Sunday, April 24, 2011

4/23 Roundup and News

KIA 5, LG 2
W - Son Yeong-min (2-0), L - Shim Su-chang (0-3), S - Yoon Seok-min (1)
KIA HR - None LG HR - None

KIA starter Kwak Jeong-cheol was chased from the game in the second inning and LG starter Shim Su-chang was removed after the third. This became a battle of the bullpens and LG's was worse.

KIA received four scoreless innings(43 pitches, 26 strikes) from Son Yeong-min. Son allowed only one hit and struck out two while the KIA offense picked up a few insurance runs.

LG's Shin Jeong-rak also threw four scoreless(59 pitches, 35 strikes. Shin gave up four hits and struck out two.

The KIA offense was lead by third baseman Lee Beom-ho. Lee went 2-5 with a double and three RBIs. Lead off hitter/right fielder Kim Won-seop and #2 hitter/shortstop Kim Seon-bin did a good job of setting the table for KIA's big bats. Won-seop went 3-5 with two runs scored and Seon-bin went 2-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base.

Samsung 5, Nexen 3
W - Bae Yeong-su (3-0), L - Kim Seong-tae (0-2), S - Oh Seung-hwan (6)
Samsung HR - None Nexen HR - None

Another competent outing from Bae Yeong-su? What's the world coming to? Bae threw 5 1/3 innings(82 pitches, 51 strikes) of one-run baseball. Bae allowed five hits, one walk and one hit batsman while striking out two very, very surprised batters.

Samsung pieced together an offense by drawing six walks, stealing four bases and hitting eight singles. Five different Lions scored and drove in runs. Left fielder Bae Yeong-seop, first baseman Cho Yeong-hoon and shortstop Kim Sang-su each had two-hit evenings.

Nexen shortstop Kang Jeong-ho is quietly putting together a great season. Kang went 2-3 with two RBIs. He might already be the best SS in the league. That's not saying much.

Doosan 7, Hanhwa 3
W - Lee Hyeon-seung (2-1), L - Julio DePaula (0-3)
Doosan HR - Choi Joon-seok (2) Hanhwa HR - None

Doosan first baseman Choi Joon-seok hit a grand slam in the third inning, Doosan tacked on some insurance runs and cruised to a W.

Doosan third baseman Kim Dong-ju went 2-2 with two walks, a HBP, two RBIs and a run scored.

Doosan starter Lee Hyeon-seung tossed five innings(71 pitches, 47 strikes) of two-run ball. Lee gave up six hits and struck out five.

Lotte 7, SK 6 (10)
W - Kim Sa-yul (1-1), L - Lee Seung-ho (1-1)
Lotte HR - Kang Min-ho (2) SK HR - None

This one had a WILD finish.

SK held a 4-1 lead in the 9th inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Lotte catcher Kang Min-ho homered to straight away center to cut the deficit to 4-2. Second baseman Cho Seong-hwan grounded out to third for the first out of the inning. Backup third baseman Park Jin-hwan laced a double in the left/center gap. Backup, erm, baseball player Park Jun-seo grounded out back to the pitcher to advance Jin-hwan to third. Lotte center fielder Jeon Joon-woo hit a grounder to SK shortstop Choi Yoon-seok. The throw was a few feet wide of first base and it flew past first baseman Park Jeong-kwon. Jeon was abled to advance to second and Park was able to score to cut the lead to 4-3.

Lotte shortstop Hwang Jae-gyun tripled to score Jeon and put the go-ahead run at third. Lotte would load the bases with two outs, but DH Hong Seong-heun struck out swinging to end the inning.

SK put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the tenth. Pinch hitter Lee Ho-joon put a single into right that scored both runs and gave SK a 6-4 lead.

In the bottom of the tenth, Lotte put runners on second and third with one out. Bench warmer Hwang Seong-yeong hit a bouncer to SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo. The ball bounced off of Jeong's glove and into center. One run scored to cut the lead to 6-5. Jeon Joon-woo was drilled in the leg to load the bases. Hwang struck again with a single into right that scored a pair and gave Lotte the 7-6 win.

Lost in this game was a solid effort from Lotter starter Song Seung-joon. Song threw seven innings(102 pitches, 63 strikes) of two-run(one earned) baseball. Song gave up only seven hits, one walk and one hit batsman while striking out six.

The win by Lotte and losses by Nexen and Hanhwa "vault" the Giants into sixth place. Playoffs here they come.

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