Koo Ja-wook and the war of nerves, 6 runs, the most lost...The dizzying first four-time PS pitcher was also a human race
Oct 18, 2025
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Ponce started the home game against the Samsung Lions at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon on the 18th and recorded seven hits (one home run), one walk, eight strikeouts and six runs in six innings.
Ponce was the best pitcher in the league this season. He played in 29 games and recorded 17 wins and 1 loss with a 1.89 ERA. He played the best ever in the KBO League, winning 17 consecutive games. He also recorded 252 strikeouts, setting a new KBO League strikeout record. He won three gold medals by ranking first in strikeouts with multiple wins in ERA.
He also appeared once against Samsung, showing a strong performance with six hits, one walk and eight strikeouts in six innings.
Samsung coach Park Jin-man said, "(He's a Ponce, so I think he'll have to open the first point somehow. It's not easy to hit back-to-back and score. I think we should try to get Ponce shaken up by scoring one point, not a big score" he said. Coach Park said, `As the rain delayed one day, I get more nervous as an opponent. It's the same for us, but I think it's affected in that part because we were nervous for one more day from the starting pitcher's point of view," he added.
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On this day, Samsung formed the starting lineup in the order of Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Kim Sung-yoon (right wing), Koo Ja-wook (designated hitter), Lewin Diaz (first baseman), Kim Young-woong (third baseman), Lee Jae-hyun (striker), Kim Tae-hoon (left wing), Kang Min-ho (poster), and Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman).
Ponce neatly blocked the top of the first inning with three outs, but a run came out from the top of the second inning. Leading hitter Diaz's hit and Kim Young-woong's double put him on the verge of second and third bases with no outs. Lee Jae-hyun then allowed a two-run double and allowed two runs. He struck out Kim Tae-hoon, but allowed a sacrifice fly to Kang Min-ho, allowing the third run.
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In the top of the fourth inning, he allowed a turnaround by hitting a home run by leadoff hitter Kim Tae-hoon. It was even more painful as it was a home run hit by Kim Tae-hoon, who had only four home runs in his career. However, it did not collapse as Kang Min-ho, Ryu Ji-hyuk, and Kim Ji-chan were all blocked by Bum-taro.
He showed off his power again in the top of the fifth inning. After striking out both Kim Sung-yoon and Koo Ja-wook, he caught Diaz with a catcher fly.
He allowed a walk to leadoff hitter Kim Young-woong in the sixth inning, but after striking out Lee Jae-hyun, he even caught Kim Young-woong's stolen base to fill both out counts. Kim Tae-hoon's fly ball to center field ended the inning.
Hanwha's batters succeeded in reversing 8-6 in the sixth inning, and Ponce, who recorded a total of 105 pitches, was able to come down the mound with the winning pitcher requirements.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.