SK 3, Lotte 0

SK leads the series, 2-1
W - Song Eun-beom (1-0), L - Ryan Sadowski (1-0), S - Jeong Dae-hyeon (1)
SK HR - None
Lotte HR - None

This loss really can't be pinned on anyone other than the Lotte offense. It's hard to win a baseball game when you can't score. The Lotte offense was overly aggressive at the plate and it cost them on the scoreboard. When they did manage to get on base, it seemed like the baserunners we're all to eager to run themselves into outs.

Ryan Sadowski and the Lotte bullpen did all they could to keep Lotte in this game. Sadowski threw 5 2/3 innings(97 pitches, 55 strikes) of one-run baseball. Sadowski gave up three hits, three walks and a hit batsman while striking out five.

Sadowski was cruising until the fourth inning. An error by second baseman Cho Seong-hwan put runners at the corners with no outs. Sadowski struck out SK right fielder Ahn Chi-yong for the first out of the inning, but the next batter, DH Choi Dong-su, ripped a single into left to break a scoreless tie.

Sadowski got out of the jam thanks to a brilliant pick off play at third by catcher Kang Min-ho and a lazy fly ball by center fielder Kim Kang-min to end the game. Sadowski stuck around until there were two outs in the sixth inning. With a runner on second, Sadowski didn't get a borderline call on a full count pitch to Ahn Chi-yong to put runners at first and second with two outs. Thankfully, for Lotte, reliever Lee Jae-gon was able to get the final out to end the theat.

SK starter Song Eun-beom tossed six innings(98 pitches, 55 strikes) of scoreless baseball. Song gave up three hits, three walks and two hit batsmen while striking out four.

The game was a fairly tight 1-0 affair until SK loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. This time center fielder Kim Kang-min put a 2-2 pitch into left/center to score two runs and push the SK lead to 3-0.

SK closer Jeong Dae-hyeon needed only seven pitches to finish off the Lotte offense in the bottom of the ninth.

Game four picks up in Incheon at 6 PM local time on Thursday. Lotte will try to keep their season alive with Chris Bootcheck getting the start. SK will try to advance to the Korean Series with journeyman Yoon Hee-seong on the mound.