Doosan’s captain, Heo Kyung-min (33), saved the struggling baseball team with just one at-bat. Doosan defeated SSG in the ninth inning thanks to a two-out, game-tying hit by Heo Kyung-min, who came in as a pinch hitter, and revived hopes for fall baseball.
Heo Kyung-min came to bat in the ninth inning of the game against SSG at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, with the score 1-2 and the bases loaded. Earlier, the Doosan bats were stymied by SSG left-hander Roenis Elias throughout the game. Elias was replaced by reliever Seo Jin-yong in the bottom of the ninth inning after allowing five hits, one walk and four strikeouts in eight innings. At a time when the team needed a “one-hitter” to turn the tide of the game, the home crowd cheered as they looked to the back of the “fixer,” Heo Kyung-min.
Things turned in Doosan’s favor. SSG Seo Jin-yong’s first pitch against Heo Kyung-min was a wild pitch that landed on the ground. In the meantime, Lee Yoo-chan, who was on third base, came home to tie the game at 2-2, putting more pressure on Seo. Heo Kyung-min took a four-pitch forkball from Seo Jinyong on the ensuing 2-3 pitch at-bat and smashed it to left-center field for a grand slam, completing his record of 100 hits in six consecutive seasons in the most dramatic of moments. When it mattered most, he was responsible for the team’s victory with just one at-bat. After a timely double by Choi Jeong in the top of the first inning, Doosan, which had never trailed SSG, rallied from a 3-2 deficit to win its fourth straight game with a walk-off hit by Heo Kyung-min. Doosan’s Lee Young-ha, who worked out of the jam in the top of the ninth, pitched one inning to earn his second win of the season (2-2).
With the victory, Doosan moved within one game of SSG, who dropped to fifth place with the loss, as well as fourth-place KIA, which is one game ahead of SSG in the win column.
The Doosan bullpen and offense never gave up, even when the game was in doubt. Choi Seung-yong did his job with five innings of six-hit ball and one run, and the bullpen pitched the remaining four innings of one-run ball to set the stage for the comeback. The persistence of the bats was also highlighted by Yang Seok-hwan, who hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth inning against the opposing closer Seo Jin-yong.
After the game, Heo Kyung-min said, “My game-winning hit was possible because the mound kept the game close with the lowest number of runs. The concentration of the batters, starting with (Yang) Seok-hwan, also gave me good energy.” He added, “Every 토토사이트 day is really important for fall baseball. The veteran players, including myself, will do our best to create good results in the remaining games.”
Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop said, “The captain hit a great finish like a captain should. He must have been under a lot of pressure at the plate, but he overcame everything and gave the team a valuable win.” “I also want to praise the other players who didn’t give up until the end. We waited for one chance and our players did it,” he said.