5/22 Roundup and News

KIA 13, Hanhwa 1
W - Yoon Seok-min (5-1), L - Yang Hoon (0-4), S - Shin Dong-seop (1)
KIA HR - Choi Hee-seop (3) Hanhwa HR - None

Hanhwa starter Yang Hoon ran out of gas in the fifth inning and the Hanhwa bullpen couldn't do anything to stop the KIA offense short of simply walking off the field. The Hanhwa pitching staff gave up eight walks and a hit batsman. That's simply too many free passes to an offense as solid as KIA's.

Only two KIA players in the starting lineup DIDN'T drive in any runs. Right fielder Shin Jong-gil lead the charge by going 2-5 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Slugger Choi Hee-seop ended his 12-game homer drought and went 2-3 with a walk, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored.

KIA starter Yoon Seok-min is making his case for being the best starting pitcher in the KBO this year. Yoon threw six shutout innings(81 pitches, 57 strikes) before taking a breather. No reason to throw a ton of pitches with the game in hand. Yoon gave up only one hit and struck out seven. Reliver Shin Dong-seop threw three innings and gave up one unearned run. Shin surrendered two hits and on hit batsman while striking out four.

Samsung 5, Doosan 4
W - Bae Yeong-su (5-2), L - Lee Yong-chan (1-2), S - Oh Seung-hwan (13)
Samsung HR - Choi Hyeong-woo (11) Doosan HR - Choi Joon-seok (5)

Doosan left fielder Kim Hyeon-su drove in a run with a sac fly in the top of the first and Samsung slugger Choi Hyeong-woo answered back with a three-run bomb in the bottom of the inning.

Samsung pushed their lead to 5-1 with an RBI groundout from center fielder Lee Yeong-wook in the second and another RBI groundout from left fielde Bae Yeong-seop in the fourth.

Doosan had a few fake rallies to get back in the game including a two-run homer from first baseman Choi Joon-seok in the seventh, but Samsung closer Oh Seung-hwan shut the door with a perfect ninth inning.

Samsung starter Bae Yeong-su continues to surprise this year. He's a shell of his former self, but he's managing to eat up innings and keep the Lions in games. Bae threw 6 2/3 innings(95 pitches, 66 strikes) of three-run ball. Bae allowed five hits and one walk while somehow striking out seven.

SK 4, Nexen 2
W - Jeong Woo-ram (4-0), L - Brandon Knight (1-6)
SK HR - Kim Kang-min (1) Nexen HR - None

Brandon Knight is another example of why wins and losses for pitchers are complete BS. Brandon owns a 4.52 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP for the season and he's 1-6. His problem is that he puts a ton of balls in play(.313 BIPA) and he doesn't strike out enough hitters to over come fielding mistakes (5.02 K/9). He's also walking a TON of batters this year(5.02 BB/9).

Knight threw 6 1/3 innings(103 pitches, 61 strikes) and gave up three runs(two earned). Knight gave up four hits, four walks and one hit batsman while striking out two.

This game was tied at two in the seventh inning, but SK center fielder Kim Kang-min hit a solo homer off of Knight to give SK a 3-2 lead. The Wyverns picked up another run in the same inning when second baseman Jeong Geun-woo hit a double with runners on first and second to push in an insurance run.

SK relieve Jeong Woo-ram recorded the final eight outs for the W. Jeong gave up one hit and one walk while striking out one.

LG 7, Lotte 4
W - Kim Kwang-sam, L - Goh Won-joon (1-2), S - Lee Dong-hyeon (2)
LG HR - Park Yong-taek (8), Jeong Seong-hoon (3) Lotte HR - None

Lotte was doomed almost from the start of this one. Things were looking bright in the first inning when first baseman Lee Dae-ho drove in a run with a sac fly and second baseman Cho Seong-hwan hit a two-run single, but oh how quick things can change.

The LG offense jumped all over Lotte starter Goh Won-joon. Goh was battered for six runs on seven hits and three walks in his 2 1/3 innings of work. LG DH Park Yong-taek and third baseman Jeong Seong-hoon both tagged Goh for two-run homers.

A bit of bad news for LG fans, center fielder Lee Dae-hyeong had to leave the game with a severe contusion after being hit by a pitch in the leg in the ninth inning. He's listed as day-to-day and is receiving treatment.