finished the evening 3-4 with a double, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. Jeong ended up 2-4 with 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. SK 3rd baseman Choi Jeong is catching fire right when his team needs him the most. Although if he had shown up in the previous 4 months, they might have a lead on KIA instead of looking up at them in the standings. Choi went 2-5 with a homer, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored. Jeong hit a solo homer in the 3rd inning and added an RBI single in the top of the 9th to ice the game.

KIA 4, Seoul Heroes 3
W - Son Yeong-min (5-2), L - Oh Jae-yeong (1-2), S - Yoo Dong-hoon (20)

Rick Guttormson and Aquilino Lopez both need a couple weeks off. The massive pitch counts these two have racked up are starting to take their toll on arms and stat lines. Rick threw 5 innings(87 pitches, 52 strikes), but gave up 3 runs. Guttormson allowed 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5. With the score tied at 3 in the top of the 8th, KIA mounted a rally. With a runner on 1st and one out, KIA 1st baseman Choi Hee-seop ripped a double down the right field line. The runner was able to score from 1st and give KIA a 4-3 advantage. The RBI was Choi's 2nd of the evening. Heroes DH Cliff Brumbaugh also drove in a pair. KIA closer Yoo Dong-hoon recorded the final 4 outs in order for the save.

Hanhwa 13, Samsung 7
W - Ahn Yeong-myeong (11-7), L - Jeong Hyeon-wook (8-5)

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Sometimes I think you WANT to fail. Hanhwa starter Ahn Yeong-myeong and Samsung starter Brandon Knight were equally effective. Both tossed 5 innings and both allowed 4 runs. The difference last night was that Samsung bullpen crapped all over itself, while the Hanhwa bullpen merely sharted its pants. The usually reliable Jeong Hyeon-wook faced 5 batters and failed to record an out. He gave up 4 runs on 4 base hits and 1 walk. Yuck. Samsung warm body Cho Hyeon-geun managed to record 2 outs, but also gave up 4 runs. He managed to do it with only 3 hits and 1 walk. Hanhwa slugger Kim Tae-gyun appeared to be in mid-season form. Too bad we've only got about 10 more days of regular season baseball. Kim finished 3-6 with a homer, 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored.

Weekend Roundup: Sunday 9/13 Scores and News

KoreaBeat takes a look at some rude gentlemen at an SK game. I saw the game in question and I actually thought the woman was at fault. If she was actually watching the game, instead of stuffing her face, she would have seen that a home run ball was bouncing right in front of her. The guys were out of line to jump all over her like they did, but she could have done a more to protect herself than eating chicken. Watch the game. Put down the chicken. Pick up the ball.

Doosan 10, KIA 1
W - CJ Nitkowski (4-7), L - Seo Jae-wong (5-4)

Wow, look at CJ with the quality start! With this outing Nitkowski dropped his season ERA to 3.88. I never thought he would drop below 5.00, let alone 4.00. Keep reaching for that rainbow! Nitkowski tossed 7 innings(79 pitches, 50 strikes) of 1 run ball. He gave up 2 hits and 1 hit batsman while striking out 4. Nitkowski was helped by an early offense from the Bears lineup. Doosan battered poor Seo Jae-wong for 6 runs during his 1 1/3 innings pitched. Doosan 1st baseman Choi Jun-sik and left fielder Lee Seong-yeol both drove in 3 runs. Shortstop Lee Won-seok finished 4-5 with a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.

Seoul Heroes 7, Hanhwa 5
W - Kim Su-kyeong (6-9), L - Jeong Jong-min (0-4), S - Song Shi-yeong (4)


I think I actually saw a player walk up to the plate with a golf club during this one. Hanhwa has essentially packed it in. I'm surprised they're evening putting on the uni's at this point. Playing is punishment for waking up the manager from his nap. The Heroes jumped out to an early 5-0 lead thanks to a 2-run jack from slugger Cliff Brumbaugh in the 3rd inning and a 3-run bomb off the bat of outfielder Cho Jae-ho in the 4th inning. Eagles slugger Kim Tae-gyun was able to stop checking out rental properties in Japan long enough to hit a 2-run homer in the 8th inning to make the final look respectable on paper. Ho-hum.

Lotte 4, Samsung 0
W - Cho Jeong-hoon (13-9), L - Cha Woo-chan (6-9)

This was painful to watch. Someone please tell Samsung that the goal is to score runs. Not to hit lazy flyballs. Not to hit ground balls at someone. Score runs. Lotte starter Cho Jeong-hoon made quick work of the Lions. Cho tossed a complete game(116 pitches, 67 strikes) 6-hitter. He walked 2 and struck out 7. Lotte lead off hitter and left fielder Kim Joo-chan lead the offense by finishing 3-4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. Karim Garcia hit a solo homer in the 4th inning. Nothing else remotely interesting happened in this game. Samsung and Lotte are now tied for the final playoff spot.

Weekend Roundup: Saturday 9/12 Scores and News

Doosan 10, KIA 9
W - Kim Sang-hyeon (7-6), L - Kwak Jeong-cheol (5-4), S - Lee Yong-chan (24)

It looks like all those 120+ pitch outings are catching up with KIA starting pitcher Aquilino Lopez. Lopez was battered 9 runs on 10 hits, 2 walks and 1 hit batsman during his 6 innings of work. Who would've guessed that in a matchup of Lopez vs. Juan Cedeno, Cedeno would have the better outing. Big Juan tossed 6 innings(115 pitches, 69 strikes) and gave up 3 runs. Cedeno was a WHIP killer. He gave up 7 hits and 5 walks while only striking out 2. Doosan 3rd baseman Lee Won-seok lead the Bears offense by going 2-3 with a walk, a homer, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lee connected for a grand slam in the 3rd inning that gave Doosan a 6-0 lead. KIA mounted a comeback thanks to 2 RBI evenings from 1st baseman Choi Hee-seop, 3rd baseman Kim Sang-hyeon, left fielder Jeong Sang-ho and catcher Cha Il-mok. Sadly, it was too late. Doosan inflicted just a little too much damage for the KIA offense to overcome. Doosan closer Lee Yong-chan tossed a 1-2-3 9th for the save.

SK 6, LG 3
W - Gary Glover (7-3), L - Han Hee (1-3)

I think SK really wants to finish in first place and get the free pass to the Korean Series. They're playing every game like it's the WBC final. Gary Glover tossed another quality start. This time The Glove tossed 7 shutout innings(95 pitches, 65 strikes). Glover gave up only 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7. SK 3rd baseman Choi Jeong made a rare appearance(well, he's in the lineup every day, but there's usually an 0-4 written next to his name). Choi went 2-3 with a HBP, a homer, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. SK catcher Jeong Sang-ho also hit a solo homer.

Hanhwa 11, Seoul Heroes 9
W - Brad Thomas (2-5), L - Cho Yong-joon (1-0)

The Heroes actually had a 9-7 lead in the bottom of the 9th, but two Heroes relievers allowed Hanhwa to rally for 4 runs in the 9th inning. With the score 9-8 and runners on 1st and 3rd with one out, Hanhwa DH Lee Do-hyeong hit a walk-off 3-run homer to win the game for the Eagles. The 10 Heroes fans in attendance were absolutely aghast. 1st baseman Kim Tae-gyun and 3rd baseman Lee Beom-ho also homered in this one. Heroes center fielder Lee Taek-geun hit a grand slam in the 3rd inning that broke a 0-0 tie. This was an ugly, ugly game, but it was still more exciting than yesterday's LG/Samsung snoozefest.

Lotte 9, Samsung 1
W - Jang Won-joon (12-7), L - Francisco Cruceta (8-9), S - Lim Kyeong-wan (1)

Neither of these teams really want the last playoff spot. All it means is that one of these teams has to postpone their golf trips for 5 more days. Even though I'm a completely biased Samsung fan, I'd like Lotte to get the spot. I think it would really help Jerry Royster's cause to have 2 playoff appearances in 2 years. This game was close...until the Samsung relief corps started showing up and letting Lotte hit baseballs over the fence. Right fielder Karim Garcia and corner infielder Lee Dae-ho both homered for Lotte. Garcia finished 1-4 with 1 walk, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lee went 2-4 with a walk, a double, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lotte DH Hong Sang-heun lead the way with a 3-5, 2 run, 2 RBI evening. Every time I looked at the screen I saw Hong getting a basehit of some kind or scoring a run.

Weekend Roundup: Friday 9/11 Scores and News

KIA 4, Hanhwa 2
W - Lee Dae-jin (3-5), L - Ryu Hyeon-jin (11-12), S - Yoo Dong-hoon (19)

At some point, Ryu Hyeon-jin is going to start strangling teammates. I understand the concept of team baseball, but if I'm going to put miles on my shoulder, I'm going to want some help. Ryu is the only player keeping this team from a sub .300 winning percentage. Ryu tossed 7 innings(120 pitches, 75 strikes) of 3-run ball. he gave up 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out 10. KIA starter Lee Dae-jin wasn't quite as sharp as Ryu, but he benefitted from a little help from the KIA offense. Lee tossed 5 innings(89 pitches, 50 strikes) and allowed only 2 runs. Lee gave up 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. Most of KIA's runs came via the solo homer. 1st baseman Choi Hee-seop, right fielder Lee Jong-beom and pinch hitter Jang Seong-ho all hit solo shots in this game. KIA closer Yoo Dong-hoon tossed a 1-2-3 9th for the save.

LG 3, Samsung 2
W - Bong Jung-geun (11-12), L - Park Min-gyu (0-1), S - Oh Sang-min (1)

This game was a loss before it was played. The national team ace vs. some guy I think the Lions made up? Let's just toss that one in the L column. Bong was solid, but not great. Dr. Bong threw 6 innings(102 pitches, 58 strikes) of 2-run baseball. Bong gave up 9 hits, 1 walk and 1 hit batsman while striking out only 2. LG simply ran Samsung out of the stadium. The Twins stole 7 bases. Center fielder Lee Dae-hyeong and left fielder Park Yong-taek stole 2 each. 3-2 makes this game sound close, but it was actually fairly dull, even with all the stolen bases.

This isn't really news, but there's a 207 cm tall pitcher at Hyojeon High School. His name is Jang Min-ik. I have no idea where he's going to play next year, but the Korean media seems to think he's the real deal.

Seoul Heroes 11, Doosan 9
W - Song Shin-yeong (3-3), L - Kim Sun-woo (10-9), S - Cho Yong-joon (1)

The Heroes battered Bears pitching in the early innings and managed(barely) to hang on for the W. The Heroes pitching staff tried awfully hard to give Doosan the lead. Heroes 1st baseman Kang Byeong-sik lead the way for the offense. Kang finished 3-5 with 2 walks, a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Shortstop Kang Jeong-ho and catcher Kang Gui-tae. I don't think these guys are related, but it sure would be a happy night at the Kang household if they were. Mom and Pop Kang preparing a massive spread and wait for the little Kanglings to come home and tell them about their various RBIs. Questionable MVP cantidate Kim Hyeon-su lead the way for the Bears. Kim went 4-5 with a double, a homer, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Doosan 1st baseman Choi Joon-seok also drove in 3 RBIs.

KIA 5, Hanhwa 3
W - Yang Hyeon-jeong (11-5), L - Eric Junge (1-6), S - Yoo Dong-hoon (18)

KIA was able to get just enough off of foreign punching bag Eric Junge to win this game. I think if anyone on Hanhwa still cared, they would have released Junge a while ago. Choi Hee-seop was on base all night. He finished 1-2 with 3 walks. He scored 2 runs and drove in 1. Shortstop Lee Hyeon-gon drove in a pair. KIA starter Yang Hyeon-jang tossed 6 innings(99 pitches, 57 strikes) of 2-run baseball. He gave up 4 hits, 3 walks and 1 hit batsman while striking out 6. Hanhwa's Kim Tae-gyun drove in a pair for the Eagles. Enjoy it while you can, Eagles fans. The most recent reports have Kim linked with Hanshin of the NPB.

Samsung 11, LG 3
W - Yoon Seong-hwan (13-4), L - Lee Seung-woo (0-2)

The Lions lineup brought the thump and Samsung starter Yoon Seong-hwan gave the bullpen a much needed night off. Samsung rallied for 5 runs in the 4th inning. 3rd baseman Park Seok-min, 1st baseman Chae Tae-in and shortstop Park Jin-man all doubled during the inning. Samsung outfielder Kang Bong-gyu lead the offense with a 2-4, 5 RBI performance. LG started supposed phenom Lee Seung-woo, but unlike his first two appearances he managed to pitch into the 4th inning this time. Progress! Samsung starter Yoon Seong-hwan tossed a complete game(115 pitches, 84! strikes). Yoon gave up only 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8.

9/9 Roundup and News

Doosan 8, Seoul Heroes 3
W - Geum Min-cheol (7-1), L - Kim Yeong-min (1-2), S - Park Jeong-bae (1)

Another day, another boring Doosan W over the Heroes. Ho-hum. Doosan starting pitcher Geum Min-cheol delivered a "Doosan CG." He tossed 5 innings(95 pitches, 47 strikes). Geum gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and 6 walks while striking out 3. Geum was helped out by the MIGHTY Doosan offense. Outfielder Min Byeong-hyeon and 2nd baseman Kim Jae-ho both drove in a pair. Infielder Lee Won-seok lead the way for the Bears by going 2-3 with a walk, a double, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. Doosan reliever Park Jeong-bae earned the save by tossing 3 scoreless innings.

Samsung 8, LG 7
W - Kim Sang-su (3-3), L - Kyeong Heon-ho (2-1)

This was a game that even though the Lions "earned" a victory, it felt like they lost. Samsung was winning 7-0 after 6 innings and let the Twins get back into the game. After Brandon Knight tossed 6 2/3 solid innings, Samsung used 7(!) relief pitchers to finish the game. The bullpen was apalling. After LG tied the game, I was convinced Samsung had packed it in for the night and would settle for the tie. If it weren't for Samsung loading the bases in the 11th and scoring the winning run on a walk-off wild pitch(talk about your cold shower for LG fans) we would have been stuck with our first time of the season. Instead the Lions now hold a tenuous 2 game lead over Lotte for the #4 playoff spot. Center fielder Park Yong-taek lead the LG offense by going 3-5 with 2 triples(WTF!), a stolen base and 3 RBIs. Corner infielder Park Seok-min was the leader for Samsung. Park was 2-3 with a walk, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored.

SK 3, KIA 1
W - Goh Hyo-joon (10-10), L - Rick Guttormson (13-4), S - Gary Glover (1)

SK has crawled back to one game behind KIA for 1st place. We've got a pennant race! After SK starting pitcher Song Eun-beom was pulled after facing 3 batters and not recording an out, SK went into Korean playoff/all-hands-on-deck mode for the game. If anyone had a useful arm, there was a chance they could see action in this game. Rick Guttormson turned in a solid outing, but he didn't get much help from the KIA offense. Rick tossed 7 innings(121 pitches, 75 strikes) of 3-run baseball. Rick allowed 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. All of the damage came in the 6th inning. SK 2nd baseman Jeong Geun-woo(so much for the sore shoulder) connected for a 2-run homer and 1st baseman Park Jeong-kwon delivered a solo blast. The SK bullpen deserves some recognition here. After Song was pulled, 4 relievers tossed 9 innings of 4-hit baseball. That's unheard of.

9/8 Roundup and News

According to the Korea Times, Kim Byung-hyun claims he still wants to pitch. The fact that he hasn't seriously tried to pitch in years says otherwise.

The Joongang Daily gives us a look at the Heroes two foreign sluggers, Cliff Brumbaugh and Doug Clark. I like the strategy the Heroes are taking with these two. It's almost impossible to predict what foreign pitchers will be able to do, so why not add two bats instead? It reminds me of the age old fantasy baseball strategy of loading up on hitting in the early rounds.

Doosan 7, Seoul Heroes 3
W - Lee Jae-woo (5-1), L - Kim Su-kyeong (5-9)

Doosan knocked around Heroes starter Kim Su-kyeong and got enough out of their pitching staff to earn a W. Doosan only gave up 3 runs, but needed 6 pitchers to record 27 outs. Lee Jae-woo tossed 5 innings(83 pitches, 49 strikes) of 2-run baseball. He gave up 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. Heroes 3rd baseman and lead off hitter Hwang Jae-gyun essentially was the Heroes offense. Hwang finished the evening 4-5 with a homer, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. 2nd baseman Kim Jae-ho and catcher Choi Seung-hwan both drove in a pair of runs for the Bears.

SK 16, KIA 3
W - Lee Seung-ho (7-5), L - Son Yeong-min (4-2)

Wow. This is one uuuuugly box score. SK scored 13 of their 16 runs in over the last 3 innings. KIA starter Seo Jae-wong was chased from the game in the 4th inning and the KIA bullpen fell apart. In total KIA used 8 pitchers, allowed 15 hits, 8 walks and 3 hit batsmen. Yikes. Ugly stuff. SK DH Kim Jae-hyeon hit a grand slam during the 6th run 8th inning and pinch hitter Lee Ho-joon clubbed a 3-run "Efffff you" bomb in the 9th. 1st baseman Park Jeong-hwan and catcher Jeong Sang-ho also homered during this laffer. Everything wasn't all smiles for SK. 2nd baseman Jeong Geun-woo was one of the drilled SK hitters. He had to leave with a "sore" shoulder after a pitch bounced off of it. I really hope the Tigers can put this one out of their minds if these two teams meet again in the playoffs. I don't care who was pitching. A 13-run loss is still a 13-run loss.

Hanhwa 4, Lotte 2
W - Ahn Yeong-myeong (10-7), L - Jon Adkins (3-5), S - Koo Dae-seong (1)

I actually found myself cheering during this game. If Hanhwa won, Samsung would be 1 game up on Lotte. Not the biggest of deficits, but you have to start somewhere. Hanhwa starter Ahn Yeong-myeong pitched his guts outs. Ahn tossed 9 innings(114 pitches, 76 strikes) of 2-run ball. He allowed only 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. Lotte held a slim 2-1 lead heading into the 8th inning. With one outs and the tying run on 2nd base, Hanhwa slugger Kim Tae-gyun ripped a single off the center field wall to tie the game at 2. On to extras the game went. In the 10th inning, Hanhwa loaded the bases with no outs. The first out of the inning came on a play at the plate. Hanhwa shortstop Park Ki-hyeok went home on a slow grounder to the left side. The runner was out by about 2 feet. The very next batter, 2nd baseman Lee Yeo-seong, dropped a base hit into left to score a pair. Hanhwa reliever Koo Dae-seong actually recorded a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th. He even struck out 2 batters. Amazing.