The Fire Fighters achieved a thrilling, walk-off comeback victory against Daegu High.
In the 14th episode of the baseball variety program 'Fire Baseball,' released on the official YouTube channel Studio C1 on 4th at 8 p.m., the Fire Fighters, overcoming a dark shadow of defeat in the 9th inning, are depicted dominating Daegu High with a score of 5:4.
The early stages of the game flowed into a pitching duel. Fire Fighters' starting pitcher Yoo Hee-kwan showcased scoreless pitching until the 2nd inning, aided by defense and strategic plays. Daegu High's starting pitcher Na Hyun-seo faced a crisis in the 1st inning due to a hit and some unfortunate defensive plays but managed to limit the inning to minimal runs by getting Lee Dae-ho out with a ground ball in the 2nd.
With the Fire Fighters leading 1-0 at the top of the 3rd inning, Yoo Hee-kwan suddenly began to falter. He faced a big threat, allowing a significant double to the opposing team's leadoff batter. His pitches started to miss the strike zone, and ultimately, he yielded a tying, timely hit to Kim Chang-beom of Daegu High.
In the top of the 5th inning, a greater crisis struck the Fire Fighters. Yoo Hee-kwan's changeup began to be targeted by the Daegu High batters, resulting in consecutive hits. After conceding the lead, the Fire Fighters faced more hits from Daegu High, widening the score to 1:3. Ultimately, Yoo Hee-kwan was pulled, and another ace, Lee Dae-eun, stabilized the mound. In response, Daegu High brought in 'the ace itself' Kim Min-jun, whose top speed reached 152 km/h, effectively shutting down the Fire Fighters' batting lineup, captivating viewers with the performances of both teams' relief pitchers.
The Fire Fighters, struggling against Kim Min-jun's pitches, found an opportunity in the bottom of the 7th inning. Jung Seong-hoon went head-to-head with Kim Min-jun, obtaining a walk after 10 pitches. Following him, Lee Taek-geun, Park Jae-wook, and Lim Sang-woo managed to create hits, allowing the Fire Fighters to finally tie the game at 3:3.
However, Daegu High did not easily back down. At the top of the 8th, taking advantage of the tired Fire Fighters' errors and control issues, they launched a fierce offensive. A Daegu High batter, looking for an opportunity, hit a one-run, go-ahead timely hit off Lee Dae-eun.
Driven to the edge, the Fire Fighters attempted a counterattack in the bottom of the 8th. Jeong Ui-yun and Jung Seong-hoon hit singles to create a scoring opportunity, and manager Kim Seong-geun made a strategic move, substituting Jeong Ui-yun at second base with pinch runner Kang Dong-woo. However, Lee Taek-geun struck out and Park Jae-wook grounded out, extinguishing the opportunity.
In a situation shadowed by defeat, a miracle occurred in the bottom of the 9th. With a error from Daegu High, Jeong Geun-woo succeeded in a fortunate reach, followed by Moon Gyo-won reaching base on a walk. Daegu High intentionally walked clean-up hitter Lee Dae-ho and chose to face Kang Dong-woo, the hero of the walk-off hit from the opening game, in a bases-loaded situation. A hit would mean immediate victory; Kang Dong-woo, quickly down to two strikes, delivered a game-ending hit that thrilled both the Fire Fighters and the viewers after a persistent battle.
The 14th episode of 'Fire Baseball' surpassed 100,000 simultaneous viewers within just 13 minutes of its premiere. The peak simultaneous viewer count reached 230,000, proving the hot popularity of 'Fire Baseball.' Viewers commented enthusiastically, saying, "Yoo Hee-kwan has great reflexes," "next slugger after slugger. The Fire Fighters' lineup is the best," "Daegu High's batting is not ordinary," "Lee Dae-eun's pitching is insane; I don't think anyone can hit it," "I feel like the romance of 70s amateur baseball is coming back thanks to this show," "so this is why they call it 'night baseball.' Jung Seong-hoon seems to be struggling but has fantastic focus," "Lee Dae-eun seems to pitch better when tired," "I'm so nervous I can't watch," and "Kang Dong-woo's walk-off hit! You are the star of this unscripted drama!"
Next week's broadcast will reveal the live event held on July 13th at the Ulsan Munsoo Baseball Stadium against Gangneung High. Gangneung High is expected to threaten the Fire Fighters in a much stronger appearance than before. It raises curiosity about which team will emerge victorious amid the torrential rain.
Meanwhile, after the broadcast, 'Fire Baseball' announced a live viewing against Seoul High School, the champion team of the 2025 Shinsegae Emart National High School Baseball Championship. This match will be the sixth live viewing since its inception and will take place on the 10th (Sunday) at 6 p.m. at Incheon Munhak Baseball Stadium.
[Photo] Capture of the 14th episode of Studio C1 'Fire Baseball.'
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