7/15 Roundup and News

LG 6, KIA 5
W - Jeong Jae-bok (1-0), L - Ahn Yeong-myeong (5-2), S - Shinya Okamoto (16)
LG HR - Cho In-seong (17) KIA HR - None

LG Zombie starter Lee Beom-joon was really, really awful, but he was yanked before KIA could inflict any serious damage. Lee allowed three runs on two hits and four(!) walks during his three innings of work. The Zombies used five relievers to piece together the rest of the game and KIA never really made them pay for it, but KIA did have a 5-3 lead after six innings. In the seventh inning, LG catcher Cho In-seong blasted a mammoth homer with two runners on to give LG a 6-5 lead. Cho finished the game 2-4 with a walk, four RBIs and a two runs scored. Somehow, the LG bullpen managed to not give up any runs and the Zombies stuck around for another W. LG closer Shinya Okamoto recorded the final five outs for the save.

Nexen 9, Lotte 4
W - Kim Seong-hyeon (2-4), L - Heo Joon-hyeok (0-1)
Nexen HR - Song Ji-man (11) Lotte HR - None

Lotte starter Jang Won-joon had to leave the game after throwing four pitches and recording one out. It appeared that Jang pulled a muscle in his back and was unable to continue. It sounds like Jang is going to be sidelined for at least a week. Lotte had to piece together the game with the shallow end of their bullpen. It was a lot like watching the Chinese national team in the WBC. No matter how well they did, you knew that they were going to bring in a pitcher that would give up five runs in a hurry. In the sixth inning, Lotte needed the Heo Joon-hyeoks(there are two relievers with the same name) to step up. Both of them failed. Nexen rallied for six runs and put the game out of reach. Most of the damage came when Nexen DH Song Ji-man struck for a three-run bomb. Nexen starter Kim Seong-hyeon actually threw really well against Lotte. Kim tossed 7 1/3 innings(109 pitches, 61 strikes) of three-run ball. He only gave up runs at the end of his start when he was clearly laboring. Kim allowed seven hits and one walk while striking out five. Lotte DH Hong Seong-heun drove in three runs while going 2-4 with a double in a losing effort.

SK 8, Hanhwa 7
W - Lee Seung-ho (5-0), L - Park Jeong-jin (2-3)
SK HR - None Hanhwa HR - Jeong Won-seok (4), Kim Tae-wan (13)

Hanhwa rallied for five runs in the first inning, but the Hanhwa pitching staff let the Wyverns creep back into the game and eventually take the lead. In the first inning Hanhwa first baseman Jeong Seong-ho hit a double with the bases loaded to drive in three runs. Second baseman Jeong Won-seok mashed a homer later in the inning to give Hanhwa a 5-0 lead. SK started putting together rallies in the fourth inning. A three-run splash here, a couple one run innings there. The Wyverns tied the game at seven in the bottom of the eighth when Hanhwa started making errors. After a bloop single by catcher Lee Won-jae, Doosan second baseman Jeong Won-seok missed a fly ball from pinch hitter Lee Ho-joon in shallow right. Jeong's error allowed SK to put runners on first an second with one out. SK left fielder Park Jae-sang hit a three-hopper to third that was cleanly fielded by Oh Sun-jin. Oh threw the ball wide of first base by, oh, about five feet. The lead runner was able to score to make the score 7-6. SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo hit a sac fly to tie the game at seven. In the bottom of the ninth, SK third baseman Choi Jeong lead off with a single. Choi advanced to second on a sac bunt from center fielder Kim Sang-min. Choi would score when catcher Lee Won-jae laced a base hit into the gap in left/center that the Hanhwa outfield is still trying to catch up with. Lee earned himself a beat down and Pocari shower from his teammates.

Samsung 9, Doosan 4
W - Bae Yeong-su (5-4), L - Lim Tae-hoon (8-6)
Samsung HR - Cho Dong-chan (6), Choi Hyeong-woo (15), Cho Yeong-hoon (6), Jin Kab-yong (7) Doosan HR - None

Lim Tae-hoon as a starter isn't nearly as scary as Lim Tae-hoon set-up guy. I really don't know why Lim is in the rotation and Les Walrond comes out of the bullpen, but there's a reason that I'm blogging and not managing. There is nothing scary about Bae Yeong-su. Bae got the W and had to overcome some really shaky defense from young shortstop Kim Sang-su. Kim was charged with two errors, but could have gotten three. He was mercifully pulled from the game in the fourth inning. Bae tossed five innings(79 pitches, 49 strikes) and gave up three runs(one earned). I really can't believe it wasn't more. He wasn't missing very many bats. Bae allowed five hits and two walks while striking out three. The Samsung lineup brought the thump against the Doosan pitching staff. Cho Yeong-hoon, Choi and Jin all blasted solo shots. While Jack-Of-All-Trades infielder Cho Dong-chan went 3-4 with a homer, two RBIs, two runs scored and stolen base from the lead off spot.