KBO Announced Gold Glove Winners Over the Weekend

Winners are as follows...

P - Yoon Seok-min, KIA 17-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 178 K's in 172 1/3
C - Kang Min-ho, Lotte .289/.366/.480
1B - Lee Dae-ho, Lotte .357/.433/.578
2B - Ahn Chi-hong, KIA .315/.373/.431
3B - Choi Jeong, SK .310/.402/.526
SS - Lee Dae-su, Hanhwa .301/.360/.426
LF - Choi Hyeong-woo, Samsung .340/.427/.610
CF - Lee Yong-gyu, KIA .333/.427/.401

RF - Son Ah-seop, Lotte .326/.385/.507
DH - Hong Seong-heun, Lotte .306/.376/.403



Also, Lotte DH Hong Seong-heun won his second straight award for the worst suit of evening. That's Hong in front/center. Still, this pales in comparison to last year's outfit.

Free Agent Grab Bag Part III

LG catcher Cho In-seong has signed with the SK Wyverns for 1.9 billion won over three years and SK reliever Lee Seung-ho has signed with Lotte for 2.4 billion won over four years.

The internet is abuzz with rumors that SK reliever Jeong Dae-hyeon has reached a two-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles, but they have yet to be confirmed by either the Korean or western media.

Jeong posted a 1.48 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 53 appearances. He struck out 39, but walked 25 while going 3-3 with 16 holds and 11 saves.

Free Agent Grab Bag Part II

That was fast. Only five free agents remain after about 10 days of free agency.

The biggest moves came over the weekend. Nexen spent big and signed LG outfielder/first baseman Lee Taek-geun to a four-year, 5 Billion won contract.

LG also lost reliever Son Shin-yeong to Hanhwa in a 3-year, 1.3 billion won deal.

Lotte reliever Lim Kyeong-wan signed with SK in a three-year deal worth 1.1 billion won.

Lee Dae-ho announced his intention to pursue a career overseas. It's been speculated that the NPB's Orix Buffaloes will be the team to land Lee. Lee rejected a four-year deal worth 10 billion won from the Lotte Giants over the weekend. It's believed Orix has offered a two year, 7 billion won deal.

Samsung's Jeong Dae-hyeon is looking to be the first KBO player to jump to Major League Baseball. Jeong claims nine major league teams have inquired about him.

The only other remaining free agents are Doosan corner infielder Kim Dong-ju(he's been a free agent for each of the past three years and always re-signs with Doosan for a one-year deal), LG catcher Cho In-seong and SK reliever Lee Seung-ho(the one who wears #20).

Finally, the NC Soft Dinos unveiled their new uni's last week and they're suprisingly tasteful. They didn't put a big, goofy cartoon dinosaur on them. I really can't believe it.

Samsung 1, SK 0

Samsung catcher Jin Kab-yong and company get funky during the celebration.

Samsung wins the series, 4-1
W - Cha Woo-chan (2-0), L - Brian Gordon (0-1), S - Oh Seung-hwan (3)
Samsung HR - Kang Bong-gyu (1)
SK HR - None

Samsung starter Cha Woo-chan was excellent for most of the game. Cha worked fast, threw strikes and kept putting zeroes on the scoreboard. Cha tossed seven shutout innings(104 pitches, 64 strikes). Cha gave up only five hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out seven.

Cha got into trouble in the second inning. With one out, SK DH Ahn Chi-yong walked and first baseman Choi Dong-su doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Center fielder Kim Kang-min walked to load the bases. Cha managed to strike out both catcher Jeong Sang-ho and shortstop Park Jin-man to end the threat.

Samsung got all the offense they would need in the fourth inning on a solo homer from left fielder Kang Bong-gyu. Kang put a Brian Gordon offering into the Samsung cheering section in left field to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Samsung reliever Ahn Ji-man came in for the eight inning looking like this (and later, like this). He promptly gave up an infield single to SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo on a slow roller to short. Jeong advanced to second on a sac bunt from left fielder Park Jae-sang. Ahn struck out third baseman Choi Jeong and intentionally walked Park Jeong-kwon. Samsung called on closer Oh Seung-hwan to get the final out of the eight. It took him exactly one pitch to get DH Ahn Chi-yong to pop out to shallow center.

Oh stayed in for the ninth inning and finished off the Wyverns with a 1-2-3 innings. Oh's three saves earned him the series MVP award.

Lions Squeak Past Wyverns, Win 5th Championship

Samsung beat the Wyverns in a 1-0, 2 1/2 hour sprint to the finish to capture their 5th championship in franchise history.

I'll be back tomorrow with a full write up. It's time to enjoy the victory.

Samsung 8, SK 4

Samsung leads the series, 3-1
W - Jeong In-wook (1-0), L - Kim Kwang-hyeon (0-1)
Samsung HR - Shin Myeong-cheol (1), Choi Hyeong-woo (1)
SK HR - Park Jae-sang (2)

Samsung started the scoring in the top of the first inning. First baseman Park Seok-min hit a RBI double top start the scoring. Park would later score on a single from left fielder Kang Bong-gyu to give Samsung a 2-0 lead.

Samsung starter Yoon Seong-hwan labored through 3 1/3 innings(76 pitches, 46 strikes), but was only tagged for one run. Yoon allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four. It seemed like the SK Wyverns were determined to get into the Samsung bullpen because every at bat against Yoon felt like an epic 10+ pitch at bat.

SK loaded the bases in the third inning and scored a run on a Yoon Seong-hwan wild pitch. Yoon struck out third baseman Choi Jeong and left fielder Ahn Chi-yong to end the threat.

Samsung pushed their lead to 4-1 on a two-run bomb by second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol in the fourth inning. Samsung made it 5-1 in the top of the seventh on a solo homer from right fielder Choi Hyeon-woo. SK right fielder Ahn Chi-yong didn't move an inch when he saw the ball leave the bat. He was a statue in right as the ball sailed into the stands.

SK cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a three-run bomb off the bat of left fielder Park Jae-sang. SK put runners on first and third with no outs, but Samsung got out of the jam after some poor baserunning from SK's Choi Jeong and a double play ball from DH Choi Dong-su.

That would be as close as SK would get to the Lions. Samsung added two runs in the eight on HBP with the bases loaded for center fielder Bae Yeong-seop and a RBI ground out from third baseman Cho Dong-chan.

Samsung added one more insurance run in the ninth inning on a RBI single from catcher Jin Kab-yong.

SK starter Kim Kwang-hyeon struggled again. Kim only tossed three innings(65 pitches, 33 strikes) and gave up three runs. Kim gave up four hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out two.

Game five picks up in Seoul's Jamsil Stadium on Monday at 6 PM local time. SK will try to prevent elimination with Brian Gordon on the mound and Samsung will try to wrap up the series with Cha Woo-chan.

SK 2, Samsung 1

Samsung leads the series, 2-1

W - Song Eun-beom (1-0), L - Justin Germano (0-1), S - Eom Jeong-wook
SK HR - Park Jae-sang (1), Choi Dong-su(2)

This series is still all about the pitching and defense.

SK starter Song Eun-beom threw five shutout innings(94 pitches, 51 strikes), but was in and out of jams throughout the evening. Song gave up four hits and four walks while striking out two. Samsung could put runners on against Song, they just couldn't get the big hit they were looking for. Samsung loaded the bases in the third inning with only one out, but Song struck out first baseman Chae Tae-in and DH Choi Hyeong-woo to end the threat.

The Lions had a runner on second with two outs in the fourth. Samsung catcher Jin Kab-yong put a single into left. The runner, Kang Bong-gyu, made the turn at third and headed home. He was out by a few feet, but collided with SK catcher Jeong Sang-ho. Jeong held on to the ball and didn't seem any worse for wear once the SK training staff helped him up.

SK was able to get the big hit they were looking for. The Wyverns broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when left fielder Park Jae-sang tagged Lions' starter Justin Germano for a solo homer. DH Choi Dong-su added another solo blast in the fifth to give the Wyverns a 2-0 advantage.

The Lions finally broke through in the eighth inning. Samsung put runners on the corners with two outs. SK brought in closer Eom Jeong-wook to end the threat. First baseman Park Seok-min put a bouncer through the left side to score a run and cut the SK lead in half. Kang Bong-gyu struck out to end the inning and the threat.

Eom stayed on for the ninth inning and tossed a scoreless ninth to end the game.

Game four starts at 2 PM on Saturday afternoon at Incheon's Munhak Stadium. SK will try to even the series with struggling ace Kim Kwang-hyeon. Kim only gave up one run against KIA in the opening game of the playoffs, but took the loss. Then, Kim struggled against Lotte in game one of the second round.

Samsung will go with Yoon Seong-hwan. Yoon went 14-5 with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 137 1/3 innings. Yoon struck out 83 and walked only 30.

Game 3 Starters

Samsung announced last night that they will use Justin Germano in game three. Germano arrived in Korea in mid-August and made only eight starts for the Lions in 2011. Germano went 5-1 in 45 1/3 innings of work with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Germano struck out 29 and walked only six.

SK will use Song Eun-beom to try to get back into this series. Song spent time as a starter, middler reliever and even did a little closing in 2011. Song went 8-8 with one save and four holds. He owns a 3.43 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Song struck out 55 and walked 45 in 78 2/3 innings.

Samsung 2, SK 1

Samsung leads the series, 2-0
W - Kwon Oh-joon (1-0), L - Park Hee-su (0-1), S - Oh Seung-hwan (2)
Samsung HR - None
SK HR - None

Pitching ruled the day again in game two of the 2011 Korean Series.

Samsung starter Jang Won-sam looked rested and refreshed for his game two start. It showed in his performance. Jang tossed 5 1/3 innings(90 pitches, 59 strikes) of scoreless baseball. Jang gave up only three hits and two walks while striking out ten.

SK starter Yoon Hee-sang was forced from the game after the first inning due to a shoulder issue. Lee Seung-ho came to relieve him and tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Lee was lifted in the four inning when he got into a jam with runners on first and second with two outs. SK called on Brian Gordon to get out of it and he delivered. Gordon got Samsung second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol to hit a fly to right to end the threat.

SK put runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the sixth inning. It looked like they would finally break out of their team-wide offensive slump and score a few runs. Jang got SK right fielder Park Jeong-kwon to hid a grounder to the mound. Jang froze the runner at third and calmly tossed it over to first for the first out of the inning. Jang was lifted for reliever Kwon Oh-joon. Kwon struck out both DH Ahn Chi-yong and center fielder Kim Kang-min to end the threat and get Samsung out of a huge jam.

It was Samsung's turn to put SK in a tough spot in the bottom of the sixth inning. Samsung loaded the bases with two outs. Samsung left fielder Bae Yeong-seop came to the plate and quickly fell behind 0-2. Bae fouled off a few pitches and took a close pitch for a ball before poking a base hit back through the middle. Bae's hit drove in a pair and gave Samsung a 2-0 lead. Both runners advanced on an errant throw back to the infield by center fielder Kim Kang-min. Short stop Kim Sang-su flied out to end the threat, but the damage was already done.

SK finally broke through in the eighth inning. The Wyverns put runners on first and second with no outs. SK left fielder Park Jae-sang put a base hit into center field to drive in SK's first run of the series and cut the Lions' lead in half. With runners still on first and second with no outs, Samsung called on closer Oh Seung-hwan to get them out of the jam. Oh got DH Ahn Chi-yong to pop out to the catcher and struck out Kim Kang-min. SK first baseman Choi Dong-su put a base hit into center. SK were poised to tie the game, but Samsung center fielder Lee Yeong-wook made a perfect throw to the plate to nail the runner and end the inning.

Oh Seung-hwan stayed in for the ninth and struck out the side to end the game.

The series moves to Incheon's Munhak Stadium for game three. The game is scheduled for Thursday at 6 PM local time. Starters have yet to be announced. SK will have to choose between Song Eun-beom and Kim Kwang-hyeon. Samsung will either go with Yoon Seong-hwan or Justin Germano. An update will be provided as soon as starters are announced.

Samsung 2, SK 0

Samsung leads the series, 1-0

W - Cha Woo-chan (1-0), L - Goh Hyo-joon (0-1), S - Oh Seung-hwan (1)
Samsung HR - None
SK HR - None

The Lions didn't look like they were off for two weeks. The Lions played last night's game more like it was an elimination game than the opening game of the series.

Doug Mathis got the start and was fairly effective for the short time he was in the game. Mathis tossed four shutout innings(59 pitches, 36 strikes) before giving way to the Samsung bullpen. Mathis gave up four hits and two walks while striking out three.

Samsung ace(by default) Cha Woo-chan relieved Mathis and added three shutout innings(36 pitches, 25 strikes). Cha gave didn't allow a baserunner while striking out five of the nine batters he faced. Dude was locked in.

Samsung broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when second baseman Shin Myeong-cheol stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second with no outs. Shin absolutely stung a double into left/center to drive in both runners and give Samsung all the offense they would need.

Samsung loaded the bases with one out, but managed to get out of it. SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo dropped a pop up right on the edge of the infield. He managed to locate the ball and get it back into the infield in time to get the runner coming home from third...barely. Jeong later redeemed himself by making a highlight reel catch on the final out of the inning. He made an over the shoulder catch on a ball that was headed for no man's land in right field. He never broke stride while running and looked up at the perfect time.

Samsung did run into a jam in the eighth inning, but Samsung called on closer Oh Seung-hwan to get them out of the jam and he delivered.

Oh stuck around for the ninth and recorded a perfect inning for the save.

SK starter Goh Hyo-joon was really mediocre last night. He probably would have been tagged for more runs if he wasn't pulled after 3 2/3 innings.

Samsung used an interesting strategy after their two week lay off. They used their starters for short periods of time instead of expecting them to be fully stretched out and able to go deep into games. It wouldn't be a huge shock to see them follow the same strategy in game two and beyond.

Game two is Wednesday night at 6 PM Daegu time. Samsung will try to go two games up on the Wyverns with Jang Won-sam on the mound. Jang battled various injuries all year and finished up 8-8 with a 4.15 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. Jang struck out 68 and walked 37 in 115 innings. SK will counter with journeyman starter Yoon Hee-sang. Yoon was last seen in game four of the second round. Yoon tossed five innings of one-run baseball. He gave up six hits and one walk while striking out six. Yoon has emerged as one of the better stories of the post season as he put together solid efforts against both KIA and Lotte.

Game One Starters Announced...

...and they're surprising.

SK will send Goh Hyo-joon to the mound. Goh went 5-8 in 105 2/3 innings of work. Goh ended the year with a 4.05 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. He struck out 89, but walked 69.

Samsung will start their 2011 playoff campaign with Doug Mathis. Doug only threw 64 2/3 innings because he joined the team in late July. Mathis went 5-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. He struck out 32, but walked 34.

SK 8, Lotte 4

SK wins the series, 3-2
W - Brian Gordon (1-1), L - Song Seung-joon (1-1), S - Jeong Woo-ram (1)
SK HR - Park Jeong-kwon 2(3)
Lotte HR - None

We've got a 2010 Korean Series rematch, but this time the SK Wyverns come in as the underdog and the Samsung Lions are the favorite.

SK went with struggling ace Kim Kwang-hyeon as the starter for this game and he didn't last long. Kim gave up a triple to left fielder Kim Ju-chan to start the game. Kim scored on a double from center fielder Jeon Joon-woo to give Lotte a 1-0 lead. Kim finished the first inning, but he wasn't brought back for the second. He simply hasn't looked the same since the 2010 post season.

Lotte's lead lasted until the fourth inning and it was the last lead they would see in the 2011 season. SK first baseman Park Jeong-kwon hit a two-run bomb to put SK on top.

SK added two more runs in the fifth to push the lead to 4-1. Lotte turned to starter Jang Won-joon to provide some relief. He didn't have nearly the same success he had in Game Four. Jang faced three batters and all three stung him for base hits. Lim Hoon, Jeong Geun-woo and Park Jae-sang all singled off of Jang. Park's single drove in a run to make the score 3-1. Chris Bootcheck was brought in and he promptly uncorked a wild pitch to allow Jeong Geun-woo to score from second to make the lead 4-1.

In the sixth, Park Jeong-kwon hit his second two-run homer of the day to make the lead 6-1 and the rout was on.

Lotte rallied for three in the bottom of the sixth to make the game close. DH Hong Seong-heun hit an off-the-wall double to plate the first run of the rally and catcher Kang Min-ho hit another off-the-wall double to drive in a pair.

SK piled on with two more runs in the eighth to give us our final. With runners on second and third with no outs, DH Ahn Chi-hong singled to right for the first run of the inning. Center fielder Kim Kang-min then hit a double to push the lead to 8-4. SK still had runners on second and third with no outs, but Lotte managed to get out of the jam without any more damage.

The SK bullpen(and starting staff) really stepped up after Kim's early exit. Brian Gordon threw 3 2/3 innings(49 pitches, 32 strikes) of scoreless relief. Gordon gave up only three hits while striking out three.

SK reliever Jeong Woo-ram recorded the final nine outs for the save. He struck out one and didn't give up anything.

For Lotte, it was nothing but headaches after starter Song Seung-joon was pulled in the fifth inning. Song threw 4 2/3 innings(67 pitches, 42 strikes) and gave up two runs. Song surrendered only four hits(three stayed in the park) and struck out one.

Whichever buttons manager Yang pushed after Song's exit were the wrong ones. Jang Won-joon and Chris Bootcheck both struggled in relief of Song. They didn't get much help in the field. Lotte was only charged with one error, but there were numerous mental errors in the field that helped SK pile on the runs. It was like all of the ghosts of seasons past came back to haunt them. Bobbled balls, fielders juuuuuuuust missing grounders, wild pitches.

SK will head to the Korean Series to face Samsung while Lotte will get to go home early.

The series will start in Daegu at 6 PM local time on Tuesday. Starters haven't been announced, but SK will likely use Song Eun-beom against either Yoon Seong-hwan or Cha Woo-chan. Samsung could go either way with their starter in game one. Samsung will likely save its non-Korean pitchers for either emergency relief work or for use later in the series as a starter.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Game five was washed out on Saturday afternoon. The game will be played on Sunday at 2 PM Busan time.

Lotte 2, SK 0

The series is tied 2-2
W - Jang Won-joon (1-0), L - Yoon Hee-sang (0-1), S - Kim Sa-yul (2)
Lotte HR - Lee Dae-ho (1)
SK HR - None

Lotte played this game like it was an elimination game. This strategy makes sense because they, well, were playing an elimination game.

Chris Bootcheck got the start for Lotte, but only stuck around for 3 1/3 innings(44 pitches, 26 strikes). Bootcheck only gave up two hits and two walks while striking out two. He was yanked after walking a batter in the fourth inning. Lotte ace Jang Won-joon was the odds on favorite to start Game 5, but he'll likely be unavailable because he threw four innings(52 pitches, 32 strikes) of shutout relief work. Jang gave up one hit and one walk while striking out five.

The strategy to use Jang in game four will only really look foolish if Lotte looks awful in game five. Lotte was at the point where they needed to use everything they had to prevent being eliminated and they did. The problem I had was that if you're going to use Jang, why not just start him? He might as well be used in the role that he's spent six months of the season playing instead of tossing him into relief.

Lotte broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning during a fairly bizarre sequence. Second baseman Cho Seong-hwan lead off the inning by trying to bunt for a hit. SK pitcher Yoon Hee-sang fielded the ball cleanly, but the throw was well wide of the bag and ended up in right field. Cho advanced to second on a sac bunt from shortstop Moon Gyu-hyeon. Left fielder Kim Ju-chan singled to center and advanced to second on the relay, but Cho made a break for home, but was out by about three feet for the second inning. Right fielder Son Ah-seop poked a single through the left side of the infield to drive in Kim and score Lotte's first run of the game.

The Giants added some insurance in the sixth inning when Lee Dae-ho hit a solo homer to make the lead 2-0.

Lotte closer Kim Sa-yul gave up a walk and a hit, but struck out two during a scoreless ninth inning for the save.

Lost in this one was a solid effort from SK starter Yoon Hee-sang. The journeyman tossed five innings(71 pitches, 50 strikes) of one-run ball. Yoon gave up six hits and one walk while striking out six.

The series comes back to Fortress Sajik for Game 5 on Saturday at 2 PM Busan time. SK will send struggling ace Kim Kwang-hyeon against Lotte's Song Seung-joon to see who will have an opportunity to face Samsung in the Korean Series.

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.

Lotte 4, SK 1

Lotte center fielder Jeon Joon-woo displays his "Fist of Triumph"as he rounds first base after hitting a two-run homer.

The series is tied, 1-1
W - Song Seung-joon (1-0), L - Brian Gordon (0-1), S - Kim Sa-yul (1)
Lotte HR - Jeon Joon-woo (1), Kang Min-ho (1)
SK HR - None

Lotte tied the five game series at one win apiece thanks to a solid effort from starter Song Seung-joon and a little timely hitting.

Song tossed six plus innings(103 pitches, 63 strikes) of one-run baseball. Song gave up five hits and three walks while striking out six. He also made about a half dozen gratuitous fist pumps before giving way to the bullpen in seventh inning.

Song and SK starter Brian Gordon were locked in a pitcher's duel for the first five innings. Gordon and Song toe-to-toe until Gordon finally got into trouble in the sixth inning.

Lotte right fielder Son Ah-seop started the inning with an infield single and scored on homer from center fielder Jeon Joon-woo. Jeon broke a scoreless tie with his two-run blast. Lotte tacked on a third run in the sixth when DH Hong Seong-heun singled, stole second and scored on a base hit from catcher Kang Min-ho.

SK answered back in the top of the seventh with a RBI single from first baseman Park Jeong-kwon to cut the lead to 3-1.

Lotte responded with a solo homer from Kang in the eighth to ice the game.

Lotte closer Kim Sa-yul struck out one during a perfect ninth inning for the save.

Game three picks up in Incheon on Wednesday evening at 6 PM Incheon time. SK will send Song Eun-beom to the mound against Lotte's Ryan Sadowski.

SK 7, Lotte 6 (10)

SK catcher Jeong Sang-ho celebrates after his homer in the tenth inning.

SK leads the series, 1-0
W - Jeong Woo-ram (1-0), L - Chris Bootcheck (0-1)
SK HR - Park Jeong-kwon (1), Ahn Chi-yong (2), Jeong Sang-ho (1)
Lotte HR - Kim Ju-chan (1)

This game wore me out. It started at two, went almost until 6:30 and saw four lead changes. This was a marathon of a baseball game.

Lotte started the scoring with a lead off homer from Kim Ju-chan in the first inning. It could have been worse for SK. The Giants loaded the bases with one out, but catcher Kang Min-ho grounded into a double play to end the threat.

The Giants tacked on a pair of runs in the second inning to push the lead to 3-0. Kim Ju-chan hit a RBI single, stole second and scored on a Son Ah-seop single.

SK answered back in the fourth inning with a solo homer from first baseman Park Jeong-kwon to cut the lead to 3-1. SK loaded the bases with only one out. Shortstop Park Jin-man hit a sac fly to make it a 3-2 game and second baseman Jeong Geun-woo tied it with a base-hit.

Lotte took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a RBI single from center fielder Jeon Joon-woo. Jeon's single chased SK starter Kim Kwang-hyeon from the ball game. Kim threw 3 2/3 innings(85 pitches, 48 strikes) and was charged with four runs. Kim gave up eight hits and three walks while striking out four. Reliever Lee Yeong-wook got slugger Lee Dae-ho to hit into a force out to end the inning.

SK tied the game in the sixth when center fielder Kim Kang-min lead off with a double and scored on a Park Jin-man single.

SK took a 6-4 lead in the seventh after right fielder Ahn Chi-yong clubbed a two-run bomb.

Lotte put runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Second baseman Cho Seong-hwan hit a grounder that deflected off reliever Park Hee-su's glove and bounced to second baseman Jeong Geun-woo. Cho was out at first, but the runner from third was able to score to cut the lead to 6-5.

Lotte tied the game at six in the eighth inning. With two outs and the bases empty, DH Hong Seong-heun singled, stole second and scored on a base hit from Lee Dae-ho. The steal was a little controversial because Hong put his spikes right into second baseman Jeong Geun-woo's shin in order to slide in safely. Hey, this is playoff baseball. Spikes up or go home.

Lotte put runners on first and third with no outs in the bottom of the ninth. Infielder Song Yong-seok hit grounder back to reliever Eom Jeong-wook. Eom froze the runner at third before throwing Song out at first. Kim Ju-chan was intentionally walked to load the bases and Eom was pulled for Jeong Woo-ram. Jeong needed exactly one pitch to get Son Ah-seop to ground into an inning ending double play.

SK catcher Jeong Sang-ho hit a solo homer to give SK a 7-6 lead. The homer was a line shot that landed in the third row of the left field seats.

Jeong Woo-ram stayed on for the bottom of the tenth and threw a perfect inning to end the game.

Game two is Monday night at 6 PM Busan time at Fortress Sajik. Lotte will send Song Seung-joon against SK's Brian Gordon. Song went 13-10 with a 4.18 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 172 1/3 innings. He walked 59 and struck out 126. Gordon was 6-4 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 75 2/3 innings. He walked 20 and struck out 34.

SK 8, KIA 0

SK wins the series, 3-1.
W - Yoon Hee-seong (1-0), L - Yoon Seok-min (1-1)
SK HR - None
KIA HR - None

It was hard to believe that SK journeyman Yoon Hee-seong outpitched KIA ace Yoon Seok-min in a playoff game. He's the 2011 version of Bob Wolcott.

Hee-seong was on a 100 pitch limit. As soon as he hit it, he was pulled. He stuck around for 6 2/3 innings and managed to keep KIA off the scoreboard. Hee-seong gave up six hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out four. He got in a jam in the second inning when he loaded the bases with one out. He got out of it with a weak liner to second and strike out to end the inning.

It was a fairly touching moment when the SK pitching coach came to take him out in the seventh inning. The coach thanked him for his effort and patted him on the head before he left.

KIA ace Yoon Seok-min came back on short rest. It was a defensable decision by the KIA brain trust. KIA was facing an elimination game and wanted to send their best out there to try to force a fifth game. Seok-min looked awesome in game one, but he came out flat in game four.

Yoon Seok-min only stuck around for 2 1/3 innings(56 pitches, 36 strikes) and was charged with three runs. Yoon gave up four hits and two walks while striking out three. He didn't appear to be very sharp on the mound.

All of the damage against Yoon came in the third inning. SK third baseman Choi Jeong hit a double with runners on first and second. Both runners managed to come around to break the scoreless tie. Choi scored on a double from first baseman Park Jeong-kwon and that was the end of Yoon Seok-min.

KIA reliever Han Ki-joo did make another appearance. This time he wasn't left out there for 72 pitches. Han tossed 1 2/3 innings, but ran into trouble and got tagged for two runs on three hits and a walk. At least he has the offseason to rest up now.

The Wyverns picked up some insurance runs later, but everyone on the KIA bench appeared ready to surrender after Yoon left the game.

Choi Jeong lead the SK offense by going 2-3 with a walk, a double, four RBIs and one run scored. Second baseman Jeong Geun-woo was constantly on base for SK's big bats. Jeong went 3-4 with a walk, a HBP(right in the ribs), four runs scored and two steals. Jeong was named the MVP of the series and pocketed 2 million KRW. Don't spend it all at once.

Round two of the KBO playoffs starts on Sunday at 2 PM Busan time at Fortress Sajik. Starters haven't been announced yet, but it will likely be SK's Kim Kwang-hyeon vs. Lotte ace Jang Won-joon.

SK 2, KIA 0

SK takes a 2-1 series lead.
W - Brian Gordon (1-0), L - Seo Jae-wong (0-1), S - Eom Jeong-wook
SK HR - None
KIA HR - None

SK looked more like the 2010 team that won the KBO title last night than the team that struggled during the summer.

SK combined solid pitching with intelligent defense and just enough offense to take a 2-1 series lead over the KIA Tigers.

SK starter Brian Gordon threw 5 1/3 shutout innings(82 pitches, 53 strikes). Gordon gave up only two hits and one walk while striking out one. SK relievers Park Hee-su, Jeong Dae-hyeong and Jeong Woo-ram each earned a hold while giving up only two hits in 2 2/3 innings of combined relief work. SK closer Eom Jeong-wook walked a batter and struck out one during a scoreless ninth inning for the save.

KIA starter Seo Jae-wong pitched in and out of trouble for most of his 5 1/3 innings(72 pitches, 44 strikes) of work. Seo gave up five hits and hit two batters while striking out two.

Seo ran into trouble in the sixth inning. Seo gave up an infield single to SK second baseman Jeong Geun-woo. Jeong went to second on a sac bunt from left fielder Park Jae-sang. Choi Jeong was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Seo was lifted for reliever Shim Dong-seop. Shim promptly walked first baseman Park Jeong-kwon to load the bases. Shim was yanked for reliever Yoo Dong-hoon. SK DH Ahn Chi-yong singled back through the middle. Two runners scored on the play to break the scoreless tie.

Park Jeong-kwon went 3-3(all singles) with a walk and a stolen base.

There was a scary moment in the seventh inning. KIA first baseman was on first base with left fielder Kim Sang-hyeon at the plate. Kim hit a bouncer to first. Choi was forced at second, but put his hands up to protect his face from the throw back to first. The ball slammed into Choi's fingers and he crumpled to the ground, clutching his hand. The play was so fast that at first it looked like Choi was hit in the face. Replays showed that the ball hit his fingers...hard. The fear was that Choi broke a few fingers, but he stayed in the game and appeared to be able to play.

The series continues Wednesday night at 6 PM Gwangju time. SK will try to end the first round with Yoon Hee-sang on the mound. Yoon went 3-1 in 46 2/3 innings over 20 apperances. Yoon owns a 4.82 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He struck out 27 and walked 12. Yoon will be opposed by KIA ace Yoon Seok-min. Yoon is coming back on short rest after an impressive complete game victory in Game 1. Yoon went 17-5 with a save in 172 1/3 innings. Yoon had a 2.45 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. He struck out 178 and walked 44.

SK 3, KIA 2 (11)

The series is tied, 1-1

W - Jeong Woo-ram (1-0), L - Han Ki-joo(0-1)
SK HR - Ahn Chi-yong (1)
KIA HR - Choi Hee-seop (1)

KIA looked like they would cruise to a 2-0 series lead, but the Wyverns had other plans and staged a late rally to to make this a series.

KIA jumped out to a 1-0 lead when left fielder Na Ji-wan ripped a single into right with a runner on second.

The Tigers added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning. Slugger Choi Hee-seop hit a fly-ball that juuuuuuust went over the top of SK left fielder Park Jae-sang's glove for a solo homer. Replays show that the ball may or may not have clipped the top of his glove. Either way, it gave KIA a 2-0 lead.

SK cut the KIA lead in half when left fielder Park Jae-sang hit a RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth. The Wyverns tied the game in the seven on a solo homer from right fielder Ahn Chi-yong. Ahn even did the"bat flip/stare/slow walk" homer celebration trifecta. He knew it was gone the second it left his bat.

The two offenses basically stared each other down for the next four innings, until the bottom of the eleventh.

SK put runners on first and second with a walk from right fielder Ahn Chi-yong and a base hit from second baseman Jeong Geun-woo. Both runners advanced on a sac bunt by left fielder Park Jae-sang. Third baseman Choi Jeong grounded out to third. The KIA defense made sure to freeze the runners before throwing over to first for the second out. First baseman Park Jeong-kwon was intentionally walked to load the bases. DH Lee Ho-joon came to the plate and, with a full count, put a bouncer back up the middle for a walk-off single.

The question KIA fans have to ask is, "Was the KIA bullpen abducted?" KIA left reliever Han Ki-joo on the mound for four innings after Yang Hyeon-jong and Son Yeong-min came in for Aquilino Lopez in the seventh inning. Han was left out there for 72 pitches! He was effective until the 11th, but there was no reason to have Han log that many innings. Especially since the KIA bullpen had an extra day of rest after Yoon Seok-min's complete game on Saturday.

Lost in his game is a solid effort from Aquilino Lopez. Lopez tossed six+ innings(91 pitches, 63 strikes) of two-run ball. Lopez gave up six hits and three walks while striking out six.

SK starter Song Eun-beom was actually allowed to pitch past the third inning. Song tossed six innings(83 pitches, 54 strikes) of two-run baseball. Song allowed five hits and one walk while striking out five.

The next game will be on Tuesday at 6:30 PM Korea time. Brian Gordon will take the ball for the Wyverns, while KIA will send Seo Jae-wong to the mound. Gordon went 6-4 in 14 appearances after replacing Jim Magrane in the middle of the season. Gordon owns a 3.81 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 75 2/3 innings of work. Gordon has struck out 70 and walked only 20. Seo Jae-wong went 8-9 with two saves and two holds in 30 appearances for the Tigers. Seo has a 4.28 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 130 1/3 innings of work. Seo struck out 84 and walked 36.