What's wrong with champion KIA…I can't believe you humiliated unknown pitchers by scoring one run in nine innings
Aug 18, 2025
|
KIA Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho was surprised to see opposing pitcher Yoon Tae-ho, who took the mound in relief against the Doosan Bears in Jamsil on the 16th. Doosan starter Choi Seung-yong was substituted in two innings due to a broken left index finger nail. Yoon Tae-ho, who Doosan rushed to the mound, is in his fourth year as a professional player this year, but this day was his debut in the first division. It was a golden opportunity for KIA.
However, KIA did not take advantage of this opportunity at all. Yoon Tae-ho pitched four innings, 55 pitches, one hit, one walk, and four strikeouts. Yoon Tae-ho shot a personal maximum speed of 153km and silenced the KIA lineup with all his might. The fastball is at the top of the league, but KIA hitters have not responded at all despite the evaluation that the breaking ball still needs to be supplemented.
Acting Doosan manager Cho Sung-hwan said, `It must have been a very uncomfortable situation, but he pitched really beautifully. I think I gained confidence by catching two or three balls going to the outfield, and I think I gained a little more confidence as I went near the strike zone in my own way."
KIA, which was blocked by rookie Yoon Tae-ho, was rather taken by Doosan. After being dragged 0-2 until the sixth inning, Oh Sun-woo's RBI timely hit in the top of the seventh inning began the chase, and Patrick Wisdom's equalizer and Kim Tae-gun's timely hit were combined to turn it over 3-2. However, closer Jung Hae-young allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, which humiliated him to lose to ninth-place Doosan for two consecutive days.
KIA, which suffered a two-day defeat by Doosan, had pressure to win the last game of the three consecutive games on the 17th. After Cody Ponce (Hanwha Eagles), James Nail, who throws the best in the league, started for KIA. Doosan put forward replacement starter Je Hwan-yu, who will make his debut in the first division. Je Hwan-yu, who is in his sixth year as a professional, was the only pitcher who pitched in relief in three first-team games.
My nails were done. He tried to lead the team out of consecutive losses by pitching 92 pitches, six hits, one walk, and four strikeouts in seven innings.
The problem was the lineup blocked by the refuelling. It started well in the top of the first inning. After one out, Park Chan-ho's walk and Kim Sun-bin's hit to the right of center field gave him a chance to take the first and third bases. Choi Hyung-woo hit a sacrifice fly to left field to take a 1-0 lead.
Refueling oil faltered greatly when it lost a point. With two outs and a runner on the first base, Na Sung-bum and Wisdom were walked in succession to load the bases. KIA should have shaken up more Ryu here, but Oh Sun-woo failed to score additional points as he only grounded out to the second base.
Je Hwan-yu quickly found stability and allowed one run on 71 pitches, two hits and three walks in five innings. For two days, KIA failed to find a breakthrough by scoring only one run in nine innings against unknown pitchers still unfamiliar to fans such as Yoon Tae-ho and Je Hwan-yu.
|
|
KIA had allowed Doosan to lose the game for two consecutive days and took special measures to send Jung Hae-young down to the second division on the day. He intended to endure at least 10 days without Jung Hae-young by appointing Jeon Sang-hyun, who had an ERA of 0.00 in the second half of the year.
But on the first day of the change. Jeon Sang-hyun collapsed. In the eighth inning, while Lee Joon-young scored one run in ⅓ innings, Jeon Sang-hyun, who took over the ball, collapsed with three runs (2 earned runs) in ⅔ innings. a two-to-four upset.
Doosan's Cho Soo-haeng, who finished the final hit, said "We would have expected everyone to lean toward KIA because (Je) Hwan-yu, an alternative starter, threw it. However, I think the batter also gained strength because the ring oil threw really well."
KIA was humiliated by ninth-ranked Doosan. Other five-tier competitors are also barely holding out in fifth place thanks to their sluggish performance. KIA tied for fifth with KT Wiz (55 wins, 4 draws and 55 losses) and NC Dinos (51 wins, 6 draws and 51 losses) with 53 wins, 4 draws and 53 losses in the season.
KIA, which lost three consecutive games, recorded eight wins, one draw and 13 losses in the second half of the season, ranking lowest in the league. Kiwoom Heroes, who are overwhelmingly last in the season, also have more wins than KIA in the second half. Kiwoom ranks ninth with nine wins, one draw and 14 losses.
KIA will play three consecutive games during the week against Kiwoom in Gwangju from the 19th. If Kiwoom struggles with Kiwoom, which is already in ninth place, KIA will be on the verge of facing the worst-case scenario of winning the integrated championship and not receiving an autumn invitation in a year.
|
|
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
