Next is Lee Eui-ri. I'll catch 'Japan'South Korea won 3-2 in the first game of the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) 2023 against Australia at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on the 16th through Roh Si-hwan's walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th inning of extra time.
It wasn't an easy game. It is inevitably difficult because the score is not properly scored. Including the 10th inning record, Roh Si-hwan cheered up with three hits and one RBI, and Kim Do-young scored one hit and two runs. Kim Hyung-joon produced one hit and one RBI, and Kim Joo-won produced two hits and one RBI.
The team had eight hits as a whole. He also had three walks and one hit by the ball. There are relatively few points. It was a game where a great victory was possible. He was hampered by two hits in 14 at-bats in the first to ninth innings.
Instead, the mound was high. As the pitcher held out, the turnaround continued. First of all, it's a starter. Moon Dong-ju pitched well with five hits (one home run) and four walks, five strikeouts and two runs in 5.2 innings. It is close to quality start (QS).
He originally caught about 80 to 90 pitches. He recorded the final 102 pitches. Director Ryu Joong-il said, "I heard the balance is so good in the 4th or 5th inning. So I went to the 6th episode. I thought I should go to the 100th pitch. "I'm sorry to make you throw too much," he pointed out.
And it's a bullpen. Kim Young-kyu (0.2 innings), Shin Min-hyuk (0 innings), Choi Ji-min (0.2 innings), Choi Seung-yong (1.2 innings) and Jung Hae-young (1.1 innings) came up and collaborated to score no runs in 4.1 innings. Shin Min-hyuk slowed down with one hit and one walk, but other pitchers did it.
Choi Jimin is the first to catch his eye. After one out in the top of the seventh inning, Shin Min-hyuk came up and sent two runners. Choi Jimin came up right away. He did give a walk to the first batter, Rickson Wingrove. a bases-loaded crisis.
There was no loss. He handled Alex Hall, who hit a home run in the top of the sixth inning, with a fly ball to shortstop and Clayton Campbell, who hit a timely hit in the top of the first inning, with a fly ball to right field. It's a successful escape from the crisis.
Choi Seung-yong came up in the top of the eighth inning and finished the eighth inning well, striking out two. He gave two walks in the top of the ninth inning, making it 1 out and 1st and 2nd bases. With two outs and runners on first and second base, striking out Wingrove.
Jung Hae-young came up from here. It's the only "professional finish" in the national team. He ended the inning by striking out the hole.
The top of the 10th inning was a game between runners on first and second base with no outs. He struck out Campbell. Next, Christopher Burke hit a sharp ball toward third base, but Kim Do-young finished the inning with a double play. 1.1 scoreless innings. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Roh Si-hwan's walk-off hit came out, and Jung Hae-young became the winning pitcher.
Coach Ryu Joong-il also said, "The match was held in the seventh inning." Choi Ji-min blocked well without losing a point with the bases loaded. He also blocked the closing Jung Hae-young well." Choi Ji-min threw 14 and Jung Hae-young 11, so there is no problem in taking the mound against Japan on the 17th.
KIA's must-win group came up every crisis and every important moment to save the team. It's a "tiger ticket" that you can trust and use. And on the 17th, another tiger comes out. Lee Eui-ri will start.
Ryu Joong-il said, "He is the best left-hander in Korea. Japanese hitters have a lot of left-handed hitters. I think Lee Eui-ri will block it well if he can control the ball well. The ball is fast. It is difficult for the opponent to hit when the control is good. "I will observe if I can control it from the first inning," he explained.
There is the pain of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. He made the final entry, but was replaced a day before the call-up. This is because of the issue of blisters on your fingers. Since he was eliminated, he has pitched well in succession. In other words, he threw up his anger from being excluded from the list on the mound.
When he was selected for the APBC national team, he wore the national flag again. Although it cannot be compared to the Asian Games, APBC is also an international competition. a seat for future generations. If Lee Eui-ri shows an overwhelming performance, Korea can also get a 10-year ace.
First of all, Choi Ji-min and Jung Hae-young got off to a splendid start. There's no problem with the bullpen. It is best if Lee Eui-ri drags it out from the front.